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Old 07-16-2006, 06:06 AM   #4 (permalink)
Dave H
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 9
Olds used the same frame pads on all Cutlass 442 for both small and big blocks up through 1968. The 65-68 442 and Vista Cruiser (400cu in) used a different rubber mount with an inner reinforcing design much like the later big block mounts. Dimensionally they were the same as the small block mounts. Those 65-68 mounts have been unavailable for years and parts places subbed in the regular 350 mounts.
In 1969, they redesigned the frame pads for the big blocks and incorporated a sleeve inside to strengthen it. GM had a huge problem on this on Chevies, and actually had to recall cars and put a strap on them to keep the engine from dropping down if a mount broke. This was a huge safety problem on the 64-67 cars that had a fixed throttle linkage instead of the later cable design. When the engine dropped, the throttle opened wide open. OOPS.
By the time they got around to fixing it, it was almost moot since all cars went to a cable throttle control in 1968, but GM management put out an edict to redesign the motor mounts on all cars to the reinforced pad design whether you needed to or not. First efforts of centralized corporate design control by Central Office.
Adding the sleeve inside the frame pads necessitated a higher pad and subsequently moving the pivot bolt location away from the frame. Olds then had to redesign the rubber mounts to accommodate this to be compatible. It was only on Big Blocks at that time. Small blocks continued to use the previous design without the sleeve.
Best to keep the mounts matched in sets and not mix them (especially when changing from a small block to a big block (just use the small block mounts and all is fine). Kinda messy though as there's such confusion into what you're buying from the parts stores and the repro guys. Match your old parts and you'll be OK.

Cornfusing? You betcha. And a sign of things to come as GM started wielding their big corporate club and telling the Divisions how to do their jobs.
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