Eye Candy

[Luva65wagon]

Most of the cheap engine stands don't have actual mounts for the engine. They just let you set the engine on some supports to keep it from tipping over. You'd want to build it with front (side) and rear mounts to take up a couple bolt holes in the rear. You'd also have to mount a radiator to the stand. So, as I implied earlier, by the time you have all this built you've got a box about 3 feet square or more to put somewhere. I suppose you could design it as a bolt together thing so you could disassemble it later. A lot of work for one engine IMHO.

On a more practical note, just be sure that when you do fire it up, make sure you have everything ready to go. Be sure to use a good high-viscosity lube when assembling it first off (don't be shy with assembly lube) and then just before you're ready to fire it up get it as tuned as you can. Make sure you've got the engine and radiator filled with coolant. Fill the crankcase with oil and prime the pump and filter. For that I use a drill motor and a long extension with a socket the size of the pump shaft; like a 1/4" drive extension and a deep socket taped to it to keep it from falling off into the engine. There are commercial priming shafts you can buy as well to minimize dropping something into the bottom of the pan by accident. If you're using conventional cam and lifters you've got to break them in the first time you start the engine, which is essentially a rather high rev (2000'ish RPM) run for about 20 minutes. Failure to do this can ruin a cam. Once the engine has run for the cam break-in you can then do a better tune and time on it. You really don't have the luxury to start and stop the engine to try and get things right. Not as hard as it may sound, though, really.

Good luck!