Pulling motor with front clip still attached.

[RICH MUISE]

Has anyone here pulled a motor AND tranny with all the front sheetmetal still in place? I'm doing this with a harbor freight cherry picker, which seems to be coming up short of having enough reach, even with it in full extension. Right now I'm about 8" short, but I'll gain about 5" when I take the car off the jack stands. Right now the bumper is hitting the hydraulic ram, but should go below it when I drop it off the stands. If not enough, I may have to pull the bumper.
Also, I don't really like having the top "bar" at full extension, so I may try and pull the motor forward,so I can get to the bellhousing bolts and pull the motor and tranny separately to lighten the load. That will depend on if I can get to the torque converter bolts. finishing up dropping the r & p tommorrow, then I'll know about the t.c.
This project is tough on an old body.

[gasman826]

Unfortunately all those readily available cherry pickers are disappointing.  If it folds, it is likely an off shore design.  It does not have the reach.  After using mine a couple of time putting 460 in and out of my Custom, I realized it needed MORE POWER.  It worked fine with no front clip or bumper.  I salvaged a couple of cars and realized that the front bumper needed removal at the least.  I cut the wheels off (if the car is sitting on the ground, the picker is too tall and won't clear the tie rods.  I lengthen the front legs about 18" and incorporated to lower the front about 3".  With longer legs, I replaced the boom extension with a longer piece with a 1/4" wall.  I banded the boom joint with 4" of larger square steel tubing so it would not tear with the longer extension.  I move the rear casters from under to the side to lower the back about 3".  Everything bolted together was welded.  Much better!  I pulled the YBlock from the front without removing the bumper.  It is still a good idea to pad the bump just in case.  The last time I removed the 351w, it went over the fender without removing the hood.  I just installed the 351w without taking off the hood.  I wanted to freshen the AOD so I removed the transmission first.  The 460 in the Custom requires front clip removal everytime.

[RICH MUISE]

Wow.....you're just full of good news. lol. Sounds like a better solution maybe would be an overhead trolley/a frame. Don't have one of those either. My neighbor offered me the use of his cherry picker(I hate borrowing tools), maybe I'll go check the reach on his.
Right now I'm thinking if I could lift the engine from underneath with a floor jack, I could lift it and roll it forward enough to have adequate reach with the cherry picker bumper removed. I've got 8 or 10 inches room up front, tommorrow. I'll check underneath to see what might hit the engine crossmember, posibly the starter. Right now, I'm thinking the only thing stopping it from moving forward quite a bit is the Rack, which I'm dropping out anyway. I've already dropped the tie rods down at the center of the rack, but I think you're right about the engine hoist not clearing them at the spindle end when the car is lowered down off the jacks.
One thing in my favor is the low weight of the engine and tranny  @ 719 lbs total together.
I'm doing everything I can to not have to remove the front clip.........too much wiring, A/C lines, etc. not even considering the realignment time

[gasman826]

I would just remove the bumper rather than gamble on damaging something while attempting to move the engine forward and not having it work.  Removing the 460 requires dropping the R&P and swaybar.  I remove the manual transmission separate to make it all more manageable and not damage paint or transmission.  The Lakewood bell has to come out with the engine.  There is no access to bell bolts while in the car.  Unfortunately, FOMOCO torque converters have studs.  Attempting to pull just the engine and leave the 4R70 in the car is dicey at best.  The studs almost always bind just enough to pull the converter out enough to dump fluid all over everything with potential damage to the seal and/or pump bushing.  Pull the transmission first or engine and transmission together.

Sorry my information is a downer but I have done all these bad things and take no joy in telling you 'I told you so'.  So if my suffering will help make your job easier, then I've happy I could help.  If you were closer, bring your car over and we'll get it done!

[Ford Blue blood]

Rich Harbor Freight has an overhead trolley, don't remember the cost.  Might be worth looking into.  It's cost would certainly be less then body damage caused by a slip or removing and replacing the front clip.

[RICH MUISE]

They use to stock them here in Amarillo, I think now it's a special order. If I remember it's about 800 ish. I'll check their website. My frien at the speedshop has an overhead trolley, so I'll look at that option as well.
I've got some (hopefully) good news to post about a found engine..I'll post that on the "bad bad day" thread.

[djfordmanjack]

Rich, what's the roof structure on your garage? you know what I am thinking. could use a light manual ratchet hoist and chain like in the old days, and push the car rearwards while engine hangs on chain. have removed dozens of engines like that.

[gasman826]

yep, done that too.  Temporarily add some dimensional lumber to the trusses and add a temp post on each side of the car.

[RICH MUISE]

The garage is built well.....2 x 12 ceiling joists on 16" centers, but...........
I got the problem resolved today.........went and talked to my next door neighbor who last week offered the use of his engine hoist, but I had mine that I needed to get over here anyways, so I declined the offer. Went and measured his. FULLY RETRACTED, it's the same as mine FULLY EXTENDED! It'll be tall enough also that I can leave the car on jackstands to clear the hoist under the tie rods

[ragtop]

when my hoist is fully extended the Waite was to much to lift motor and trans. that hi it wood tip over almost had it fall had to have someone stand on hoist to keep it from tipping over