Quote Originally Posted by Tim_in_NC
... I have a frame maker only a few miles down the street from me and he does early rods all the time ... I should be able to have him tackle this frame lengthing and the recessing of the firewall ...
I would buy the largest Z series Walker radiator Vernon makes for the 32 ... sit it on the front cross member ... Have the BBC with the water pump and a large fan mounted ... and then sit the engine/fan about one inch off the Walker. Install the engine and transmission mounts and then ... Trim the firewall out and then build it back ... with about 3/4 to 1 inch clearance between the firewall and the rear of the BBC.

Back when my 32 was BBC powered ... The engine and the transmission was mounted about a inch and a half higher than most SBC installations. It also had the firewall set back ( recessed almost 3 inches )

With the original fenders ... stock wheel base mandated that the front crossmember could NOT be moved ... so the firewall suffered ... and so did foot room. The Turbo 400 ... along with the higher engine/transmission mounting ... made the floor hump uncomfortable for long hauls.



I am still using a 400 Turbo ... ( the car has not been redone since the late 70's and early 80's ) ... but with the SBC and a raised water pump riser ... I do not have to have the engine mounted as high. Mine actually sits about 1/2 to one inch lower than the typical 32 SBC installation. My floor is almost flat.



I like to use a belt driven mechanical fan ... ( I hate electric fans ... ) ... and I use the clutch type SO I needed to recess the Firewall one inch to help with the clutch fan and the HEI ...

You can go here ... http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/jour...ge=1&reverse=1 for a small project journal on the 1932 3W Ford coupe that is my current project. Hope to be riding for the 2008 rod run season.