I have a question that I don't see addressed in the ST rules and I don't recall having been discussed in the forum. If you install an alternate engine, where can it be located in the engine compartment? Other than the paragraph in STO regarding engine setbacks for certain engines, it's addressed in only one place that I see - the allowance for FWD engines in RWD cars to locate the long block anywhere in the engine compartment, plus allowing firewall modifications to clear accessories.

But for all other engine swaps - nothing at all. So, if I swap one RWD engine for another, where can I put it? I can see at least two interpretations - 1) The "Roffe corollary" version - if you can swap engines, you can bloody well swap engines, i.e., put it any where it will fit. All engine swaps allow this and the FWD-to-RWD language above is just an additional allowance to also modify the firewall to clear FWD-oriented accessories. 2) There's nothing allowing you to move the engine, so it has to be in the stock location. But with a non-stock engine, what is "stock location"? The two normal definitions of stock location relate to either number one plug location or bellhousing/engine interface location. But with a non stock engine and/or transmission, what do these mean? If you swap a six into a four cylinder only car or vice versa, the distance from no. 1 plug to interface is different (and on a four to straight six swap, by maybe six inches). Do you move the engine to keep stock trans location, move the trans to keep the no.1 plug location, or what? And once you add an aftermarket trans, then what?

I seem to recall that at one time there was language requiring "stock location", but it's not there now (if it ever was). My reading would go with the first interpretation, because the "stock location" reading would need to have a definition of "stock location" to make any sense, for the reasons noted. If stock location was intended, I assume that the rule writers would have addressed what stock location means for non-stock parts. But I know what trouble assuming will get you into.

The only problem I can see with the liberal reading is that it would allow engine swappers to move their engines back as far as possible, while cars with stock engine and trans have no basis in the rules for doing so, and thus couldn't move theirs back at all. On the other hand, the rules already specifically allow maximum setback for FWD-to-RWD engine swaps. Why should they be the only ones to get that advantage over all other engine swaps?

So could someone enlighten me as what the rules are intended to say?