help with a 90 and RRC donor drivetrain

[mordzy]

hi all, i need a little bit of help and advice.

I bought a half finished project from a guy. Its G registered 90 that has been rebuilt (not very well) using a RRC 3.9 carb V8 donor.

my primary issue In short... the engine wouldn't run (oil issues) so i have removed an purchased a running 3.5 pre serpentine on crabs to replace. When i removed the old lump the welds were really pigeon ****ty round the engine mounts so i thought id repair. On closer inspection they appeared to be out of line. The drivers side mount was a good inch further towards the bulkhead than the other so i just cut them off and ordered some new ones.

The new ones had instructions suggesting the factory position of the mounts is exactly parallel to the turret, the most flat/horizontal part of the chassis. before welding i lowered the block in and lined up with the bell housing and bolted on. the mounts need to go much further back to the bulk head and unfortunately on the curved part of the chassis making it awkward to weld.

My thoughts are that the gearbox is too far back or something els is not right so i looked at the gearbox mounts to see if they are in the right place. As far as i can see by comparing to photos of chassis online they are. both prop shafts look ok.

I could weld the engine mounts on but from reading other posts on here there is no clear answer other than the mounts do need to move but to where i don't know. i don't want to get it wrong.

Any help would be brilliant.. I'm totally stuck.

[Ash.Witty]

I did a v8 swap a few years back. I left the gearbox in its normal position and bolted the engine to that, then fit the engine rubbers and chassis mounts to the engine. It was then a case of lifting it up n down to get the final position and tack welding them in place. I then removed the engine, fully welded up the mounts and painted the chassis surrounding areas.

Not too difficult but to make it easier for yourself I'd hoist the engine out rather than struggle welding in an awkward position and potentially ending up in the same situation as before.

Mine was a 300Tdi R380 gearbox in its normal position with a turned out spigot bush to suit the 7/8" Tdi input shaft. I'm not 100% sure whether all the gearboxes are different lengths as well between manual and auto etc. which may be the case and why they are telling you to weld in a different place on the chassis.