Set/move engine down and/or back.

[Jim Nilsen]

It's not apples to apples but it is interesting to note that my car and Bad Penny weigh almost the same amount overall, I may be 75 to 100 lb less but that has to be seen on the same set of scales to be certain.. The F/R weight is 52/48 on both cars at this time. My engine weighs 125 lb more from what most say is the difference between an LS and standard SBC. My engine is back 6 in. and both cars have the battery in the rear. The front body weight of the cars should be close since Steve has the carbon fiber stuff and I have a lightweight fiberglass hood and other lighter pieces to help.

It makes me wonder what it would be like if I had my engine in the stock location? Did moving my engine back 6 in. gain the same F/R weight as taking off 125 lb. ? If I went with an LS would it make it 50/50? It definately would take 125 lb. off of the car by changing the engine but does it change the F/R that much?

I can say this. Compared to the way my other 67 handled , you can definately tell that the front end is way more responsive to shift changes left to right but that may be attributed to the Vette suspension.

I can hardly wait for the Motorstate to get here so it can be compared with the same scales.

[-DA]

Beyond just front/rear weight distribution, what about the benefits of reducing the yaw moment of inertia value by moving the engine back?

As the P.A.T. goes, the crucial factor is how far the mass is from the center of rotation (I total = I + M*d^2). Looking at a first gen F-body with 52/48 front/rear weight distribution, moving a 500lb engine 5" back, from 40" to only 35" forward of the vehicle CG, is comparable to totally removing a 50lb battery from the the engine compartment or trunk (~65" from CG either direction). And, ironically, you could actually increase the moment of inertia value if you placed the battery too far back in the trunk.

So, with the engine moved I know the car would theoretically be easier to turn but how much could you "feel" it on a 3500 lb vehicle? Other than engine placement and suspension components there aren't many big ways to reduce a cars moment of inertia as everything basically has a fixed location. This is where chevy engineers took out two birds with one stone when they rear-mounted the tranny and brought the engine back further...

But the question still stands, would it be worth the headache to move the engine?

-Dave