Hi Paul-

   We got the parts back from the machinist & went out to try a test-fit.
   There is one new issue I want to get some feedback on.

   Relocating the starter to the 9-oclock / 3-oclock position per your CAD
   drawing has resulted in one of the engine mount bolts being covered by
   the body of the starter.  It is the bolt immediately above the starboard
   S-Beam mounting bolt.  (The bolt which does not go into a tapped
   hole on
   the block).

   After pondering a variety of solutions, we've come to the conclusion to
   simply eliminate that bolt.  Looking at the bolt pattern on the other
   side of the engine, we see a bolt to bolt distance which is even
   greater
   than the distance created by leaving out the bolt we propose.  Also --
   since this bolt does not go into a threaded hole on the block, we do not
   believe it adds much in the way of stiffness to the mount connection.
   Finally -- even if we were to use the bolt, we could not get a spacer
   behind it, since the bolt for the starter motor is very close near by,
   as well as the starter cover.  Net result -- the spacer would interfere
   with properly mounting the starter.

   If we must use this bolt, our plan would be to mill out a pocket in the
   starter body for the bolt head to fit into.  We believe this is do-able.

   Comments?  (No, I didn't bring my digital camera -- thus no pics)

   Mark & Mark

   The trick is to use that bolt to mount the starter and then drill
   a hole in the starter flange for the bolt above it. Al Gietzen
   came up with this great idea. Here is a picture of his set
   up.

   Paul Lamar



Duhhh... once again, the obvious solution which I can't see for myself.

Yep, that's clearly the way to go.  In our case, it will be drilled in
the lower starter flange, since we milled the mounting plate already.

As an aside, I have never been happy with the single-hole spacers Tracy
provides.  They are both large enough - if loose - to rotate into the
teeth of the flex-plate & cause all sorts of bad things to happen.  I am
having our machinist mill blind holes in each spacer & the mounting
plate so we can insert a pin in each.  This will make rotation
impossible & allow me to sleep at night.

We'll be building it all up & mounting the whole kit & kaboodle this
weekend.

Thanks,

Mark

You are not alone. Nobody on here saw the this simple starter solution for years.
Al Gietzen was the genius that figured it out.

Paul Lamar

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