Vintage Engine Stands

[El_Oel]

Anyone have one? Or any pix? I have a Desoto Hemi that I am going to display in the basement with (eventually) a 471 blower and a Weiand 6 duece manifold, but I don't want to use just any old stand; I want something with Character .

Oh, and I love the site; still nosing my way around, but love it so far.

 

[rsanter]

if you want it to display the thing I would build one that does not have a rotating head and I would build in the characher you are looking for.

if you can find a broken block and head I would do an engine cutaway

bob

 

[El_Oel]

Yeah, not really interested in a rotating head, and may end up building one, but my Google-Fu has failed me in my search for suitable ideas. I saw a 45s-50's stand for diesel bus engines on CL that was Huuuge, but looked perfect, and was under a hundo. Didn't have the means to pick it up at the time, however, and it was gone the next time I looked.

 

[Fast Orange]

I don't know if it would hold a dressed Hemi,but my dad made several engine stands for his flatheads by using a late 30s Ford wishbone for the base with a plate and a piece of pipe for an upright.welded on the top of the upright were two connecting rods for rotation.
Another piece of pipe of appropriate size mounted in the big ends of the conn rods,with a plate welded on it to mount the engine to.The cap of the conn rod closest to the engine was ground down slightly on the mating surface to allow rotation to be locked.
Although these stands were a quick and cheap answer for in the shop,they looked pretty neat-a nice hot rod theme,and they looked great with a coat of paint.
He didn't put wheels on them-so that they didn't move around while you worked on the motor.When one had to be moved,he used a simularly built engine crane .

 

[rsanter]

look for vintage photos of the car shows where the factory introduced their new models. build a stand that looks like an old factory display

bob

 

[Bull]

This thread has given me an idea.

I only recently even started considering vintage engine stands and engine hoists (cherry pickers) as being potentially cool.

 

[cheap bastard]

Old Ford axles can be heated, bent and welded to make some good looking things like display stands for engines, grinder stands and whatever.

 

[CoreyVanDine]

Google "K. R. Wilson. Engine stands." probably the coolest engine stand I've ever seen. You can get them for about 600 bucks when you can find them. Not real practical for everyday use (they weigh about 500 pounds) but perfect for a display. I'll try and post a picture of the one in my shop.

 

[Bull]

Google "K. R. Wilson. Engine stands." probably the coolest engine stand I've ever seen. You can get them for about 600 bucks when you can find them. Not real practical for everyday use (they weigh about 500 pounds) but perfect for a display. I'll try and post a picture of the one in my shop.

Whoah! You aren't kidding about the "cool" part

 

[Johnny chaos]

That stand is beautiful.......My wife would have a hard time keeping that out of the living room

 

[El_Oel]

Now you're talkin"!

I can duplicate (or at least approximate) this look! Maybe go a little different with the legs, but I am diggin' the upright, and especially the tray on the back!

Keep 'em coming!

 

[Bull]

This website is poison. Now I am going to be looking for one of those damned cast iron monsters!

 

[slip knot]

KR Wilson built some cool stuff years back. A lot of their stuff is prized by the old flathead engine folks and usually trades for a premium. But it is one cool stand.

 

[Packard V8]

Google "K. R. Wilson. Engine stands." probably the coolest engine stand I've ever seen. You can get them for about 600 bucks when you can find them.

KR Wilson built some cool stuff years back. A lot of their stuff is prized by the old flathead engine folks and usually trades for a premium. But it is one cool stand.

FWIW, they usually go for way more than $600 if they are complete, not cracked. I've got $600 cash if you've got one you want to sell.

jack vines

 

[bsaint]

I love how so much was cast on the old stuff. Like every see a 5 hp GE electric motor from the 50's! Jack stands and engine stands seem the same.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Badass stands.

I'm quite fond of the old VW/Porsche air-cooled stands:

 

[oldjacks]

It was quite a few years ago that I saw this Wilson at a swap meet and couldn't believe the price. Which at the time if I remember right was $650.00.

 

[CoreyVanDine]

FWIW, they usually go for way more than $600 if they are complete, not cracked. I've got $600 cash if you've got one you want to sell.

jack vines

I've seen several of them go for around that in the past few years. Just keep your eyes open. We got ours for 300 and it was freshly powder coated.

 

[bobadame]

This sounds like a good excuse to head over to a farm machinery scrap yard. Old farm iron has character designed in.

 

[senlow]

Badass stands.

I'm quite fond of the old VW/Porsche air-cooled stands:

That's the ultimate stand for the German air cooled engines. I had two of them in the shop where I built engines years ago.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

That's the ultimate stand for the German air cooled engines. I had two of them in the shop where I built engines years ago.

My friend built a very similar one using that base/swivel for his corner in his shop. It was an awesome stand and being bolted to the floor it was great for torquing parts down.

 

[El_Oel]

if you can find a broken block and head I would do an engine cutaway

bob

Thanks a lot, Bob: now that I have been thinking about it, might not be a bad idea to look for a "distressed" Desoto, as they aren't worth anything damaged. The engine I want this stand for cost me a cool $300 running, so I would be more likely to build rather than buy one of those beautiful works of art.

That stand is beautiful.......My wife would have a hard time keeping that out of the living room

Mine is going in the automotive themed family/tv/multimedia room; great to have a lady who understands (or at least humours) you.

This website is poison. Now I am going to be looking for one of those damned cast iron monsters!

Ya got that right; now I'm gonna have to find another Desoto Hemi to cut apart.

This sounds like a good excuse to head over to a farm machinery scrap yard. Old farm iron has character designed in.

Great idea! It may at least help me with some shortcuts for building mine.

Unfortunately, I may drag home more "cool stuff" than I can fit...

 

[CoreyVanDine]

Here's the pic of the one at the shop. Fresh powdercoat and a jig for a SBC.

 

[El_Oel]

Nice! Thanks for the picture!

 

[Amitygravel]

These are just cool. Just what I need , something else to start hunting for. Not that I have any engine building or displaying in my future , but with a little adapting one of those would make a damn cool buffer/grinder stand.

 

[Brad54]

This thread has given me an idea.

I only recently even started considering vintage engine stands and engine hoists (cherry pickers) as being potentially cool.

Would this change of thought have anything to do with the recent acquisition of a Blackhawk jack?

-Brad

 

[WHT]

My Dad gave my brother and I an old engine stand when we started building engines in high school (and I still have it disassembled in my attic). The stand came from Goodyear Aerospace and was used in WWII to manufacture Corsair P&W R-2800-8 engines. Fantastic engine stand, all forged with double Y shaped cradles (one cradle and rotating head at each end). Very stable and on rollers so it can be moved easily with an engine during the build.

 

[El_Oel]

WHT- it would be cool to see a pic of that stand.

 

[930dreamer]

I'd love to find a Wilson stand.

 

[WHT]

WHT- it would be cool to see a pic of that stand.

I'll try and get up in the attic and take a picture.

 

[tedzap]

This one isn't as old, or styled as nice... but it is a beast. I needed to upgrade as I am rebuilding a Cummins, and this is what I found.

Spent more $$ sandblasting it and making the Cummins adapter than the stand itself.

Someone suggested it is an OTC brand, the model that preceeded their "revolver". It looks fairly new modern, but I sandblasted off about 10 coats of paint.

 

[Jagmandave]

I really like that KR.Wilson stand, having all that extra mass in the base would make it really stable.

So how old does an engine stand need to be to be considered "vintage"? I've got an old Blackhawk....could be from the 80's or the 50's, I don't know for sure......

I had 600lb Jag engine on it for years while I was restoring the rest of the car.

View media item 15905

 

[ScottsGT]

Dude, you must have some serious real estate to be able to display real engines. I have to stick to the 1/6th scale diecast in my display case. Just wish they made more variety.

 

[d.mcfarland]

So how old does an engine stand need to be to be considered "vintage"? I've got an old Blackhawk....could be from the 80's or the 50's, I don't know for sure......

The warning sticker would lead to believe it's not that old.

 

[Jagmandave]

I bought it well used in 1990, hence my "80"s " guestimate.....good point about the warning sticker - definitely 80's when that stuff started in earnest.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Just scored a KR Wilson engine stand. All original, but no tray.

Mine has PACKARD on the upright. Anyone ever see a similar one?

 

[d.mcfarland]

K R Wilson No. 744 Engine stand and post No. 35.

All the exact same as photos I've seen of the Ford engine stands, but has PACKARD on the upright post No. 35.

I'm missing the No. 35-B tool tray, but have a lead on reproductions via this website:

http://www.dan4banger.com/tools.html

 

[Rickster]

 

[Codyyy]

I like the look of a K.R. Wilson stand. It would probably be a proper '50s engine stand as well. Pricey if you can find them but definitely worth it to someone who knows what they are. I know it is more meant for a Flathead but I believe they do make an adapter for other engines. Here's an example: Edit: looks like I didn't scroll down far enough, this has already been covered.

 

[bigredcornhead]

wow those things are awesome!