Removing rear engine mount...48 Desoto

[thrashingcows]

Well over the weekend I decided to get in there and pull that rear engine mount. Since I'm swapping in a new 218 motor with a 3 speed manual, I now need a new location forward of the fluid drive mount location.

First I cut all the heads of the rivets, and cut the welds on the underside of the frame rail....mount would not come loose. Tried pounding the rivets into the frame...they would not move!!

So I figured since I'm going to have to shorten the width of the mount anyway, I'll use my sawzall to cut the mount into 3 pieces. cut the mount off about 4-5" from the frame rail on each side. Tried again to pound them loose but no go.

This side was a little tricky to get to the two rivets behind the master cylinder mount. Thank goodness for my dremel and a cold chisel.

[thrashingcows]

Well I eventually had to drill out the center of each rivet with abut a 1/8 bit, then went back with a 5/16-ish...or about the same size as the rivet body. Only went deep enough with the big bit to clear the bracket. Then it was a couple swift hits with the punch and hammer and the rivets fell into the frame.

Here the are the 3 pieces together.

Once I get the motor and tranny in the hole I'll hook up the center piece to the bell housing and then trim the outside pieces to fit and tack everything in place. I'll be bolting the mount to the frame this time though.

[thrashingcows]

And a couple more pics....

Before...

..and after....

Only other thing I need to do is put a small brace on the front side of the MC mounting bracket. Since it used to be welded to the old mount.

[msawdey44]

Be interested to see how you re-join the crossmember pieces--will it be necessary to use reinforcing pieces across the joins, or will the welding be strong enough?

[thrashingcows]

The metal for the cross member has to be 3/16 or better. As long as you bevel the edges, and get good penetration, I don't think any additional bracing will be required.