Engine height affects on weight transfer?

igotaneed4speed

Club Member
I have a lil problem ...

The set-up I plan to run in my car has a very tall height to it. As in the carb hats gunna be almost 9-10 inches above the hood line if I mount the engine stock height.

I would like it to be no higher than 5 1\2 to 6 inches, so.. how is it going to affect weight transfer if I drop a 800 lbs engine 3 -4 inches lower?

Some where I read that the higher the better inital hit traction? Not sure if thats correct but I'm kinda worried if its gunna hurt traction and by how much lowering the engine. It will make gooooooobs of toque so ever lil bit will be helpfull.
 
I have a lil problem ...

The set-up I plan to run in my car has a very tall height to it. As in the carb hats gunna be almost 9-10 inches above the hood line if I mount the engine stock height.

I would like it to be no higher than 5 1\2 to 6 inches, so.. how is it going to affect weight transfer if I drop a 800 lbs engine 3 -4 inches lower?

Some where I read that the higher the better inital hit traction? Not sure if thats correct but I'm kinda worried if its gunna hurt traction and by how much lowering the engine. It will make gooooooobs of toque so ever lil bit will be helpfull.

I heard the same thing myself, honestly I would be more concerned with the alignment of the tail shaft to the rear end. Have you ever heard of the chassis book called door slammers? In the book they touch on that subject as well as proper chassis set up and how it will react, pretty good reading in regards to overall chassis set up. back on subject I doubt lowering the motor a little will hurt, but what are you going to do in regards to the clearance between the rack and oil pan? and or the k member?
 
I heard the same thing myself, honestly I would be more concerned with the alignment of the tail shaft to the rear end. Have you ever heard of the chassis book called door slammers? In the book they touch on that subject as well as proper chassis set up and how it will react, pretty good reading in regards to overall chassis set up. back on subject I doubt lowering the motor a little will hurt, but what are you going to do in regards to the clearance between the rack and oil pan? and or the k member?



I plan to run a tubular K and im just junna move the rack mounts down as much as; that still deems safe.

Hopefully a tubular k-member without mounting pads will give me enough room to drop it a lil. I will cut/notch the oil pan to clearance fit if needed.

Setting the motor plate is easy, I'm just gunna level the car on the jack stands and check it with plum bobs. Then I'll find the center of the pinion on the rear end transfer that line up to the engine bay via a chalk line on the floor. Then using a mock up block, make that line intersect the cam center front and rear of the block.


I really don't want some monstosity hood on this thing.. a 6 inch i can live with anything bigger and ill be cutting the hood open and letting the shit hangout.


Basicly it might come down to me just cutting the whole front end off this pos this winter and front halfing it with a tubular set-up. I wanted to do it orginaly but kinda put it off hoping I wouldnt have to, But this fricken engine is so damn tall and wide, then all the plumbing and headers that I have to get in there somehow...:nuts:
 
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I heard the same thing myself, honestly I would be more concerned with the alignment of the tail shaft to the rear end. Have you ever heard of the chassis book called door slammers? In the book they touch on that subject as well as proper chassis set up and how it will react, pretty good reading in regards to overall chassis set up. back on subject I doubt lowering the motor a little will hurt, but what are you going to do in regards to the clearance between the rack and oil pan? and or the k member?

one of the instructors at the college i went to wrote that book.
 
you want the crank in the car to be as low as possible, you dont want the weight high in the car... if you have the motor to high it will want to wheelie alot...
 
I'm with this guy. Drop that motor on the ground. Lower the hell outa the car. Then use the 4 link to bring the IC to where you need it for a good hard bite.

Sean


you want the crank in the car to be as low as possible, you dont want the weight high in the car... if you have the motor to high it will want to wheelie alot...
 
one of the instructors at the college i went to wrote that book.

Dave Morgan, He was also my instructor! He taught my hypo drive-lines class at The University of Northwestern Ohio! Awesome Guy! Hell He bought the school a shock dyno out of his own money just because he thought we could use it! If you are still a student in his class tell him Dave Sadowski said hi! I worked on his friends pro stock HEMI Barracuda for him.
 
Be careful with getting it TOO low in the chassis. There are a few outlaw 10.5 guys that have been fighting the issues associated with such a problem, but in short, when the track is good it will run like a bullet, but when its average you'll end up smoking the tires.
 
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