62 update

I need to know if a GM 350 Ram Jet Crate motor will fit under the hood of my 62.  I don't want to alter the hood for this conversion.  Anyone have any info?  

Well you’ve come to the right place.  Sorry, but the ramjet will not fit under your hood when installed at face value with all things remaining in their stock configuration.  Not to say it can’t be done, because it can and has been done quite a bit.  It will take some modification though.  You will, at very least, have to modify the inner brace of the hood, which for all intents and purposes means removing it.   You will also have to lower the engine deeper into the compartment by reworking the motor mounts ( oil pan will be closer to the street ) for clearance.  I don’t have the exact dimensions, but I think we’re talking an inch to an inch-and-a-half.  This, of course, will vary from car-to-car due to the differences in the body mount shims from one car to the next.  Can you lower the engine enough in the compartment to leave the hood alone?   I don’t think so.   Even with the engine dangerously low in the compartment and a few shims added to the body mounts, I still think your air plenum or throttle body is going to be pushing up on the bottom of the hood.  You can buy an aftermarket hood and hack away at the brace on this one if you want to leave your original hood alone.  The only challenge here is with hood fitment ( believe it or not, some aftermarket fiberglass pieces aren’t the same size or configuration as the original fiberglass piece ) and paint match.  One way or another, you’re going to lose a little hair and grow a few wrinkles with this project.  But if you see it through, what a hoot it will be when it’s done.

-Jeff