I see online some huge plates that mount to the water pump bolts?
Isn't there a similar thing that mounts to the "ears" on the front of the LA engine and goes srtraight to the frame? Searching the internet, I see what I want, but it isn't a mopar or a dakota....and they are usually welded to the frame. I can see a way to bolt them in, I think, with small rubber mounts at the ends.
If nobody makes them, I will have a friend do it. He owns a machine shop.
The extra crossmember plan isn't working, it is almost as bad as the kluge mounts that cost a fortune.

 

Post a picture of EXACTLY your looking for. Tons of different kinds out there.

 

Pic? easier said than done....
I find all kinds of front plates, aka elephant ears, and "mid" plates, but the one 2 piece item that I saw I can't find again. It wasn't mopar anyway. Basically, it is 2 solid monts, one for each side. One end bolts to the engine ears, the other end goes to the frame where it bolts to a bracket which may be welded on, or bolted on. Rubber cushions are optional....

 

The old Ram Charger mounts were like that. They bolted to the "car" mounts and were held off the frame by a donut.

I do not see a benefit for a plate that bolts to the ears, but the plate that mounts under the water pump has its own problems too. What chassis are you using?

 

89 dakota, used to have a 4 cylinder and 5 speed, in the process of getting a 360 and 727....
Because it didn't have a v6, I didn't have reference landmarks for the v8 install. Right now I have a 5.9 and OD a518 mounted on the frame to get the fore and aft position marked.
Left and right is fairly easy, use the tranny mount to measure the offset.
Up and down is still not measured, got to find a neighbor with a 91-96 v6 or v8 for final measurements.
I am not interested in having a cluttered engine bay, and the extra crossmember adds clutter, as does the aftermarket adapter mounts that costs a small fortune..
Going with the forward mount will even let me cut out the box that supports the old drivers side motor mounts....

 

I would think that just getting a set of V8 mounts would bolt in to the existing bolt holes. I would think that the mount holes were pretty standard, just the mounts were different. Do you have the truck mounting holes on your block? If not, and your using the ears, the best I have seen was a guy on Moparts, that took Ram Charger mounts and used the lower portion against the existing crossmember to set his engine back about 3 inches. He did have to address everything behind it.

 

The block isn't drilled for the side mounts....
If the Ramcharger mounts are riveted to the frame, they are not available. Most junkyards won't remove those kinds of parts and won't let customers bring in the tools needed.
I did find one yard in Phoenix that would remove such parts at a fee of $25, very reasonable, but they have to have the right truck and part in the yard, and the engine has to already be out, etc.

 

Since you have access to a shop, the cleanest install would be welding a pipe between the k-member plate (minus the vertcles) and the car mount tab(s). That way, they are removeable. If for street duty, then you would have to fab the rubber mount pad for vibrations. Seeing as you are considering a plate system, I do not think you are concerned about vibrations.

 

I will be using rubber mounts....
still thinking 2 plates, one for each side, that bolt directly to engine ears up front, then go to the frame rails where the rubber cushions will be used. If cushions not wanted, someone could just make up an aluminum block to fill the cushion space.
Been searching internet, some forum thread mentioned a bolt in crossmember for dakotas, followed the link, it goes to Shcumacher's site. If they have a crossmember, they aren't showing it....

 

Here is a reference pic if you want to see the V8 mounts. I have both mounting systems on the block.





1 1/2" or 2" DOM tubing would look awesome, and as you can see, it would clear fine and simplify your mounting. Only issue would be header clearance on the number 1 and 2 exhaust.