[DeTomaso] Engine Support Bar

[Mike Thomas]

Well, I got home from Reno, thinking I just needed to fiddle with my clutch
slave and shifter control, only to find a pool of ZF oil on the garage floor
under the bell when I came out to the car the day after getting home.
Definitely Redlne as it has that distinct sulfur smell.

So, out she comes, probably a blown NEW seal on the shaft.

A friend of mine from whom I've borrowed the hoist twice already this spring
also offered my use of an engine support bar from HF Tools (see link)

http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb-capacity-engine-support-bar-96524.html

It rests quite nicely in the channels for the deck lid opening, and by using
chains and bolts to the back of the heads, should be able to support the
engine in the necessary forward tilting position for the ZF extract instead
of jamming a piece of wood between the oil pan and cross member as I've done
before (also eliminates jacking the car up, making extraction much easier).

My questions is this: would I be putting too much weight on the body in
those deck lid channels?  The feet on the support have about a 6-8" spread,
with rubber feet.  They would be resting just forward of the top of the
wheel arch.  Since I'm only holding the engine in position, and not trying
to bear it's entire weight, I can't see more than 200 lbs or so, split to
each side.

I've already got it mocked up, and it looks like it will work fine. I don't
have the deck lid off, or it could go forward to the point where the opening
arches up.  At this point, the chains are angled back a bit.

Thanks for your comments!

Mike Thomas