Hi Adam, still no luck. The holes just don't line up. The engine is sitting way too high it seems to me. I had to modify the cross member because I'm running a Poston aluminum pan with an external oil pick up. Still no luck. I ground down into the frame pads where I could see the motor mounts hitting and still no luck.The holes in the frame pads appear to be a good 1 inch or slightly less below the motor mount holes. Boy, talk about frustration and no doubt there is probably some easy cure but beats me.
Have you tried taking the frame pads and motor mounts off the car and motor and test fitting them together? If you can't get the bolt in this way then you've narrowed down your problem. I used TA frame pads and mounts on my '66 and I had to grind some of the frame pad away to get the mount to fit over it. I also had to re-drill the lower hole on the frame pad on the passenger side. I left all the frame pad and mount bolts really loose until I got the long bolts in. I even had to shim the frame pad on the passenger side as when the long bolt was in and all the weight was on the pad it still didn't sit flush on the frame. Quality control
I have the frame pads installed but not tight. Only the top two boltholes are a little wider for lateral movement I suppose the bottom hole does not allow for the frame pad to move up or down. Given these limitations it seems to me that the problem would need to be in the motor mounts. Now, given that, the motor mounts can only go in the two boltholes on the block, with no allowance for adjustment. With the engine sitting in place and perfectly level, the passenger side frame mount bolthole is a good inch or so below the lower bolthole in the motor mount. I checked to see if the motor mounts hit the frame pads and they do in a few places. Ive ground those areas down but much to no avail. Again frustration has set in. I would suspect I need to remove the frame pads, install the long bolt as you suggested and set the engine down on the cross-member and mark where the new mounting holes for the frame pads would go. I see that as the only alternative. Am I correct here?
I'm not sure what to tell you? I ordered new motor mounts for a 72 GS 455 from Auto Zone and bought the frame pads from TA Performance. This combination worked fine with no alterations or adjustments necessary for both my '68 Buick Skylark and '65 Buick Wagon. However, if memory serves me correctly, TA Performance offered frame pads specifically for the 64-67 "A" body and another for the 68-72 "A" body. If you purchased pads from TA you might have gotten the wrong ones? You mentioned you have an aftermarket oil pan. I'm assuming you've checked to be sure the oil pan is not hitting the center frame rail? When I went to install the 455 in my '68 Skylark years ago, I had a center sump oil pan on the car out of an "E" body. Needless to say I learned the hard way that a rear sump oil pan was required to miss the center support.
Len, I don't know what to add to what these guys have said since my last post. Where did you get your frame-mounts from? Can you post pictures?
Len, I went back and read your first post again. If you have true '67 GS400 frame pads then only mounts for a '67 GS400 will work and from what I understand they are next to impossible to find. I think you need to get some TA, Poston or PAE frame pads for this swap and get the mounts from them too just to be sure they're right. My 2 cents.
I can't remember who it was but I received the frame pads from someone on this board quite a while back. They were supposed to work sticking a 455 in a 65. Now, perhaps this is the first clue where I'm screwed up. You are the first one whose mentioned that they are year specific. Holy crap. So, I'll look on TA web site and see what they have for this swap. I may now, for the first time, be going down the right direction thanks to all the help. Bummer if the 67s are not supposed to work properly. Then I've spent a great deal of time, frustration, and a whole lot of cold one's almost for nutt'n. Thanks again. I'll let you know.
Adam, thanks so much. Just got off the phone with Dave over at TA and the frame pads are on their way. Yikes....and I ordered that exclusive Stage II headers for the 65 lark with the BBB. Now I have to go out and sell my body to raise the cash. That's gonna take some time.....Much appreciated youse guys on all the good input.
One more thing Len, The TA frame pads have two sets of holes where they bolt to the frame. I'd try the holes that set the motor furthest back for header clearance. Do a general search on the board for "'67 GS frame pads". You'll find lots of good reading on the subject. Or contact Ed (topless64-455). He recently did this swap in his 64 'vert with the TA mounts & pads so if there are any secrets he would know. Let us know how it goes.
Hey Mike, thanks for the info, I'll run the 67 GS pads on the board. I spoke at length with Dave at TA. His take on this is that they pads they make are not as thick as the pads for using a 455 in a 65 lark. This allows the holes to line up. He also mentioned elonggating the frame pad holes to make it an easy install. The Stage II headers that TA offers are not cheap but I figured that trying to modify the Stage II headers I have for the 70's A body would be nearly as much. He suggested I sell the TA Stage II headers on the board. I will probably do that. They are perfect. Only problem with that is, I take a substantial hit but waddayagonnado? Right. Thanks again.
