My Datsun Roadster Remake: Mounting the beast

I got the motor pretty well set in place where I needed it now was time to level it off. I needed a flat spot on the motor to get it properly leveled. I used the lower intake manifold of the 350z as a place to rest my torpedo level for reference. I set a block of wood between where the k member goes under the engine for clearance as well as clearance of the steering rack. After a few attempts to get the engine to sit level freely I realized I was going to need something to temporarily hold the engine level and in place to weld up the motor mount brackets needed. I realized I had just the thing to do the trick. You might laugh but it did the trick. We had a whole bag of long zip ties normally used commercially for holding HVAC duct work to diffusers in the ceiling. It ended up being perfect for what I used them for, a temporary place holder for the engine. So I centered the motor in the engine bay, leveled it off from front to back and side to side. I zip tied it in place in conjunction with using the engine hoist to keep it supported.

Motor now set, I was surprised to see the motor mount bracket mounting point on the block was in line with the k member. This is a good sign because I won't have to make a custom k member and it means the motor is near center on the k member for weight distribution. I found that I could drill the holes for the mount and have it offset enough to clear the steering rack like so:

It doesn't look like the 350z manifolds will clear my mount bracket so they will be removed for now. Hopefully the Nismo Frontier headers will clear if not ill just fabricate ones that will.

So now to make the first basic parts of the brackets, the mount plate to the engine and the mount plate to the motor mount itself.

The plates to the engine are simple trace and cut out, then test fit to engine.

Then looking at the mount I found that that plate can be a perfect circle. I got out my hole saws and found one roughly the size of the mount.

Cut out the plate:

Being that hole saws use a pilot bit to hold them in place, it drills a small hole dead center of the plate which works out perfect for my needs. The pilot hole was two small so I just drilled it out bigger to suit the mount.

Perfect fit except there is a alignment dowel as I call it that won't allow the plate to sit flat unless it is also drilled into the plate.

So I took a nut and bolt and held the mount plate in place on the stock 350z mount arms.

Found a drill bit about the same size as the hole needed to be drilled. Drilled it.

Result:

Test fitted:

Like a glove! With all my mount plates fabricated and ready to go its time to make the mount arms needed. I bolted the engine to mount bracket plates to the engine and then bolted the mount bracket plates to motor mount plates to the motor mounts. Using card board and tape I made templates for the arms needed. I then traced them on the metal and cut them out. Once cut out I tack welded them in place.

I noticed that my drivers side mount is slightly under the body of the Miata. I am all about ease of maintenance so I am going to position the passenger side mount in a little closer to the engine for clearance and ease of engine removal if I ever have to pull it back out.

So I placed the passenger side mount in place all the while being careful not to obstruct the starter. I then did the same thing I did for the drivers side mount bracket, made a template and tack welded the arms in place. I cut loose the zip ties and rechecked my torpedo level.