fabricating engine accessory brackets

grumpyvette

Administrator
Staff member
Im always rather amazed at the guys who get into a engine swap and find some clearance issue where they can,t use the original accessory mount brackets.
now you will need to accurately measure the mount location holes for both the engine mount location and the accessories and have some minimal skill at visualizing whats required but theres rarely a care where you can,t fabricate custom engine accessory brackets if theres enough space to mount the accessories.
the fact is that theres hundreds of slightly different clearance issues and in many engine swaps theres NO off the shelf bracket that will fit and keep the belts perfectly lined up.
HERES A THREAD ABOUT WHERE TO BUY BRACKETS BUT BE AWARE THAT YOU MIGHT NOT FIND EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED OR FIND IT AT WHAT MIGHT BE A SEMI REASONABLE COST
viewtopic.php?f=38&t=200&p=235#p235

IF YOU NEED SOMETHING CUSTOM FABRICATED,DON,T PANIC ITS COMPLETELY NORMAL, YOULL NEED a decent CALIPER but it need not be an expensive one as tolerances of as much as 1/32" in bolt placement are rarely critical
http://www.harborfreight.com/24-inch-ju ... 96509.html

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/bolts-a-bit-of-useful-info.4868/#post-13372
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one tip Ive found very useful is to make a test pattern bracket from fairly cheap and easily cut 1/4" plexiglass sheet that can be glued.
Plexi-glass can also be bent into shape with the use of slow pressure and a HEAT GUN.
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http://www.harborfreight.com/profession ... 97114.html

http://www.eplastics.com/Plastic/Plexiglass_Glue
then duplicate the proto- type in steel or aluminum, plexi-glass allows you to see thru the bracket which can be helpful at times.
obviously you'll need a drill press or a mill and a decent welder for the more complex bracket fabrication projects or you can take the plexi-pattern or a detailed machinist drawing to a local machine shop for them to fabricate the required bracket

BTW a BELT SANDER
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AND A SCROLL SAW
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AND DRILL PRESS AND CAREFUL MEASUREMENTS MAKE FABRICATING BRACKETS FROM PLEXI MUCH EASIER, and if you hand a plexi glass proto- type to a machine shop they usually give you a good price because theres no confusion about what you want built from STEEL

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once fabricated, and tested for proper fit and function, brackets can be chrome plated or powder coated

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http://www.kwikperf.com/lsx_alt_ps.html
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when planing on fabricating a large bracket like that engine mount plate its frequently a good idea to buy , cut and test fit
a pattern made from dirt cheap clear plastic before starting on rather expensive steel or aluminum, to get all the necessary mods and clearances worked out, the huge advantage of clear plastic is you can easily see where you need bolt holes or some item that moves during operation (like suspension) or more easily let you recognize early in the fabrication process that theres always a compromise some place to be considered, parts like STARTERS , OIL FILTERS AND HEADERS that might become nearly impossible to work on if the brackets in place
http://www.homedepot.com/p/11-in-x-14-in-Non-glare-Styrene-Sheet-1S11143A/202771350
if youve built a real torque monster solid mid plate mounts might be a good idea
http://stores.channeladvisor.com/Summit ... s/CEE-4031
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http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ng-engine-accessory-brackets.8523/#post-29916
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