Hey all I’m taking a 250 that was from a 64 Nova and mating it to a sm465 4 speed from an old truck (has a transfer case) the 250 is originally from a powerglide car, and I have the original flex plate, but no starter. Since I have no starter yet, will flywheel choice be an issue? A friend gave me a flywheel in good condition from a 2.5L S10 that has 148T and looks like it should bolt up, any reason why this wouldn’t be a useable flywheel for me? I’m building a 3/4 ton Jeep contraption (building my own sheet steel body tub, frame rails are from some 70s Datsun pickup, axles are 8 lug 3/4T 4.10 Chevy units, basically throwing a bunch of trash together to see what it ends up being) and the last couple items I’ve got to source are clutch components, starter, and drivelines. Thanks in advance!
what bellhousing do you have? I'd suggest either the 153 tooth flywheel used on things like the Chevy II back in the 60s, or the 168 tooth used on many trucks with sixes and V8s in the 60s-70s. but the bellhousing has to be big enough to fit over the flywheel, and the block has to have mounting holes for the starter, if you use a starter that bolts to the block. My guess is that later 4 cyl flywheel won't bolt to the crankshaft.
I agree with all of what Squirrel said. I'd add that in my own Chevy 6 adventures (with a hot 292 set up) that the 168-tooth flywheel was the right choice for me given harmonics present in the 153-tooth and my build. As such, you might be interested to know that I bought my 168-tooth flywheel from Summit last summer...it's the same thing as a Chevy small block flywheel. The 250 block should take a 2-hole starter, based on the 230 motor that was originally in my '63 Biscayne.
I can’t upload a pic of my bell housing but it is an aluminum one with casting number 3858403 casted into it. No idea where it came from but has typical SBC to sm465 flanges at their respective ends. Next thing I’ll need to find is a clutch fork haha
Is it possible to run a flywheel that came from a boat sbc? The name of the game with this build is cheap, and even used I can’t find a flywheel off of a sbc for under $100, but there’s used boat ones galore for as low as $40 I can spin it on my lathe to surface it and drill the pressure plate holes myself if I need to. I’m a machinist professionally, so that’s not a concern.
Better make sure your throw-out bearing collar will fit the bell-housing register hole. If not, the collar can usually be turned down on a lathe. There are adapter rings to go the other way, but that should't be your case. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
he's using a 465 trans so it will fit right into that bellhousing. $43 plus shipping for a new flywheel from rockauto.com ATP Z296
Dang, can’t beat $43 with a stick! I looked up the bellhousing number and it says it won’t work with a sm465, 4.65” bore vs 5.125” bore, but I can hog out some aluminum fast with the big lathe at work so that’s not a worry. Everything I’m seeing though says this aluminum bellhousing only fits a 153T flywheel and a 10.5” clutch, any suggestions for me for clutch that is 10.5” with a 10 spline center? Thanks!
So found the flywheel I need by searching 1968 Camaro 302ci gets me a 153t for only $54, but the clutch for that make/model is like 26 spline center, where can I find a 10.5 inch clutch and pressure plate with a 10 spline center? https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog...+v8,1034659,transmission-manual,flywheel,5348
I just bought an aluminum Chevvy flywheel at a swap meet, too cheap to pass up ($15). What seemed strange to me was that it did not have a steel insert plate at the clutch disc wear surface. A friend, much smarter than me, told me it was probably from a marine engine, which, lacking the inertia provided by the torque converter, needs a flywheel much heftier than a flex plate. Does anyone know if it is feasible to bolt a steel plate between the pressure plate and flywheel? Does anyone market such a thing? Or can the flywheel surface be machined in the clutch disc area, and a steel disc be attached as done on commercially available flywheels? Or should I just relegate it to being a cheap wall-hanger?
Here you go, several options for the friction plate replacement. May still need some machining work though to recess it into your aluminum. https://www.summitracing.com/search/product-line/fidanza-replacement-flywheel-inserts
look up a clutch for a car with a 250 six in it, find one that uses the small flywheel, and a normal 10 spline shaft.
Rockauto shows 1964 Chevy II with a 230 I-6 using a 10” with 10 spline...? Sound right? Would that be tough enough for low-rpm crawling?
If you're going to try to burn up the clutch, then get a bigger bellhousing, and a 14" flywheel, and a 12" truck clutch but yeah, it's not easy to help someone decide which clutch to get when they talk about low rpm rock crawling. It's pretty much off topic for this place, maybe pirate4x4 is where you need to be?
Unrelated to your trans conversion but putting a manual,trans where an automatic was on a used engine usually causes a rear seal oil leak. The auto trans usually didn't cause movement of the crank where pushing on a clutch does. Good luck.
Good to know about the rms. Maybe I’ll put a new one in while I’m at it. As for here vs pirate4x4, I’m not on pirate4x4 (yet) and this project started out as a kinda Homebuilt rat rod idea but has transformed into more of a rock crawler rat as parts for it started trickling in. I’d still love to build a hot rod someday, but this project is all about what I can create for as little cash investment as possible. Hopefully it’s lightweight enough to not destroy a 10.4” clutch too quickly, I’m too cheap to try and find another bell housing just yet.
Get a Chevy truck bellhousing, the cast iron type. It takes the 168T flywheel and the starter mounts to it. I had a Pontiac 215 (same as Chevy 230) in my old C30. I use the truck set ups in all my cars that use a Chevy engine.
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