Okay, so over the last year I have acquired a few SIX spare engines.
They are taking up a LOT of valuable space.
I would like to know how others store their spare/replacement engines.
I am obviously wanting ideas that will give me more room than having them just sitting around on dollies, eating up a lot of real-estate.
Unless you guys have better suggestions, I am currently thinking of build three flat carts to hold three of the engines.
These will then have strong tables that will sit on top of them, and hold the other three engines.
Then, to make this all more useful, three more tables that sit on top of those, to be used as work-benches.
And this last item leads me to another question, . . . .

What is the most ergonomically comfortable work-bench height ? ? ?

For those of you with C.A.D. programs, I apologize for the crudeness of my diagram, I only have the windows "paint" program.

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
WA. state, 1 mile south of the Canadian border,
I am not at the end of the world, but you can see it from here.
Have; '66 Monza Coupe - 140, 4-spd. Daily driver beater
'67 Monza Vert. - 140, 4-spd. Daily driver beater
'67 A/C Moredoor Monza
Have had; '61 Monza coupe, '62 Monza Wagon, '63 Spyder, '65 Corsa
.
non-vair
'04 Dodge Cummins Quad Dualy, approaching 400K
17'Terry

I build them at Elbow height... best leverage for me..

I keep my engine on Wheels... since I have a HF 440 lb hoist... makes things easy...

MODERATOR
Sea Mountain, between Charleston Harbor and Coos Bay! SW Oregon Coast
Click HERE for My Website...Click HERE for My TechPages!
..............................110-PG.................................................Webered-Turbo

Well yes, Matt, the "flat carts" would have wheels on them.
I didn't realize I needed to break it down that simple.
Sorry.
Basically, I am talking about stacked engine carts, with work-tops on them.
Just trying to maximize the usefulness, while reducing the amount of space used up.

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
WA. state, 1 mile south of the Canadian border,
I am not at the end of the world, but you can see it from here.
Have; '66 Monza Coupe - 140, 4-spd. Daily driver beater
'67 Monza Vert. - 140, 4-spd. Daily driver beater
'67 A/C Moredoor Monza
Have had; '61 Monza coupe, '62 Monza Wagon, '63 Spyder, '65 Corsa
.
non-vair
'04 Dodge Cummins Quad Dualy, approaching 400K
17'Terry

I have never tried storing more than one complete engine at a time, but when
I've had to do it, I just leave it sitting on an ATV jack, this way it can be moved around as needed, and when I work on the engine, I raise it high enough
that it is comfortable to work on while sitting on a milk crate. All of my "other" engines are stored as parts. I found that after I purchased the ATV
jack that I didn't need my engine stand and saved a lot of space by getting rid of it.

------------------------------------

Kevin Nash
Friday Harbor Washington
63 Spyder, Daily driver, EFI read about my project here: [corvaircenter.com]
first test start on EFI here:[www.youtube.com]
first official EFI boost test here:[www.youtube.com]
My new fan! [corvaircenter.com]
engine less 62 Spyder
Canadian 64 Monza Parts car

Your cart design seems pretty solid to me, would just need to make sure that each level and engine was secured somehow to the one below it, but I am sure you already knew that.

The only pain with your design would be if you needed to access on on the bottom of the stack for some reason.

CORSA Member
Traverse City,MI
Daily driver- Bicycle
Fun driver/project- 65 Corsa 140/4 speed

Kyle_in_Mich Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Your cart design seems pretty solid to me, would just need to make sure that each level and engine was secured somehow to the one below it, but I am sure you already knew that.
>
> The only pain with your design would be if you needed to access on on the bottom of the stack for some reason.


Thanks for the input guys!
Yes, I have considered both of those issues.
I just made the most basic of drawings to show what I was thinking of, but have already thought about securing each level to the one below it.
As for the inconvenience of access, I don't think it will be too big of an ordeal to un-stack, and re-stack just two of them.(I can't imagine ever wanting to access more than one at a time.)
I do have a chain hoist in my garage I can use if there is no one around to help lift them off.

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
WA. state, 1 mile south of the Canadian border,
I am not at the end of the world, but you can see it from here.
Have; '66 Monza Coupe - 140, 4-spd. Daily driver beater
'67 Monza Vert. - 140, 4-spd. Daily driver beater
'67 A/C Moredoor Monza
Have had; '61 Monza coupe, '62 Monza Wagon, '63 Spyder, '65 Corsa
.
non-vair
'04 Dodge Cummins Quad Dualy, approaching 400K
17'Terry

Same platforms I built to store transmissions. Easy to get a jack under to move them around, stored on the bell housing.

Curtis

64 Spyder Convertible
Milwaukee, Wi

Former Corvairs
62 Monza 900 Coupe (102/4)
64 Monza 900 Covertible (110/PG)
65 Monza Coupe (110/PG)
66 Monza Coupe (110/PG)
66 Monza Sedan (110/PG)

Also, I feel bench height is unique for the person. My benches are higher than normal because I am 6'3".

Curtis

64 Spyder Convertible
Milwaukee, Wi

Former Corvairs
62 Monza 900 Coupe (102/4)
64 Monza 900 Covertible (110/PG)
65 Monza Coupe (110/PG)
66 Monza Coupe (110/PG)
66 Monza Sedan (110/PG)

I also store my engines on their bell housings, after draining the oil.
I have heavy duty shelving and I set the lowest shelf high enough to clear the engines. I get 5 to fit under out of the way.

Rod Kennen- In Newton, NC
41 years in collision and restoration.
Corvair fixation since 1977
Member of CORSA and NC Mountain Corvairs
1966 Corsa A/C coupe- Mechanically repaired and on the road.
1966 Corsa "140" conv. former Crown project
1969 Monza "110/4" conv. 4280 original miles, project

Furniture dolly from HF and add a piece of 3/4" plywood to support it. A tarp and ratchet strap to keep it on. Then move it to an enclosed area out of the way. Same with transmissions and differentials. Large dollies for engines and assemble drive trains. Small dollies for individual transmissions and differentials. I typically shove them under a shelf I built high just for their storage.

Al Lane
Ellabell, GA 31308

1966 Monza Coupe, 110 hp, 4 Spd
1966 Monza More Door 110 hp, PG
1968 Camaro SS Coupe 350 CI 295+ hp PG
1964 Greenbrier Deluxe, 6 dr, 80 hp car engine, PG
1947 Farmall A tractor 15 hp

I also store them standing up on their bell housings. I also drain all the oil first. But I put some cardboard under them to absorb any oil drips.

HF 18" x 12" movers dolly works perfect for storing them on end and saving space, plus they roll around easy. good for diffs and trans also.

[www.harborfreight.com]







1960 4dr sedan caveman car
1961 Rampside (Chetside)
1962 Rampside (Barnside)
1962 Short Rampside (Shortside)
1962 Monza 700 Wagon
1963 Monza 900 coup (General Nader)

-----------------------------------
Rust Free Lancaster Ca

Standing up on the bell housing,take up way less space than down flat. Engines are not that heavy that they can't be moved easily when the time comes to put it on the engine stand. You could put them on a cart standing up also.

I also have two 140 engines standing on their bell housing on HF dolly's and rolled to a corner of the garage I don't use. Same for diff/trans.

But I like your idea

Doug
65 Monza
Cincy, OH

Quote

I also store my engines on their bell housings, after draining the oil.

Me too. Sometimes they self drain!

With the flywheel or flex plate bolts missing, they drain real easy.........All over the shed floor.....

Work bench height for me is 42" plus. 36" way too short. Like Matt says, high enough to rest your elbows on easily.

I took 36" high laboratory cabinets and set them on 2 x 4's standing on edge. Then made the counter top two layers of 3/4" plywood with a white hardboard top. The white hardboard holds up well to oil, but not water. Yes, scratches easily.

Frank DuVal

Fredericksburg, VA

I think if you store engines flat and 2 high the bench on top will be too high. I've never tried it because it takes extra room to get in there with a chain to lift the second one in. The one on the floor can be slid or rolled in.

I store most of them standing up on the bell housing. Even when the oil is drained some is always left in the little "room" where the cam gear resides. Sometimes the crankshaft seal holds it in and sometimes it doesn't. I should at least have them on a piece of plywood against the concrete but must confess that isn't always the case.

Standing on end they go under a bench well. I move them around with a 2-wheeler, it's easy enough to get the flat steel underneath, then a bit of an oomph to rock them back over center, a strap helps.

I have several engines and need to build or get some racks. I envision the bottom row standing up, the second row laying flat and inserted with the engine hoist and additional row or rows for lighter things.

I have different storage for differentials and transmissions together vs. separated. I'm not much for lifting the ones together anymore.

Jim Brandberg
Isanti, MN
CorvairRepair.com

It sounds like folks have a lot of spare engines sitting around. I have a bunch myself, but not near as many as Frank...I know because I helped move them!!

Wade

A question for Dave and others utilizing the Harbor Freight dollies--

How tall is a complete engine on one of those dollies? Overall height (think how high a shelf would need to be to clear it)

CORSA Member
Traverse City,MI
Daily driver- Bicycle
Fun driver/project- 65 Corsa 140/4 speed

you would need about a 44" shelf clearance, I think. I need 23" for laying down on a HF dolly with no carbs.

Al Lane
Ellabell, GA 31308

1966 Monza Coupe, 110 hp, 4 Spd
1966 Monza More Door 110 hp, PG
1968 Camaro SS Coupe 350 CI 295+ hp PG
1964 Greenbrier Deluxe, 6 dr, 80 hp car engine, PG
1947 Farmall A tractor 15 hp