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[omegod]

I'm not sure how many of you tinker these days as you are all ageing  I have bitten the bullet and bought myself an engine crane and spent a bit of time looking at reasonably priced options, on recommendation I plumped for this one from SGS engineering at £174 delivered, to say it is heavily engineered is an understatement and I was very impressed with it for the price after having previously borrowing similarly priced ebay specials which were a bit wobbly/shoddy to say the least.

Maybe the OOF other halves are struggling to find a pressie for you ?

https://www.sgs-engineering.com/ec1000-1-ton-folding-engine-crane

[YZ250]

As my mum is completely disabled she has both a ceiling hoist and a portable hoist. I keep looking at the portable hoist wondering if it would be any good as an engine crane. It's electric as well so lifting would be effortless.    My dad spotted me eyeing it up and said "I know what you're thinking".   

In the past I've used a swing type frame made from scaffold poles and a block and tackle chain so mother's hoist would be a vast improvement. 

[Rangie]

Funny enough a mate has just bought the same one ,he's restoring a 1960s Daimler  & he's also pleased with it.

[VXL V6]

A lot of the SGS kit is good quality, I bought the 2.5 Tonne trolley jack (low saddle for lowered cars) a few years back and can't fault it.

[biggriffin]

Same as the Sealey one I've got.

[ronnyd]

As my mum is completely disabled she has both a ceiling hoist and a portable hoist. I keep looking at the portable hoist wondering if it would be any good as an engine crane. It's electric as well so lifting would be effortless.    My dad spotted me eyeing it up and said "I know what you're thinking".   

In the past I've used a swing type frame made from scaffold poles and a block and tackle chain so mother's hoist would be a vast improvement. 

Not so good for your dear old Mum if she needs emergency lift and you have an oily old engine hanging from it.

A lot of the SGS kit is good quality, I bought the 2.5 Tonne trolley jack (low saddle for lowered cars) a few years back and can't fault it.

Yes, i'm impressed with mine too. Don't use it much now though.

[Varche]

That looks a good bit kit. Good value.

 Still have my trusty FIFTY year old Halttrac  hoist that has been used to remove and replace many engines and BL engine / gearboxes. Not sure I would trust the string now. I bought it after my friend and myself removed an 1100 engine and fitted in my. 850 mini with just straps!  Oh the joys of youth.

[biggriffin]

That looks a good bit kit. Good value.

 Still have my trusty FIFTY year old Halttrac  hoist that has been used to remove and replace many engines and BL engine / gearboxes. Not sure I would trust the string now. I bought it after my friend and myself removed an 1100 engine and fitted in my. 850 mini with just straps!  Oh the joys of youth.

.


 As a you'ff, our local car park had a height Gantry made of rsj,. Many a night spent under it with a block and tackle, changing  1300xf and replacing with 1600xf,  never got told off, or interaction with local plod, different time's.

[Nick W]

That looks a good bit kit. Good value.

 Still have my trusty FIFTY year old Halttrac  hoist that has been used to remove and replace many engines and BL engine / gearboxes. Not sure I would trust the string now. I bought it after my friend and myself removed an 1100 engine and fitted in my. 850 mini with just straps!  Oh the joys of youth.

I've done several with a rope and scaffold pole. Minis and crossflows weren't too bad, but the Pinto was a mistake


I'm too old and knackered to even consider an engine change without some sort of lifting gear, and have no intention of ever fitting RWD gearboxes by hand again.

[TheBoy]

Last time I had an engine out was LFF64 and I, on a pleasant Sunday afternoon.  The time before was with a large OOF crew on a cold, miserable, wet day when little would go right

[Rangie]

Pleased to say I've never had to use one, wouldn't have a clue used to change oil plugs and various filters a few years back but now leave it all to good folk I've found. Wish that I had learnt more years ago from my father in law who was a Aston Martin trained mechanic,he was an absolute wizard with anything mechanical.

[STEMO]

I had engines out many years ago, but they were tiny, uncomplicated things. Think triumph herald, where there was room for you to  climb in with the engine.

[Nick W]

I had engines out many years ago, but they were tiny, uncomplicated things. Think triumph herald, where there was room for you to  climb in with the engine.

Modern engines aren't that much different, as they're still chunks of metal. But there is a lot more easily damaged and expensive to replace stuff to bang them on


I once put a big-block Cadillac into a Monte Carlo using a fork lift. It's not much heavier than a S/B Chevy, but it and the TH400 trans are a lot bigger!

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Last one I Took out was a 3.2 V6 and it fought me all the way. Engine hoist also sunk into the drive, so even when I got the engine out of the bay it was murder trying to pull it back away from the car.
There used to be a family of gypsys who lived near me and the father specialised in repairing and flogging old minis.
To remove the engine / box unit he leaned into the engine bay, wrapped his arms around it and lifted the it out. Strong as a bull.
By the time he was in his 60,s though his spine was destroyed and he could barely stand.

[STEMO]

Last one I Took out was a 3.2 V6 and it fought me all the way. Engine hoist also sunk into the drive, so even when I got the engine out of the bay it was murder trying to pull it back away from the car.
There used to be a family of gypsys who lived near me and the father specialised in repairing and flogging old minis.
To remove the engine / box unit he leaned into the engine bay, wrapped his arms around it and lifted the it out. Strong as a bull.
By the time he was in his 60,s though his spine was destroyed and he could barely stand.

What happened if they left a couple of bolts in? Did he lift the mini? 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Wouldnt have put it past him. 
He took one of his minis for MOT and the new young tester failed it on several major items. He chased the poor lad all around the workshop trying to get hold of him for daring to fail his car.
The lad ended up perched up in the rafters like a pigeon until he had gone. 

[Varche]

Last one I Took out was a 3.2 V6 and it fought me all the way. Engine hoist also sunk into the drive, so even when I got the engine out of the bay it was murder trying to pull it back away from the car.
There used to be a family of gypsys who lived near me and the father specialised in repairing and flogging old minis.
To remove the engine / box unit he leaned into the engine bay, wrapped his arms around it and lifted the it out. Strong as a bull.
By the time he was in his 60,s though his spine was destroyed and he could barely stand.

That reminds me of many years ago me and my friend worked on our cars at a local farm that had a hoist. We were struggling  to move an engine with its inline gearbox attached. Along comes the farmer and picked it up and walked it round the block. His eldest son used to have fish and chips thrice on a Friday. Whole family looked like Geoff Capes.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Nice piece of kit.

[Carfix]

Best investment I ever made. Mines a Machine Mart effort bought many years ago using a VAT free voucher.

I have used it to remove various Mini, Metro and Maestro engines over the years and also gear boxes.

It also makes lifting engines into and out of the back of delivery vehicles a breeze.

[Marks DTM Calib]

I still do the odd bit of engine work, trouble is they are getting bigger and heavier (well, the ones I need to move)!

I do remember changing a 1.2 Nova engine block (head was off) with just a jack, but then I also managed to carry the block !

[dave the builder]

I lifted a z14xep corsa lump out without removing the gearbox by brute force and ignorance (with no crane) ,rebuilt it and changed the rings,clutch etc and dropped it back in .
I suspect the 2.6 lump won't be as easy when the time comes 

[Varche]

I lifted a z14xep corsa lump out without removing the gearbox by brute force and ignorance (with no crane) ,rebuilt it and changed the rings,clutch etc and dropped it back in .
I suspect the 2.6 lump won't be as easy when the time comes 

By then you will have moved on to 2030 vehicle. Something like this for Mr and Mrs Builder. easy to work on, park . Economical too.

https://www.ortopediasilvio.com/en/big-scooters/8295-144861-electric-mobility-scooter-nico-4046-two-seater.html#/colour-blue

[cam.in.head]

back in the day me and my then girlfriend used to spend many a happy afternoon swapping engines on vivas and chevettes. and managed many a cavalier unit minus head too. one leg each down the side of the engine bay and lift it up onto floor mats resting on the top of the front panel.
back when you could actually stand in a rwd engine bay .we could have a unit out and back in driving away in an afternoon. sometimes just for the curiosity of "havnt run that engine for a while ,lets fit it for a week then swap it back "
thats car enthusiasts for you .mad as hatters !
have got a crane now but prob would still attempt a viva or similar without it.

[Nick W]

I helped a friend pull a running 1600 crossflow out of one of his Escorts, remove and clearance the 1100 sump for the longer stroke crank and refit the engine. Running to running in 75 minutes, using a rope and scaffold pole, in the street.

[cam.in.head]

ah ,those were the days

[Nick W]

ah ,those were the days

We were young and stupid. Glad that's over

[dave the builder]

I lifted a z14xep corsa lump out without removing the gearbox by brute force and ignorance (with no crane) ,rebuilt it and changed the rings,clutch etc and dropped it back in .
I suspect the 2.6 lump won't be as easy when the time comes 

By then you will have moved on to 2030 vehicle. Something like this for Mr and Mrs Builder. easy to work on, park . Economical too.

https://www.ortopediasilvio.com/en/big-scooters/8295-144861-electric-mobility-scooter-nico-4046-two-seater.html#/colour-blue

 
 
 i'll only be 60 by then 
I'll probably be on my mid-life crisis car , something old and thirsty that always needs something fixing 
oh wait