Yet another engine mounting thread

[MidLifer]

I've read at least 20 threads on the topic of mounting a LS engine in our trucks and am thoroughly confused at this point. Here's my situation - I'm putting a LQ4/4L80e combo into a 71 C10 that long ago had 8-lug wheels and HD springs/leafs put on it, so it sits higher than your average C10. I got the engine and trans all together with the stock pan on it, then tried mounting it using Transdapt plates (the ones that put the engine in stock position), my existing V8 perches and the mounts that came off my SBC (which were only a couple years old and reusable). Lo and behold, the front of the pan hit the steering link.

Since the truck sits so high I'm not concerned about the rear of the pan hanging down an inch below the crossmember. I don't drive this thing off road after all, it's a 2WD. I'd also like to try to keep the clutch fan that is on the engine and not have to go to electric fans. This is why I was hoping to keep the motor in the stock position. Lastly, at this point I don't relish taking everything apart again and replacing the pan.

The next thing I tried was buying CPP sheet metal perches, as I had read that they are higher than the stock perches. Nope. Same height. I then bought some Nova/Camaro mounts (Anchor 2283) as they are thicker. But they and the CPP perches don't get along - the space between the brackets is smaller than the width of the pad on the perch.

I then read in another thread that the POL tubular perches raise the engine up about an inch, but I just got off the phone with POL and they disagree with that assessment.

What do you guys recommend?

- Buy the POL perches and use them with the 2283 mounts?
- Get sliding plates like Dingos and mount the engine further back?
- Bite the bullet and change the pan to a CTSV or F-body pan (though I think with a F-body pan I'm going to have clearance issues at the back of the crossmember)?
- Some combination of the above?
- Another solution I haven't either read or thought of yet?

Thanks for putting up with yet another thread on this topic.

Jim

[BR3W CITY]

Trace the Trandsapt plates onto 3/16 plate and move the holes around to put it where you need it. A set of jetted plates shouldn't cost an insane amount, and def should be cheaper than the other options. You can probably cheat it back a bit and still have firewall clearance.

[MidLifer]

Thanks BR3W. I opted instead for a pair of billet plates off of eBay. What i learned is that the plates I had did not put the engine in stock position. It was about 1.25" forward. I think/hope the new plates will solve the problem, they have a set of holes that will move the engine back that 1.25". I also see there are two bosses on the front of the oil pan. I may need to shave those to get the last bit of clearance.

Still thinking about some new perches to make the bolt in/off process easier.