I don't really know what to do besides towing the Metro with motor/tranny and mounts to some fabrication shop and paying an arm and a leg for making custom motor mounts. I would like to think there was a way to do it without having to weld, but I really can't come up with anything.

http://www.sr20deforum.com/GRM/043002/DSCF0034.JPG

This is the closest mount. I can't move the motor up that far- there would be no room for a radiator or fan if I stuck it in there. I was thinking of getting a very thick L piece of metal and attaching it where my hand is in the picture using it for the aft side of the mount attachment and using the existing aft mount attachment to make a mounting place. I would drill into the frame rail and use two big bolts to hold the L metal piece there. What do you think of that?

http://www.sr20deforum.com/GRM/043002/DSCF0023.JPG

This tranny mount is right where it needs to be fore and aft of the car, but the mounting hole ends up being on the OTHER side of the frame rail. The Metro has a mounting place just like the B13/B14 with a "cage" bracket that mounts to the frame rail- it's just not on the car at the moment. You can sort of see the bolt holes for it. I was thinking of mounting that mount backwards which would probably work, but the triangle of bolt holes that go in the tranny is not an equilateral triangle, so the best I could hope for in that method would be to have just two bolts attaching that mount. Even if you use two of the holes, the angle of the mount becomes a bit off. :(

http://www.sr20deforum.com/GRM/043002/DSCF0020.JPG

This is the one that gives me headaches. It's about in the correct position side to side, but it's WAY higher than where that motor mount bracket around the axle hole is on the motor. Right below the mount is the steering rack.

If I can get the motor mounted in that engine bay, and the SR axles are a good length to fit in this car, then I've got it made in the shade. Shifter will bolt right on, I'll attach a wiring harness and ECU, attach the fuel lines, throw on the Metro radiator (for starters) and go driving. Tuning/cooling/suspension/etc. will come later. But to even get this going I have to be able to mount the damned motor in there. I am a complete newbie to fabrication from scratch. I don't have a welder nor know how to weld. I can drill holes and use big bolts and lockwashers until the cows come home though. Maybe I should have a geekout where people can come and help me in the creativity department with this car?

Well, here's a thought for starters:

You'll need to find mounts that are suitable. Maybe drill the welds from a B13 or a B14 and find a way to use bolts and lock washers.

In the early Hybrid Honda days, they had to fab all of the mounts for any b-block swap into an EF chassis. Now they have HAsport and place racing, but I don't think they make anything for your application :)

Seriously though, your best bet would be to get the mount from a junkyard car and bolt them in where you need them. Then, take the car to a shop and have them weld them into place.

I hope this will help give you a little more insight into your project.

-Alex

You will need to cut the old mount off, and move it back a few inches on the passenger side. Do you have a SE-R tranny mount? If so, please take a picture of the Metro mount, and the SE-R mount next to each other. You have have to find a crossmember for a SR20 car and use that.

How's about a geekout the weekend of May 31st thru June 2nd to help brainstorm for this car? Who can make it?

Well, since I'm a jobless bumb, I can probably make it during the week too. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to drive my 240 down :)

-Alex

i would be a little worried about just using bolts to anchor the engine mounts to the metro, because the metal there probably isn't the thickest and washers probably wont have a big anuff surface aria to spread the load out to stop the metal from tearing out after a short time. you will have to fab some thing and weld it down to make it work from what i can see in the pics.

That's what I was thinking. For temporary purposes, use bolts and washers...gut the motor mounts, check for any clearnance issues, then tote the car to a shop to have them weld in the mounts. It's a few extra bucks....but if you want to do it right....

-alex

I would get some metal and a welder and get going at it....its really not that dificult...I would be more worried about the axles in this car than anything.....this is why I didn't put a VQ into my SE-R cause I knew axle sizing would be a bitch. I still got the engine thou !
Mike Jez
01 Max with a spare 95 VQ30DE engine that might be boostn
93 SE-R NA killer

:)

Ben,
I can give you the name and number of a fabricator in Anderson if you are interested - he's an SCCA solo regular and used to race Corvairs "back in the old days". He and his son's still solo and run some races with a variety of different Corvairs they own and work on. He is also the one that welded up my used header I got from Scarpa earlier this year. He is very reasonable and can build just about anything from scratch. It's just a matter if he has the time to do it (he's one of the busiest retired people I know) and if you want to commute to Anderson to get it done.
In fact, if you come out to the solo on Saturday in Anderson, I can introduce you to him.

Hmmm... I really need help in planning what to do and then fabricating it. Wonder if he would consider coming here and helping me out? Half-ass mounting the motor and then driving it to Anderson doesn't sound very fun/safe...

I really doubt it. As I said, he's fairly busy. Plus, all his equipment is in his race shop.