Although I am sure I posted this last night, I think maybe it was deleted for mentioning LT1 in the post. I kinda figured the sig would tell the story, but since I guess not, this is an LT1 going into a 1987 thirdgen Trans Am, and since I am only asking how to get to where the nuts that hold the motor mounts in, I cant see how this is not thirdgen related.

That said, here I go again.
I was trying very hard last night to get the new motor at least under the hood of my car (mainly because I didn't want to lift it up the lip to the garage. Unfortunatly I underestimated the tediousness of working with the motor mounts. I was working on getting the standard GM Gen 1 mounts off, when I realized, I could not see 2 of the nuts at all. I could get a wrench on them, but I could not see them. With the help of a friend, I got the passanger side mount off, but that left me with the question, how does anyone get these things back on?

My own observations lead me to believe I have to pull the part of the suspension that the springs rest on. (someone once told me they were called A-Frames, but since I can't remember who, I do not know how credible the source is, so I'd rather look like an uninformed person, than a complete idiot/misinformed person) By doing so I should have realitivly easy access to the bolt holes for the mounts.

I can see 2 problems though. 1; The springs. 2; the bushings. My main concern is the springs. I normally jack the front of the car by the crossmember, which should allow the springs to hang down. However, this time I actually watched as the car settled onto the jackstands which I usually place under the springs, they didn't actually move any noticable amount. Then I thought back to all the times in the past that I have donce this, and I have never seen a noticeable change in the springs. Are my front springs just really really REALLY stiff? If so, so I even need the spring compresser? Is there any other way go get them out without using a spring compresser? I really dont like the idea of wild springs shooting out of there mount locations and killing anyone, or damaging the car, or my friends house that I am doing the work at. Now for the bushings, do these need to be changed, should they be changed while they are out? How expensive are they (Cheap and I'll replace them no matter what) I am really getting short on funds, so I am trying to keep all the extra spending to a minimum.

If there is some other way, please let me in on the secret

Thanks
Corry

 

I just did mine. You can see 1 nut from under the car on each mount. The other two I couldn't see until I removed the tire. Once you do that you can run extensions and a swivel to get to the other 2 nuts per mount. I believe I actually had to run my extensions through the springs.

 

Don't remove the A arms. To put those nuts back on the mounts you just need to put a little masking tape on the wrench end where the nut sits, wedge the nut in the wrench and slip it back inside the cross member. It is actually not all that hard to get them on the bolts by feel.

 

Well, rather than fumble about with drilling and fubleing around with nuts in places where the sun don't shine (By that I mean I mean between the lower control arms and the crossmember of course ) I decided I will get the old mounts out, and weld the new ones on. By the time I want to replace the motor with something non LT1, (a few years from now lol) I should have a good place to work with all the proper tools, and cutting/grinding the mount out will not be a problem. (Note these mounts are either weld in or bolt in mounts)