1995 Mustang Super Stocker

[Kirk Morgan]

Iam building the 352 Cobra Jet and what is the opinion of using motor plates in this application. Pros and cons.
Thanks Kirk

[SSDiv6]

Originally Posted by Kirk Morgan

Iam building the 352 Cobra Jet and what is the opinion of using motor plates in this application. Pros and cons.
Thanks Kirk

When allowed by the rules, use motor plates.
Use the centered front plate, not the offset plate.
Racecraft and ATF make a plate for either using the OEM timing cover or Jesel Belt.
They also make a plate if using the 1994-1995 timing cover, which it is different than the earlier engines.

https://www.racecraft.com/motorplates-c-284/

https://www.atfspeed.com/14-Inch-Thick_c_365.html

[427FE]

Theres no cons. You support the engine front and back which takes alot of stress off the block. Ties the front together. And with the motor mounts removed, it increases header clearance. Taking the engine in and out is easier too. You can mount things on the plate like a coil or whatever have you.

[Kirk Morgan]

Do they make a special starter for proper engagement to the flex plate or am i over thinking this? I would need spacers for the torque converter spacing which is no problem and i would need to recheck the driveshaft for fitment also. Anything else?
Thanks Kirk

[Hacksaw]

Originally Posted by Kirk Morgan

Do they make a special starter for proper engagement to the flex plate or am i over thinking this? I would need spacers for the torque converter spacing which is no problem and i would need to recheck the driveshaft for fitment also. Anything else?
Thanks Kirk

I would make your mid plate from 1/8" mild steel and everything should work. If you go 1/4" alum. then you need to change the snout on the convertor so it doesn't pull away too far from the pump in the trans.

[Kirk Morgan]

Good idea. The engine already has a 1/16 block plate so just leave it out and add a 1/8 plate to it.
Thanks

[1347]

Originally Posted by Hacksaw

I would make your mid plate from 1/8" mild steel and everything should work. If you go 1/4" alum. then you need to change the snout on the convertor so it doesn't pull away too far from the pump in the trans.

1/8" is too thick in my opinion, my Comp Engineering mid plate is the same thickness as my factory block plate. It came with a spacer to bolt behind the flex plate to.bring the trans/flexplate and started back to the original alignment. I'm gonna say its no thicker than .062.

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Hacksaw

I would make your mid plate from 1/8" mild steel and everything should work. If you go 1/4" alum. then you need to change the snout on the convertor so it doesn't pull away too far from the pump in the trans.

"Snouts" (hubs) on converters are changed routinely, but "long" converters are usually built by adding a button to the pilot and using spacers on the mounting tabs. This way they can be brought back to OEM stack height more easily ;-)

[SBillinson]

I agree with SSDiv6 about using a center motor plate.

I use one that's offset and it's going to be changed. Too bad I put a new rear end housing in the car with MW axles three years ago for the offset engine.

Apart other benefits, centering the engine provides more room for headers.

You may have to offset/relocate the steering column if the shaft connecting to the rack gets in the way of exhaust ports. You can use spacers on the column mounts to move things up or down. You may want to fabricate or buy a tube-style column. That'll reduce some weight and allow you to mount it to suit your needs.

[SBillinson]

Originally Posted by 1347

1/8" is too thick in my opinion, my Comp Engineering mid plate is the same thickness as my factory block plate. It came with a spacer to bolt behind the flex plate to.bring the trans/flexplate and started back to the original alignment. I'm gonna say its no thicker than .062.

I'm not sure where CE is sourcing their material these days. I bent the hell out my mid plate after about 10 runs. They're 0.90" thick I believe. I ended up having to weld two of them together and rosette weld all over the place to get them rigid enough.