BBF vs BBC motorplate location

I will post this here and in the chassis forum. Sorry about the double post, but thought it may have a good chance of getting answered here by guys that may not normally read the chassis forum.

I'm shopping cars to replace my dragster. Going door car this time. Drove to Knoxville, Tn yesterday to look at one. May go to South Carolina this week to look at a mid 80's t-bird. The car has had a 615 BBC w Big Chief heads. Ran 4.80-90's with a little spray. I am interested in the car as a roller. I will build another A headed deal like the dragster had.

My questions:

1. How does the motor plate location differ from bbc to bbf. If I got a BBF motor plate and bolted it to the tabs in the car would it place the engine forward or behind bbc location. I ask as the car is round tube up front with the tabs welded to an upright. Not easy to move the tabs. How about placement of the trans crossmember? With a BBF bolted in up front, where would the mount on the trans shaft fall? Forward or behind the BBC placement?

2. I know the headers will bolt to new style A460 heads. They have individual flanges. Are the exhaust port angles on Big Chief heads close enough to the A460 angles so they might work without hitting the chassis?

More pics of the car here, strut front,ladder bars rear. Has both 31X10.5W and 15X33 tires:

https://s374.photobucket.com/albums/oo186/dgcole01/t%20bird/



Thanks
David Cole

Just depends on how long the block is. If it's the same or even close the motor plate tab location shouldn't be a problem since you can custom make one to bolt in the same place....

If you buy the car maybe get the plate to make it easier to make a BBF plate?

There are a lot of things to consider.

First and most obvious is that the drivers bank of cylinders is forward on a Chevy and the passenger side cylinders are forward on a Ford.

A Chevy MOTOR PLATE most always mounts to the water pump mounting holes of the block and the very front of the block. The Ford engine motor plate depends upon whether a BELT DRIVE is used or not but, usually bolts to the front of that or the regular front cover directly behind the water pump. SO, the actual front of the engine is back further than a Chevy; (usually about 1 1/2" to 2").

i would start at the trans,glide i'd guess,bolt it where it has been and go from there.it looks like you would'nt have much if any room to move it back anyway.the front motor plate could be bent or just fab some new tabs with a bend in them.you'll be runnen a BBF in it so it'll need a little more weight up front to help keep the frontend down anyway. good looken car too!

its probably not gonna be a bolt on deal...you will be cutting tabs, and welding up new ones in the right position... and buying a new motor plate for your application, but thats half the fun. I am also curious as to the headers being interchangeable as well... looks like a bad ass car any other pictures?

cool40 wrote:i would start at the trans,glide i'd guess,bolt it where it has been and go from there.!

good idea, ad you bbf bell housing,and mid plate to it, and work your way forward.

Thanks for the input so far guys.

138 wrote:any other pictures?

pics in an album here:
https://s374.photobucket.com/albums/oo186/dgcole01/t%20bird/

Good lookin Bird David

Nice ride! Nothing a little fabrication won't fix!

would it not be easier to set the engine and trans and then shorten the drive shaft to fit?


Randy

the Coug wrote:would it not be easier to set the engine and trans and then shorten the drive shaft to fit?


Randy

if it's had a glide in it already it would be less work IMO to start at the bell and go.the drive shaft,trans crossmember,and midplate would all have to go back,or keep them how they are and do something with the front plate. i dont know if a glide with a j/w bell or a reid deal is any longer than a std gm or not but if not it would fit what's on it now.JMO

^^^I agree 100%....Leave the front of the trans/back of the block alone.....fit a mid-plate to what you have to work with....
After that is fitted...it will dictate where the front plate needs to be....my .02

irony... and that car is def. bad ass

bbc block length is about 23-9/16" to 23-5/8"

460 block length (without stock timing cover) is about 22-13/16" to 22-7/8"

460 block length (including stock timing cover) is about 25" to 25-1/16"

If the motor plate is mounted in front of the timing cover you can either make aluminum spacers for between the motor plate & the chassis brackets. Or you can make a "Z bend" motor plate, the bends make up for the offset so you don't need the spacers.

To add to what Dave posted the Chevy block is 23.630" from water pump pad to the bellhousing. Don't ask how I know (you know, don't ask, don't tell)!

David ,the easiest and probably best way to convert it over to a BBF is to make your midplate fit the Ford and bolt it all in together ,then you'll only have to redo your front plate or mounts for it and your driveshaft will work.. good luck with it.

Yea kind of what Dan said. My car had the same set up BBC and a glide. I can show you what I did if you send me your e-mail addy (and will be gald to talk to ya). It is not a drop in but it wasnt that big of deal. Randy

David I agree I don't think it would not be a drop in but it looks like there is room to work with.

Why not do it the smart way and put the motor plate against the block behind the timing cover??? Then, build up the short bolt tab on the cover and mill the thickness of the plate off the back of it.

chuck stevens wrote:Why not do it the smart way and put the motor plate against the block behind the timing cover??? Then, build up the short bolt tab on the cover and mill the thickness of the plate off the back of it.

I have a timing cover allready milled for this setup if you decide to go this route Dave....


Randy

The thought for doing that came from a "project" which will use first, a fake boss 342 and later a boss9 headed 521/532. The difference in length, back of block to motor plate, between a SBF with the plate mounted behind the water pump, and a BBF with the plate behind the timing cover is.....1/4 inch.