Plates or Mounts: BBF in '87 Fox body

[CDMBill]

I'm at a crucial decision point with the new project, whether to use conventional motor and transmission mounts with a torque limiter as I have in the '71 Mustang, or go to a motor plate/ mid-plate set-up.

Which preferable and why?

The '87 notch will have a full cage, through body sub-frame connectors and tubular K-member. BBF makes a bit more than 800 ft. Lbs. NA, 1100ish on the spray.

Drag Week, True Street and street miles is the intended use.

[BBR]

If I was doing it again, I would use a plate. I originally did not because I was using a mechanical water pump and did not want to fart with pulley alignments. I also like that a plate moves the weight of the engine off the member and directly onto the frame rails.

[stage1scott]

plates, period. With that amount of powr and torque, the plates will help to make the power more manageable. serious 455 Buick guys I know, once past the 600 hp range would actually tear the mount section out of the factory blocks, plates cured that and made the cars chassis easier to tune

[Orange65]

I am going to a plate on my old truck for mostly the reasons already mentioned. No engine mounts also frees up some header room. And while I have not weighed them, I think the plate is lighter than the engine mounts in my application.

[CDMBill]

I can see how the elimination of the side mounts on the block adds some header room but the mid-plate would seem to offset that somewhat.

James, the remote pump and simplified front dress I'll have on the Fox makes the pulley thing a non issue, it's the location of the plate to the belt drive that makes this interesting. I suspect I'll be making my own plates and headers at this point, something I'd hoped to avoid.

I read fairly consistently that for a BBF Fox in my target ET range, the crank centerline should be the same as the pinion centerline. I'll try to validate that before I get too far along.

[jcharliem]

...The '87 notch will have a full cage, through body sub-frame connectors and tubular K-member. BBF makes a bit more than 800 ft. Lbs. NA, 1100ish on the spray...

Gulp! While I only have experience with solid mounts vs standard mounts (no plates on my resume)...I think common sense points to plates with that set-up! Look forward to reading about this monster.

[dieselgeek]

Gulp! While I only have experience with solid mounts vs standard mounts (no plates on my resume)...I think common sense points to plates with that set-up! Look forward to reading about this monster.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msBeVfZgP-Q

[jcharliem]

I've seen that vid before. One word... Awesome.

Is that the monster BBF possibly destined for this lil' ol itsy-bitsy Mustang????

If so = SICK! : )

[Orange65]

I can see how the elimination of the side mounts on the block adds some header room but the mid-plate would seem to offset that somewhat.

James, the remote pump and simplified front dress I'll have on the Fox makes the pulley thing a non issue, it's the location of the plate to the belt drive that makes this interesting. I suspect I'll be making my own plates and headers at this point, something I'd hoped to avoid.

I read fairly consistently that for a BBF Fox in my target ET range, the crank centerline should be the same as the pinion centerline. I'll try to validate that before I get too far along.

Why a mid plate? Why not just a front plate and rear trans mount? Seems like going that route on an 87 Stang, there ought to be headers available.

[CDMBill]

Yes that is the engine, updated a bit after swallowing a valve last May. It's just a bit bigger now and I'm hoping to make a couple more ponies from the cubes and cylinder to cylinder tuning.

The mid plate is to avoid putting the block in torsion and to transfer the load at four points rather than two. The trans mount with be poly to allow for minor chassis flex and avoid case cracking.

[BigAL]

I agree with everyone else, plates would be the way to go. On the Monte I plan on using them, mainly for he added room for the drysump system and it'll open up some room for the exhaust to be run. Sounds like a wicked ride, be looking forward to seeing it run.

[CDMBill]

For those of you running front and mid-plates is there an optimal placement for the limiters? Motor mount forward seems obvious. Is there an ideal length or other requirements?