No Welding Required!
This was a customer's Cadillac showing a typical non Chevrolet Gen III/IV LS swap and you can apply the same logic for your GM engine swap.
Most Dirty Dingo Motorsport conversion mounts are designed around Chevy motor mounts. These are LS Conversion Mounts to accept SBC Gen 1 mounts. So the concept here is to make your vehicle accept GM frame side mounts.
Step 1: Acquire that dream car of yours and pull out the engine and find and a good SBC/LS/LT engine.
Step 2: Mock up the motor with trans connected using the Dirty Dingo Motorsport conversion mounts. In this particular example, the customer used a four bolt clamshell along with DD-3500C. If you have an LT GEN V which has a different bolt pattern, then you will need to use DD-6500C. Energy Suspension makes a polyurethane insert replacement which we sell here.
Step 3: Make sure the engine is level and not tilted to one side or the other before marking the holes to drill. Typical OEM LS driveline angles are 3.5-4 degrees. Don't install the engine compeltely level or the steam lines won't work as intended.
Step 4: Verify you have clearance. This customer was thinking of notching his cross member to clear a low mount alternator, but then decided to move the engine forward for proper clearance.
Step 5: Once you have decided on the positioning mark the frame where you will be drilling holes. Remove the engine and drill holes for the new permanent location for your rubber motor mounts.
Measure twice, drill once.
Step 6: Don’t forget to clean and paint the frame before your final engine installation. If you don't do it now, it will never get done. If you purchased plain steel motor mounts, now is the time to paint those as well so they don’t rust.
Step 7: Bolt that engine up and enjoy!
If that doesn’t work, then we have two styles of weld kits. One will be referred to as “Squares" and the other as “Tabs”. They have the traditional D and P for Driver and Passenger sides stamped on them, however its a UNIVERSAL WELD KIT. You can flip them and weld them further to the rear if you want. It's universal.
Squares
Weld Kit “Squares” is relatively easy when you have a boxed frame. Kit comes with a steel C chanel piece for frame side and an adjustbale mount on the engine side. These mounts are designed to fit frame widths of 19.125" to 26.75". Works great on 1st Gen Mustangs, vehicles running a mustang II front clip, Jeeps, and Toyota Truck/4Runners.
This Weld Kit was used on Imperial Beach Dad's PunishStang LS swap. They flipped passenger and driver sides to fit in an older mustang
DD-SR-GM-CM (SBC GEN 1)
DD-LS-SR-CM (LS GEN III/IV)
DD-LT-SR-CM (LT GEN V)
*LT GEN 2 will accept the SBC GEN 1 setup as long as the block has the motor mount bolt pattern directly across from each other. If your passenger side is offset, then you will need the Flip Plate.
Example Install Photo
This Mercedes 190E used the Squares
Tabs
Weld Kit “Tabs” can be used on all of the above but requires more work. You design your own frame perches and set the height and angle you need. Featured on Hot Rod Garage; Season 7, Episode 76 1971 CADDY SEDAN DEVILLE LS SWAP!! COMPLETE MISADVENTURE!!
DD-LS-SR-WK-TABS
*not available for SBC GEN 1 or LT GEN V at this moment. Although you can run our adapter to make the engine accept LS frame mounts. The SBC GEN 1 to LS frame mount adapters are called the Retro's and the LT GEN V to LS frame mount adpaters are called the Quickie's.
First you mock it up. It helps to make cardboard templates to get the exact shape and angle you need. Then you insert the poly insert and slide the engine in.
1962 Cadillac
If you messed up and would like to place the frame side in another location, we sell replacements here.
