I have a 351 windsor in my 67 Cougar XR7. Can anyone tell me what degree/angle the engine is supposed to be mounted at? Is it 3 degrees tilted back/up? Thanks for the advise....
I am not sure about Cougars but something tells me that it is probably the same as the Mustang. Every Mustang I have ever measured was at 3 degrees relative to the rocker panel.
Thanks RonStang for your advise. FYI....First Generation Cougars are exactly the same frame/unibody as the Mustang. In fact, they share the same floor pan and alot of other parts. So your advise is correct for the Cougar also. Thanks again....
Not the same wheelbase, however. This may have some effect. Strictly speaking though, as long as the driveshaft angle and pinion angle match, you'll be fine.
a quick check before the driveshaft is installed is to lay a torpedo level on the carburator mounting pad... it should be perfectly level.
Ok, now I'm a little confused.... Ronstang says the engine is supposed to be mounted at 3 degrees relative to the rocker panel, but Chromedog says that if I put a lazer level on the carb mounting surface it should be perfectly level, which I assume means at 0 degrees. So what should it be; 3 degrees or 0 degrees?.... However, I did notice that the manifold carb mounting surface seems to be planed at an angle (front seems to be lower than the back). So in that case if the carb mounting surface is 0, would the engine measure 3 degrees relative to the rocker panel?
2+2Gt, thanks for the picture of the manifold. The picture does show a downward angle (back to front) on the carb mounting surface just as my manifold has, but I'm not sure you understood my question, as I'm talking about two different reference points. One reference point is the carb mounting surface and the other reference point would be the angle of the engine as it sits on the motor mounts. What I'm asking is for clarification of the two different degree angles (0 degrees and 3 degrees) a couple guys mentioned. Taking their advice and using a little bit of logic, I was asking that if the carb mounting surface was perfectly level (zero degrees) would the engine angle measure 3 degrees? The reason I asked that was because I did notice a slight angle to the carb mounting surface.
Well, there's the rub. Ford used the same manifold in all cars, but I'm not sure the drive angle was the same in all cars. What really matters is whether the pinion lines up with the crankshaft. That's why you can buy axle wedges. This engine is level. The carb tilts noticeably toward the front. It is normal in this car.
Well here's the issue I'm facing, which is why I'm asking these questions. I have a 67 Cougar XR7 that I put a 351 windsor in. Because the 351 is taller, the air cleaner is taller than the hood; therefore, since I didn't want to cut a hole in the hood, I lowered the engine. But now that I lowered the engine, the driveshaft angle is not correct anymore. And I don't want to change the angle of the rear end by cutting the leaf spring brackets, readjusting the angle and welding it back on (I don't know how to weld). Is there a way to correct the driveshaft angle without cutting and rewelding the leaf spring brackets? You mentioned lowering blocks....now that the engine is lower, that means the tailshaft of the tranny is higher, correct. So if I put lowering blocks on top of the leaf springs (under the rear end), that will raise the rear end, correct? Hmm, maybe I just figured out my solution. What do you think???
Rod & Custom says when installing their front suspension and motor mounts it should be 3 degrees down in the back but I have always used a bare block.
I'm a little confused by your response.....I understand what you mean by Rod & Custom stating that it (engine) should be down 3 degrees in the back, but what do you mean when you said you just use a bare block? What's a bare block got to do with angle? I hope my question didn't sound sarcastic, as it wasn't meant to be. I'm just asking for clarification regarding the relativeness of a bare block vs. engine angle.
If you lowered the front motor mounts, but not the trans mount, then you changed the angle. Lowering the rear axle won't fix that. You must have used a non-stock intake- The 390GT engine fits under the stock 67 Cougar hood. Check the angle. If it's off, use something like this to fix it. Summit Racing SUM-770025 - Summit Racing® Pinion Shim Kits - Overview - SummitRacing.com
Thanks so much for the info on the axle shims. I didn't know they even made something like that. I think I'll try that as soon as I get under the car and figure out how far off my angle is. To answer your question about the intake manifold not being stock....you're correct. It's an Edelbrock Performer RPM.
You have to make the mounts on the engine and crosmember so we used a bare 390 block bolted to a transmission to line up where we had to weld in the motor mounts on the crossmember instead of a heavy complete engine. We welded the mounts with the block down 3 dregrees.
Your technique is sound, but why? The FE was factory installed 67-70, and should have bolted right in.
