<VV> Engine test stand

[Clark Hartzel]

I built one years ago out of angle iron, castors, and a late model diff
carrier.  I spaced two pieces of angle so they would ride on the "ears" that
protrude outside the pan rail (just wider than the oil pan).  You just drop
an engine on it and slide the engine forward until you can bolt it to the
differential.  Works fine for dune buggy engines with no shrouds but the
little 1/4-20 screws holding the heater shrouds on interfere with the angle
iron on a stock engine.
If I was going to do it again, I would buy a cheap Harbor Freight 3-wheel or
4-wheel engine stand and just cut the vertical post off shorter and weld a
flange on top to accept a late model diff.
Use the 4 bottom strut bracket holes to bolt the diff to the plate.  Now,
using your engine crane, floor jack or chain fall, slide the engine onto the
diff and bolt it and the starter in place.  It can just hang there for
testing, you don't need a rear engine mount.  There have been plenty of dune
buggies and kit cars built with nothing holding up the back of the engine.
I don't trust all the overhung weight so I always run a bar around the back
and add a motor mount at the rear.
Clark Hartzel