First of all; I did a bunch of searching but I am not coming up with any clear information.

To start things off I'm in the process of doing a LT1 swap into my bird. Its a 95 LT1 out of a caprice cop car. My car is a 82 firebird. I put fresh motor mounts onto the stock cross-member and dropped in the LT1. Everything seemed to drop in fine and dandy but once I massaged the motor mount bolts through the clam shells and the motor mounts the engine was clearly sitting crooked. The clam shells are off of the LT1, which once again, is out of a b-body caprice. The car is straight and wasn't in any accidents or anything like that.

Any ideas or steps that I missed??

 

Wow that is really crooked. Did you by chance put the mounts in one of the wrong set of holes on the cross member? It's been awhile since I've had the Lt1 out of my Formula, but IIRC one of the mounts is further forward than the other. Do you still have the factory mounts from you original motor (assuming SBC). Try using those. They fit the Lt1 block, but only use two of the 3 bolts.

 

The motor mounts are in the front-most mounting holes of the k member. Thats how the 383 sbc that I had in the car mounted up. Is the LT1 different? I don't have the clam shells from my old motor anymore...sold them on the motor itself.

 

After looking around online, it's how the way the Lt1 mounts come off the block is what is different from normal SBC. I'm trying to find a picture comparing the two. I've got a few from when I had my motor out of my 4th gen, but they don't really help much here.

 

are the mounts on the k-member supposed to be offset from one and other? Drivers side set back and the passenger side up front?

 

You need the F-body mounts that bolt to the engine.

 

You have some or know of any place to get them? I thought a clam shell was a clam shell haha.

 

What about a solid motor mount swap? Would this kit be compatible with my K-member and the LT1?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevy-Solid-...a3b1a5&vxp=mtr


I also found the picture attached... I'm assuming I can use holes A, B, and C and have everything bolt right up the way it should rather than using holes A, D, and C. I'm thinking I possibly used the wrong configuration of bolt holes with the clam shell. I'm going to check it out right now!

 

Sure enough. I have to use the old AC compressor mounting stud. This will cause me to flip my clam shell over allowing me to run the mounts I currently have. Doing this will pull the passanger side of the motor back about a inch and a half which should center it like it is supposed to be! What a dick around!!!

Too bad I just ordered some solid motor mounts for it! Going to have to pull the motor back out anyways.

 

I forgot to mention, this way of fixing the problem will only work if you are running an AC bypass pulley. I'm not sure what you'd have to do if you planned on keeping AC.

 

just a thought, are you sure you can't move your drivers side clamshell rearward rather than moving your passenger side clamshell forward? And don't feel bad about making this mistake, I did the same thing when I swapped in my LT1! I remember it was the passenger side I had to adjust,but I cant remember if it had to move forward or rearward.

 

Yeah it was the whole issue with the passenger side ac compressor stud/mounting hole since it was out of a b-body car. While I was at it I installed some solid motor mounts too. Shes sitting straight now. Pictures will be up later for others to see and reference to.

 

That's how its supposed to look!

 

Solid motor mounts.

(I know I'm missing header bolts; I was in the process of putting them on when I snapped the pic)

 

i have always herd once you go solid you will never go solid again.

 

Quite the opposite

Once you go solid, you will never go rubber again

 

Doesn't it shake the hell out of the car at idle?

 

Modern engines arent as rough as older ones

If you put a 109 LSA cam and turn the idle down low... yeah it'll mix chocolate milk for you

 

HUM tempting "evil laugh" MUH ha ha ha

 

I dont understand the problem here You dont have an AC that needs a compressor the if needed situation I'll answer when I get to that point on mine