Mark, now there is ingenuity and creativity at its best. That is beautifully functional on so many levels. Carl, there is your engine test stand right there. 

You are welcome to check out mine one of these days,  i currently dont have a motor on it so its easy to look at.  Ive modified a few things since these pics, but you get the idea.  I have also seen guys mod a regular 40 dollar princess auto engine 4wheel crate/dolly,  but you have to space up the front wheels to get the carburetor to sit level(very important!!!!!)

 

Yes rad is fully adjustable works for long and short pumps and comes apart for storage,  best part is the stand is super small and compact and easy to store away.  the tank is quick release and so is the arm for the guages.

I used motor mount brackets off an 80s caprice classic. the rest is just angle iron and square tube scrap parts

Bought the basic test stand from Princess Auto and added from there. Worked great, just sold to a local racer......

4SPEED427 wrote:

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Wow, does that one look good!

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 Ran several engines on it, used a couple floor fans in tandem in front of the rad.

Took about 15-20 mins run time before started to get too hot (220*).

Gauges and master switch are aftermarket.

-- Edited by bjburnout on Sunday 4th of October 2020 01:42:49 PM

Lots of plans on the internet, here a fine example.

So I mentioned to a friend I wanted to build a test stand this winter. He used my car trailer a couple of days later and when he returned the trailer, this was strapped down to it along with a bunch of heavy duty square tubing pieces. I'd say this will be a pretty good start!

Then I was in my garden shed looking for something and realized I still have the 283 bellhousing from my Strato Chief. Not sure yet if I will use Beaumontguru's idea for mounting or use a bellhousing but now I have the option. I like the Guru's idea because the bellhousing makes the whole apparatus much longer/bulkier.

Good start Carl.

I thought maybe I should answer Mark's comment here about the stand I'm building to keep it separate from the other thread.

"On the stand: I like how you can quickly add the mount struts and rad support after the build. Clever."

I can't take credit for much of the way I'm doing it. I had ideas from numerous places but your's and Beaumontguru's ideas are the ones I used the most.

I'm currently working on the gauge/control panel. Dave's idea was to make it so you either face it at the front of the engine or by lifting it out of the tube and rotating 90* you face it on the left side of the engine. I'm doing that but taking it one step further. It will hang on a long 7/16" bolt down into the tube but the bolt has a piece of 3/8" rubber gas hose on it for a nice friction fit and I will be able to twist the panel whatever direction I like, infinite angles.

How did you guys do your starting current? I have a universal ignition switch and debated using a relay but I guess really there's no need, I'm just powering the stock GM solenoid.

Great offer on the button and switches Mark, thanks! Don't send anything yet though, I think I have all I need here.

One thought I just had, I guess I have to put in a ballast resistor because I'll be running a points distributor on there so I don't want 12 volts to the coil. Those Chrysler resistors from 50 years ago are cheap, I'll install one of those.

cdnpont wrote:

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Maybe running the engine up for a hour or so won't be enough to burn the points anyway.

I think the damage is probably cumulative over many hours of driving?

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 I think the only spare coil I have to use is one of those cool Canadian-only aluminum coils so I don't want to take a chance of burning that one up! Points is no big deal but it seems to me someone told me those coils get pretty hot after a while with 12 volts to them?