Engine transport

I've very nearly finished my JAP engine/generator project and looking forward to (sometime) attending a rally.
This raises to question of moving it into my Estate car as although it's on wheels it is quite a lump! At least a couple of cwt.
I had a plan of using some 2 inch angle up which the wheeled engine could be raised and guided into the car.
How to get it up the rails? I was thinking of using some solid (seat?) fixings in the car to attach a winch and wind it in?
I guess many of you have managed to transport engines in Estates.
How do you get them in!

Alan

The floor pan wont be strong enought to bolt a winch to and to strengthen it you would have to get underneath and maybe remove the tank etc. Dont rest any ramps on the bumpers as the the plastic is not structural only pretty, a tow bar and trailer would be much simpler. I have a large estate and prefer to tow.

Maryalice

The seatbelt mounting points would be best to hook a hand winch or come-along winch to.

Would you seriously suggest that somebody attach a winch to the one part of a car that may save somebodies life one day, the structure of a seat belt mount is designed to take a serious load in a definined direction which would not be the direction of a winch therefore stressing that point to something it wasnt designed for.

Maryalice

In a word, yup. Having spent the best part of 40 years in automotive bodyshell build I am well aware of how the seat belt anchor points are installed. They are designed to take a shock loading of many thousands of Kg in an accident so a controlled sub 100Kg line pull to move a wheeled engine up a ramp will be fine.

Edit: just done the calculations. To move a 2 cwt engine on wheels up a 30° ramp will need a 55Kg line pull.

Remind me not to ride in your car knowing how they are built doesnt make it right for another use.

Thanks for your comments!!
I can't believe this question hasn't been raised before?
Did a sort of trial run using the 2 inch angle rails with one end raised to simulate getting it into the car and I was most surprised at how relatively easy it was to push it up the angle, far easier than I thought it would be. Thanks for your calculations Robotstar5, it bears out what my trial found.
I then positioned the angled rails onto the floor of the car and have decided it needs a 3 by 3 inch piece of timber across the base to be supported on the floor behind a base ridge. So I need to get a lump of timber!
I then investigated a location from where to pull the engine up the slope. After seat bases out etc I found there was a suitable gap between the seat base brackets to install a 2 inch section of 1/8 steel bolted to these brackets, the top of which comes to rear floor level to secure 'a lifting device' to, for security while raising the engine into car.
With regard to 'the lifting device' as the raising force was discovered to be relatively low I think I will be considering a small block & tackle.
The other consideration will be a stout board for the engine to roll onto with some method of securing it from movement.
All in all I am finding this very achievable.
Will get some photos up when it's in operation!

Alan

The other aspect is to ensure that it can't come and get you if you stop in a hurry or, heaven forfend, the car gets turned over in an accident.

George B.

Alanengine wrote:Thanks for your comments!!
I can't believe this question hasn't been raised before?
Did a sort of trial run using the 2 inch angle rails with one end raised to simulate getting it into the car and I was most surprised at how relatively easy it was to push it up the angle, far easier than I thought it would be. Thanks for your calculations Robotstar5, it bears out what my trial found.
I then positioned the angled rails onto the floor of the car and have decided it needs a 3 by 3 inch piece of timber across the base to be supported on the floor behind a base ridge. So I need to get a lump of timber!
I then investigated a location from where to pull the engine up the slope. After seat bases out etc I found there was a suitable gap between the seat base brackets to install a 2 inch section of 1/8 steel bolted to these brackets, the top of which comes to rear floor level to secure 'a lifting device' to, for security while raising the engine into car.
With regard to 'the lifting device' as the raising force was discovered to be relatively low I think I will be considering a small block & tackle.
The other consideration will be a stout board for the engine to roll onto with some method of securing it from movement.
All in all I am finding this very achievable.
Will get some photos up when it's in operation!

Alan

Not wishing to rain on your parade but can I assume that you will be informing your insurance company of the modifications, in todays climate a slight bump may cause an inspection of your vehicle and any unreported modifications will void your policy and you will find dificulties getting new insurance, when I had a towbar fitted to my car it was deemed a modification and had to be reported.

Maryalice

An update, constructed the ramp as seen in photos and was surprised at how relatively easy it was to push the engine assembly up. I hooked it up to a luggage scale while it was mid ramp and it required only 30kg to maintain it in position.
So basically it is certainly possible to load manually although for security I will be using a block pulley assembly to obtain a certain amount of control of it's movement.
Once in the car it's located on a board with wheel stops for positioning. The complete assembly can then be strapped to the floor using the floor mounted lugs.
Haven't used the generator since it's rebuild so that will be the next part of the project, using a 100 amp meter to monitor it's output.
Roll on a show!

Alan

Looks to be a simple but effective solution to your loading issue. The actual engine set up also looks very neat and well presented. I only hope you get an opportunity to get it out on display at a show sometime soon.

Here's hoping,

Neil.