Suggestions on best way to transport a 454

[Bullet Bob]

Getting ready to pull my 454 out to have it rebuilt. Like to take it to work and take the steam cleaner to it before taking it to the engine builder. Would be taking it to work and the builder on a flatbed F550. Was thinking about taking a good pallet and some scrap boards and make something to bolt it down to using the engine mounts so all the weight wouldn’t be on the oil pan. Any suggestions on how to transport it and be able to strap it down. Anyone have pictures of how others have done it. Have a lot of sentimental value in this motor and truck. As it was my Grandfather’s and the motor and transmission came from my cousin I recently lost old welding truck many years ago. Just don’t want to half way do it and loose it out of stupidity on the interstate.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Getting ready to pull my 454 out to have it rebuilt. Like to take it to work and take the steam cleaner to it before taking it to the engine builder. Would be taking it to work and the builder on a flatbed F550. Was thinking about taking a good pallet and some scrap boards and make something to bolt it down to using the engine mounts so all the weight wouldn’t be on the oil pan. Any suggestions on how to transport it and be able to strap it down. Anyone have pictures of how others have done it. Have a lot of sentimental value in this motor and truck. As it was my Grandfather’s and the motor and transmission came from my cousin I recently lost old welding truck many years ago. Just don’t want to half way do it and loose it out of stupidity on the interstate.

That's kinda what the skids they ship(or at least did, back in the day, the Target Master/Goodwrench engines. Back in the 80s we had a regular customer at the parts store with a 64 Impala, 283/powerglide, and he wanted "mo' powah"....so we arranged a deal where he'd pay for a Goodwrench 350 and pay my cousin to swap it.
The 350 came on a small pallet with like 2x8s on each side to go under the oil pan rails, and I think it had pieces under the motor mounts too. Sort of a box for the engine to sit in..... And it was pretty sturdy; we had to do a panic stop to avoid some doofus that pulled out in front of the '81 shop truck....and the engine slid all the way up the '8 bed, thanked into the front bed wall, but it was undamaged.

 

[bucket]

Yeah, I used to have a couple of the Targetmaster/Goodwrench engine skids too. They were great for transport, but were a b!tch to use with my cherry picker because the skid didn't really fit between the legs.

They sell those cheap engine dollies for the Chevy small and big blocks. They work great for transport, especially if you don't install the casters.

 

[Frankenchevy]

Setting the engine in/on an appropriately sized tire and strapping it down is an old go-to. Otherwise, weld up a cradle with engine mounts. It’ll be useful for when the engine is rebuilt and painted.

 

[Grit dog]

First I’d be more worried about the liability of “losing” an engine off the back of a flatbed on the freeway before the sentimental part. lol.
Haven’t moved that many engines and hasnt been in this century but setting it on/in an old tire and strapping it down seems to be easy enough.

 

[Ricko1966]

I'm tired,been up ALL night not going to the shop to take pictures for you. So look at this Pic from the internet. I built some of these,similiar not identical. By the front and rear boards being wider than the other two boards,it keeps the long boards from being able to tip side to side. Where he has boards with wheels running the length of the engine,I ran my boards (2×6s) width wise so it was more of a square less of a rectangle and about the same width as the valve covers for more stability. Put the 2x6s so they screw to the end board and the side boards so they hold the corners square. Build some similiar to the pic with the mods I mentioned. Screw it to a pallet or piece of plywood and put 4 tie down d rings on the plywoid or pallet. Tie engine at each corner and it's going nowhere. When you are done take the cradle off the plywood and put casters on the 2x6s for a rolling engine cradle. That's why I built them,so I can roll all my engines around without getting the cherry picker.

 

[Bullet Bob]

Thanks guys I’m bad about over thinking things. Ricko thanks that’s a lot better idea than what I had in my mind. I’ve got a lot of scrap 4x4,2x6 and 2x8 so I should be able to make that no problem. Better than my thinking of making a couple rails for the motor mounts to bolt to.

 

[Ricko1966]

Thanks guys I’m bad about over thinking things. Ricko thanks that’s a lot better idea than what I had in my mind. I’ve got a lot of scrap 4x4,2x6 and 2x8 so I should be able to make that no problem. Better than my thinking of making a couple rails for the motor mounts to bolt to.

I can't remember for positive but I thing had to cut a notch in the front with the sawzall

 

[Keith Seymore]

I use these little commercially available carts like this.

Mine rode around in the back on my truck for about 90 minutes yesterday.

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[bucket]

I use these little commercially available carts like this.

Mine rode around in the back on my truck for about 90 minutes yesterday.

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Yeah, those are the dollies I mentioned earlier. If the casters are left off, it makes them especially stable for transport, even on a very rough road.