Can anyone recommend an engine cradle/stand

I just made one out of some 4x2. Big castors underneath so it's mobile.

 

I made mine out of 4 x 4s, Gorilla - glued and screwed together. All you need is a chop saw and a drill. You can get at everything you need to get at, even the oil pan. Mine is only 18" high and I should have made it maybe a foot taller - it would have made it easier to get at the oil pan. The 4 x 4s on the top rails were needed to clear the differential housing

I had rotating casters on mine, secured to the bottom with 1.5' lag bolts. When the weight of the engine was placed on it they rotated outward and ripped out. If you are going to use casters I would suggest you use fixed casters and bolt them through the wood and use big fender washers and nuts to secure them.

PM me with your private email and I'll send you more photos and dimensions. Or you can go to this thread and see them: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/308-328/458208-observations-gt4-engine-pull.html
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Replica of a factory unit on e-Bay right now.
Engine Stand for Ferrari V8 308 328 Mondial 8 Mondial QV Mondial 3 2 Used | eBay

 

For the cost of the one on ebay you could get a real nice hydraulic lift table that is on wheels. I have 2 of them and have found them to be very, very useful. I also made two steel bars that lock the scissor wheels in place once the load is lifted up, takes the strain off the jack seals, also provides a lock-out in case it decides to let go!

The only downside to supporting the lump on the supports is that you can't take them off to clean out all the yrs of road gunk and oil that cakes in there.

THe neatest table I ever saw was one where the engine was supported over a metal grate with catch pans underneath. it allowed for the hardware to get caught yet the oil & water flow thru. it also rotated the engine via a reduction geared hand-crank. Custom built job, real nice and if you're building motors as often as the guy who had it, it made total sense.

 

No problem.