SAAC Forum

The Cars => 1968 Shelby GT350/500/500KR => Topic started by: shelbydoug on December 08, 2019, 04:16:59 PM

Title: Engine height
Post by: shelbydoug on December 08, 2019, 04:16:59 PM
Does the 289-302 in the 67-8 GT350 sit higher then in the 65-66?

There seems to be a couple of inches of clearance between the Monte Carlo bar and the distributor cap on the early cars. I have a Monte Carlo bar on my 68 GT350 and it sits with zero clearance to the cap?
Title: Re: Engine height
Post by: 1967 eight barrel on December 15, 2019, 04:39:36 AM
The mounts both block and frame side are different in 67 Vs 68.
                                                        -Keith
Title: Re: Engine height
Post by: Coralsnake on December 15, 2019, 07:11:58 AM
Considering a "monte carlo" bar was never stock, I'm pretty sure you can slide them forward or backward cant you?
Title: Re: Engine height
Post by: Chris Thauberger on December 15, 2019, 07:58:23 AM
(https://emoticons.datahamster.com/rotfl.gif)
Title: Re: Engine height
Post by: shelbydoug on December 15, 2019, 08:01:19 AM
Quote from: Coralsnake on December 15, 2019, 07:11:58 AM
Considering a "monte carlo" bar was never stock, I'm pretty sure you can slide de them forward or backward cant you?

Sure. You can take them off and smack someone up the side of the head too! Makes a really good educational device.  :o
Title: Re: Engine height
Post by: 557 on December 15, 2019, 01:06:13 PM
Quote from: shelbydoug on December 15, 2019, 08:01:19 AM
Quote from: Coralsnake on December 15, 2019, 07:11:58 AM
Considering a "monte carlo" bar was never stock, I'm pretty sure you can slide de them forward or backward cant you?

Sure. You can take them off and smack someone up the side of the head too! Makes a really good educational device.  :o
.   Easy now...Look what that got Mark "Gator" Rogowski......
Title: Re: Engine height
Post by: Bob Gaines on December 15, 2019, 02:04:23 PM
Some of the historical photos show the Titus 68 TA car with a bar that was welded forward on the mounts and the bar peaked forward (two pieces welded ) in the middle so as to provided clearance and still maintain side to side integrity unlike the obnoxious looking after market Monte Carlo bar with the huge rounded curve in the middle that allows it to flex and be useless.
Title: Re: Engine height
Post by: shelbydoug on December 15, 2019, 03:10:30 PM
Quote from: Bob Gaines on December 15, 2019, 02:04:23 PM
Some of the historical photos show the Titus 68 TA car with a bar that was welded forward on the mounts and the bar peaked forward (two pieces welded ) in the middle so as to provided clearance and still maintain side to side integrity unlike the obnoxious looking after market Monte Carlo bar with the huge rounded curve in the middle that allows it to flex and be useless.

For most of us it's really next to impossible to compare the intsalled height of the distributor from cars from year to year acurately.

With the Monte Carlo bar installed, mine does clear the cap but doesn't have the obvious clinched fist clearance of the '65s. You can't remove the cap with the bar installed.

I do know that "Shelby" lowered the engine in the Daytonna Coupes one inch. They use a special oil pan as a result.

I do know from past experience that each year of production originally had their own engine mount parts. I wouldn't be shocked to discover that the 68 small block engine mounts "adjusted" ground clearance concerns with the oil pan vs. other years.

There were little "oopsie's" engineering created over the years like the '67 GT500's balancer hitting the front anti-sway bar? Oops? How'd Engineering miss that one?

I was just asking something I always wondered about but no one who I asked knew.


You can see the clearance here in this picture. Not enough to take the cap off.


I obviously wouldn't hit someone up the side of the head with an ORIGINAL Monte Carlo bar. The only change it would create would be a bent bar. A repro bar, that is a different consideration.  ;)