Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

I would like to build an engine stand for my 1955 500cc engine. Are there any designs, dimensions etc available?

Hello Ken,
This design I like very much.
Karol Burger came up with it some years ago.
He used to make and sell them.
I made mine from rather thick already bend steel plate that came from a lorry chassis.
pictures explain it :

Ken.

CAD* is your friend here.

* Cardboard Aided Design

Just assemble the cases and do the rest in the frame. I don't like releasing tension on the case bolts/nuts after I've used sealant on the Joint. nev

nevhunter wrote: Fri Feb 06, 2026 12:04 am Just assemble the cases and do the rest in the frame. I don't like releasing tension on the case bolts/nuts after I've used sealant on the Joint. nev

Assembling an engine in the frame is fine for the agile young men reading this but, personally, I much prefer assembling an engine at a comfortable working height on the workbench and then transferring it to the frame. For this purpose, I made C-shaped jig that lets me attach my engine hoist over the center of gravity of the engine so that I can then take all the time I need to carefully and slowly maneuver it into place.
The setup obviously also works for carefully and slowly removing the engine from the frame, with the added bonus of negligible damage to it or my back when either removing or replacing it.

As for the joint sealant, the Permatex Permashield® I use (which I believe is Hylomar® in the UK) has enough flexibility that I've never had a problem with a leak developing in an engine even several months after I clamped the case halves together on the workbench.

Thanks for your assistance guys. The information received is great.