we've talked about using the engine plate to pull an engine using only the 4 bolts that go into the intake, there's been pro's and con's mentioned. well they did a test and it took 4,493 pounds of stress to pull the hook through the engine plate and the bolts still held.they used an edelbrock performer manifold. guess it's a safe thing to do with the proper plate.
i do it on my 408 with steel heads & a vic jr all the time. looking at the torker289 thats ported quite a bit under the plenum on my sons 302 kind of scares me tho. not much support under the bolt holes.
Whats a motor weight 550lbs with all cast iron? thats only 137lbs per bolt. I wouldnt try it with aluminum heads especially with protopline heads as some of those had poor quality control and were cut at wrong angles making it hard to seal in the intake manifold. Iv had to re-tap these heads for using 7/16" intake bolts to get them to seal.
I pulled mine in and out several times during mock up motor and tranny together .Iron headed 460,and C-6 with an aluminum intake as long as the plate is bolted down snug no problem.
