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Necoa #: 11731
Location: 9(IN,KY,MI)
Joined: May 15, 2008
Posts: 2
Year: 1978
Model: El Camino
Posted: Fri
May 16, 2008 7:57
pm Post subject: V8 in a '78
I bought my El Camino a while back and i am going to be putting an V8 in my '78 very soon. I am 15 so i am very new to the Camino world, but i know that you can bolt off the front end so i was wondering is it easy to take off the front end to put in an engine?
Necoa #: 5
Location: San Antonio, Texas, after living in Hawaii for 31 years.
Joined: Apr 12, 2003
Posts: 572
Posted: Fri
May 16, 2008 9:31
pm Post subject:
You can do that. But there is no need to. I have droped engine and tranny in together with a engine hoist a couple of times with no problem.
Just take your time and drop it in. If anything, take off the hood.
Just my $.02.
Mike _________________ mygallary
I just did the same V8 swap last year on my '81 (basically the same as your '7. I installed the engine (with the transmission attached) with an engine hoist and a floor jack in my driveway. I would suggest having a friend help, it makes fishing the unit through the engine bay a lot easier. It's easy to do without taking the fenders and radiator support out. Like Elky83 said, just remove the hood.
The floor jack can be used to lift the trans once the engine is ready to be bolted to the mounts, it's a lot easier than having to muscle it up by hand.
If you don't have a hoist, you shold be able to rent one fairly cheap. _________________ My "Hell Camino" Homepage
1981 Chevy El Camino
1991 Chevy S10
"Attitude is everything"
Necoa #: 572
Location: 10(IL,MN,WI)
Joined: Jan 28, 2003
Posts: 3473
Year: 1984
Model: El Camino
Posted: Sat
May 17, 2008 11:44
am Post subject:
Just take off the hood and remove the radiator, there's no sense messing up the alignment of the front end sheetmetal, old blankets or something over sheetmetal to protect from knicks. Engine with trans attached is best, with car up high on jack stands. Engine hoist is a must.
I have an older engine hoist from Harbor Freight (I say older, but it's from the 80's and used for mostly imports). None the less, it has a pretty short boom and I have used it on my Caballero and a 68 Vette (and the nose on that thing is huge). None the less, I always attack from the side and have never had an issue. I just remove the passenger side tire and voila...Drop the motor in. _________________ Excuses are the tools of the incompetent!
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. I installed the engine (with the transmission attached) with an engine hoist and a floor jack in my driveway. I would suggest having a friend help, it makes fishing the unit through the engine bay a lot easier. It's easy to do without taking the fenders and radiator support out. Like Elky83 said, just remove the hood.
