LT1 Engine Drop (Pull) Rolling K-Member out (Video and Pics)
350350
January 25, 2011
So I've read several threads here with varying opinions on the best way to drop an LT1... Here's my 2-cents' worth... (Keep in mind I've only done it twice now...)
1) I did 1/2 and 1/2 this time. I didn't lift the body off, or drop the engine out. I lifted the body halfway off and dropped the engine halfway out the bottom. Car on stands half the height it needed to be for the engine to come out. Hooked hoist to K-Member and dropped it all the way down onto the hoist rails (acting as a dolly now). Then, without moving member or hoist, lifted the body the rest of the height required to roll the K-Member out.
2) (Video) Rolled the K-Member out on the hoist rails. Easy Breezy.
3) Once clear of the car, I lifted the engine off the K-Member and bolted it onto the engine stand with the hoist still in place, K-Member still on the hoist rails.
4) Car now still in place, engine on stand, K-Member empty and movable now rolls easily off the hoist rails with no engine on it.
5) Everything on wheels, no crushing death. Yay!
Also noteworthy is that I see no need to remove the condenser or radiator. I even left the cooling fans in place.
If you planned this all out, you could do it in your driveway and roll everything back in the garage at the end of the day.
6) Maybe? If you really needed the car mobile, you could easily bolt the empty K-Member back under the car to move it around. It would 'look' mobile (ish) too if you needed to keep the neighbors or the apartment complex happy?
1) I did 1/2 and 1/2 this time. I didn't lift the body off, or drop the engine out. I lifted the body halfway off and dropped the engine halfway out the bottom. Car on stands half the height it needed to be for the engine to come out. Hooked hoist to K-Member and dropped it all the way down onto the hoist rails (acting as a dolly now). Then, without moving member or hoist, lifted the body the rest of the height required to roll the K-Member out.
2) (Video) Rolled the K-Member out on the hoist rails. Easy Breezy.
3) Once clear of the car, I lifted the engine off the K-Member and bolted it onto the engine stand with the hoist still in place, K-Member still on the hoist rails.
4) Car now still in place, engine on stand, K-Member empty and movable now rolls easily off the hoist rails with no engine on it.
5) Everything on wheels, no crushing death. Yay!
Also noteworthy is that I see no need to remove the condenser or radiator. I even left the cooling fans in place.
If you planned this all out, you could do it in your driveway and roll everything back in the garage at the end of the day.
6) Maybe? If you really needed the car mobile, you could easily bolt the empty K-Member back under the car to move it around. It would 'look' mobile (ish) too if you needed to keep the neighbors or the apartment complex happy?
