There comes a time in every kit builder's life when they'll need to know where the engine and transmission will be located in their ride. That time has come for the California Hauler, and since we opted to run a V-8 in place of the stock Chevy S-10 engine with our Auto Classic Willys truck project, it changed the location of everything in the engine compartment.
The good news is since we're locating the engine, we can move it more than a foot rearward from where the original motor sat, which will improve the truck's center of gravity. And when its combined with a future lowering job, it will give us a vehicle that should handle more like a slot car than a pickup truck!
When it was time to figure out what would power the California Hauler, the choices were limitless. A blown Hemi? A Chevy small-block with injection sticking through the hood? A stroked Ford V-8? As it turned out, Smeding Performance in Rancho Cordova, California, can supply just about anything on anyone's wish list who has either Ford or Chevy powerplants-from mild to wild.
Although we'll highlight the particular engine and transmission we'll be using in a future issue, once we decided what to use, we needed to figure out where it should fit in the S-10 chassis.
There is a combination of common sense and science when locating an engine. We'll explain both sides of the equation
The common sense side deals with centering the engine and trans between the framerails as a starting point in order to make sure that whatever you plan to bolt to the engine, from AC pulleys to induction and exhaust systems, will be able to clear the crossmember, framerails, and hood. Our stock S-10 chassis turned out to be a perfect candidate for a V-8, as the chassis widens in just at the right spot for a small-block (or even a big-block) to slide right in.
The design of the cab and chassis also allows us to raise the engine high in the frame, so not much of the engine and trans hangs below the framerails. Having the engine/trans installed this way not only looks better, but will keep the engine or trans pan from scraping over a speed bump or driveway.
Since the engine is in a brand new location, we'll fabricate our own engine mounts from scratch, which will be featured in the next installment of this series. The science side of the engine and trans install formula will also be covered in the next issue, and includes figuring out pinion angles and how they relate to the wear and tear on the driveshaft's U-joints.
If you remember what the donor...
If you remember what the donor S-10 looked like when I bought it-a greasy chassis with the cab still attached-you might wonder what ever happened to the cab portion. I held onto it, because one of the two VIN numbers on the truck is located on a tag at the base of the windshield, while the other is on the chassis. I'll be using the chassis VIN, so I decided to cut up the cab. A plasma cutter, cutoff wheel, and reciprocating saw made quick work of the cab. The S-10 cab pieces now fit easily in the bed of my truck.
Since I won't be using the...
Since I won't be using the stock S-10 engine and trans (favoring a 347 Ford stroker motor from Smeding Performance), I can choose to install the engine anywhere I want. This is the space I have to work with. (Pay no attention to the mounts holding down the cab-they're just there to keep the cab from moving around while getting transported).
Just eyeballing it is some...
Just eyeballing it is some of what it takes to locate the engine properly. Start by centering it between the framerails.
On the passenger side of the...
On the passenger side of the block, you'll have to allow not only clearance for the header, but also access to the starter.
In keeping with the Ford engine...
In keeping with the Ford engine theme, we're going with a TCI Automotive AODE transmission. If you tell TCI how your motor is set up, they'll tell you which converter and flex plate you'll need to make everything work well together.