Engine Mount Fab Process Begins

[booztd3]

We started working on the motor mounts last night. The previous pictures I took, the motor was just setting on the crossmember.......so here goes

We first started off by removing the middle panel of the upper radiator support. This is not 100% necessary but will provide to be very handy when removing the motor and whenever any maintenence is needed on the front.

Instead of just cutting the panel out we opted for somewhat of a cleaner method. We found all the spot welds and drilled them out. I dont think I'll end up filling the holes back in because I have always used the CF air guides that lay over teh top, so they'll cover all of this up anyways







We're going to weld plates on to the side of the frame rails for the motor mounts to attach to, and we also began making the engine mount plates

Here we are cleaning the area off where teh plate is to be welded



Plate welded on



Finally after the two plates were welded on we notched the plasma cutter. We'll be taking a piece of flat stock and making a triangle (instead of a square that it used to be) out of the crossmember. We'll also box the empty sections in




Here we began drilling the holes for the engine brackets










I believe we'll be finishing the mounts up on sunday, cheers!

[1badz32]

Yikes... i didnt realize that much of the crossmember had to be removed... "boxing" it in will add some of the support back. It would be nice if there were a way to add some support else where to compensate. I dont fully understand nor do i pretend to know the consiquence of a main cross member failing, but i would imagine it being very very bad.

[rb26z32]

He took out far more crossmember than I did. Mine is in a triangle shape and not notched out nearly that far. As far as crossmember failure, not likely. The member is bolted firmly on both sides, no longer has the weight of the engine sitting on it, and even after being modified is very strong. Trust me when I say that I, Andy, and his brother know what they are doing and would not put a part on our cars that would be a liability.

[rb26z32]

oops.. didn't realize that you haven't welded the new metal into the crossmember yet, my bad. Decieving picture

[booztd3]

Nope, we still have to 'box' the cross member in.....

[daj20b]

Hey mate

I am about to start this project myself im in brisbane australia was just wonder if you were going to continue this engine mount thread really interested in how other people are doing or have done i just hate doing shit twice.

yours is looking the goods keep up the good work!!!


cheers dave

[rb26z32]

I sell a kit for this swap through Speed and Sound. pm me for details.

[JMT-Z]

Trust me when I say that I, Andy, and his brother know what they are doing and would not put a part on our cars that would be a liability.

You have anything to really back that up like FEA modeling, physical testing or something like that or you just going off the fact that your engine hasn't fallen out? Not saying that it isn't strong enough, but just be warned when making comments like that because "knowing what you are doing" is thrown around a lot these days.


As for beefing up the cross member after cutting all of that out.....I wonder if possibly filling it with that structural foam material may be beneficial?

[rb26z32]

A friend of mine (Chris)has seen my crossmember and assured me that it is plenty strong. He happens to build sub 8 second NHRA certified cages and racecars. Here is his website www.intenseracingteam.com I trust his judgement!

[1badz32]

A friend of mine (Chris)has seen my crossmember and assured me that it is plenty strong. He happens to build sub 8 second NHRA certified cages and racecars. Here is his website www.intenseracingteam.com I trust his judgement!

Does your car have a cage in it?? i dont remember seeing a pic of the intierior.

[booztd3]

No, he does not have a cage

[1badz32]

Then this is where i would expecially worry about cutting on that cross member. If the car atleast has a cage, there is some integrity added back into the chasis. Though these cars are biult quite well, the Z chasis IS still a uni-body. If the Nissan engineers back in Japan didnt think the Z needed the cross member that it got, I would imagine that they would have sized it accrodingly.

[booztd3]

I'm actually thinking about designing a bolt-in K-member that would work for our cars. The K-member would be coupled with the mounts so there'd be several advantages including weight savings and it being a true 'bolt-on' solution

[zboost]

I'm actually thinking about designing a bolt-in K-member that would work for our cars. The K-member would be coupled with the mounts so there'd be several advantages including weight savings and it being a true 'bolt-on' solution

[rb26z32]

DEAR GOD PEOPLE! for some reason everyone has this infatuation with the crossmember failing. It is not going to fail. The modified crossmember is just a strong if not stronger than the original. What was cut out is welded back in with thicker gauge steel but in a different shape. I will post a pic this weekend to end this argrument forever [/i]