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Who's using geared head engine stands?????
What kind of engine stand does anyone use or that wants to discuss engine stands or modifying stands.

Perhaps a new forum idea: Garage stuff?

As for engine stands, currently I am using my garage floor. Or, I did when I had an engine not in the car.

I have no clue what I will do when blocks and so forth come back. Thanks for the good, and timely, topic :) .

Tom

I just have the old type with the manual rotation, a bolt holds the tube that the engine mounting plate/arms rotates on in place. When I worked in the shop we had custom made stands for long/heavy engines, they looked like two traditional auto parts store V-8 stands facing each other, the bottom legs were joined and there were arms that ran from one rotating plate on one end to the other. This eliminated the bending that happens when someone tries to put a straight 8 engine on a stand designed for V-8s.

I have one of the specialty stands for the long 8s. It has a 288 bolted to it at present. It works fine. You know there is nothing more permanent than a temporary fix. So, I'm using a set of homemade saw horses as an engine stand. I think I have built 6 or 8 engines on them. I also keep a cherry picker attached as a safety measure and to aid in turning the block/engine.

I have two of the el-cheapo type like available at the discount stores. One is a 1000# and the other a 750 # stand. They're ok for sporatic use. I finds them difficult to turn the engine on tho. Even a 4 cyl is not ez to turn. The V12 jag and PAK V8's are nearly impossible without help.

I'm thinking about adapting a flex plate and starter motor to the neck of the stand. The starter motor will just crank by HAND NOT electricity. Kind of a billy-bob and cooter set up but hopefuly will beat laying out $300+ for a geared head stand.

The only problem is getting some kind of bearing or nylon bushing for the currently existing pivot of the mounting head for the stand. Just too sloppy a fit and too much friction.

ANy thots or ideas???

Are you putting the Jag V12 in one of your Packards to make a '56 V12 model?

I was thinking about a Jag V12 in a Packard. But quite frankly the Jag V12 is such a piece of shit engine that i forgot about it and had to literaly GIVE the Jag V12 away recently. They are nothing but a boat anchor.

They have a good strong crank,rods and pistons, VERY STRONG but use an open water jacket at the top of the block, Sohc NOT Dohc, VERY heavy engine despite an all Al. block. Some very nice things about the Jag V12 but a few typical british engineering short cuts used that ruined it. I still have the crank and but a very few other parts i'm keeping just in case.

Too bad too. The XJS and Xke's are beautiful cars and i like them.

If you ever find a set of carbs off of one let me know, I'd buy them from you.