So mounting a Ford 3 speed behind a 55 Olds 324. I have the adapter. Do I just remove the Olds clutch disc and install a Ford clutch disc of the same thickness & diameter??? Is it that easy??? Any other recommendations??? Thx!
That was my first engine swap when you double the torque you will increase you transmission rebuild experance.
I've recently installed an Olds 303, with the stock '40 Ford 3 spd in my avatar. I used a Ford truck clutch disc (late 40's early fifties 11") to mate up with the 11" Olds pressure plate. You will also need a new pilot bushing-I don't have the specs on the size. I used a Wilcap adaptor kit, which came with the adaptor plate, some bolts, and the correct pilot bushing. Here's a link to my build: Projects - 1940 Ford Convertible now with 303 Olds(updated 11-12-2022) | Page 2 | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com)
They also make a lower bell housing that swaps the starter to the other side of the motor for steering box clearance if you need it. Frank
Thx Paul! Wouldn’t happen to have the dimensions of the pilot bearing, would ya? Or know where I can find them?
@F&J had a nice thread on his '40 with an Olds, he mentions the pilot bushing situation. Here's the thread: Projects - Olds Rocket 303 into a 40 Ford coupe build thread | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com)
In addition to the above info, there is a smaller gear reduction starter available that may save you some space by the steering box. I believe Frank uses one in his Olds powered 32. Tony sells them at Ross Racing.
Since you already have the Ford pressure plate, should be no problem with the t.o. bearing. Just a new pilot bushing and a Ford disc and you're there. Seems to me there was an issue with the trans front shaft not being long enough to go completely through the clutch disc but that was 65 years ago so I may be wrong.
Used a '48 open drive trans behind a stock 303 without any dramas so far, been 5 years now. Good luck.
That old article is pure gold for the swap. Rock Auto shows but doesn't have the Olds Pilot bushing but the good news is that they have the measurements to match with Ford pilot bushing measurements.
When I did the Caddy in my 40 Ford I used a vintage pilot bushing adapter, I don't know who the maker was but it probably came with the adapter. I have a spare one. There is quite a bit of added length because the input shaft on the ford is shorter plus you have the thickness of the adapter. this is made of steel with a bushing and is 1 3/4 long and is closed off on the back with a fine threaded hole for removal with a jack bolt. you can see on the side view how much sticks out of the crank...
Here is what must be the exact same pilot adapter that is shown in the Hot Rod article that Lou posted. Look at post 17 and then the upper right close up of that "Larger diameter adapter". It is much bigger OD than the adapters shown by Mark and Paul which are very small OD and looks like a pipe. I'm no engineer but it seems like the one I show is a very heavy duty design that includes a large shoulder to brace it from being bent sideways as the shoulder seats against the crank flange. Also, i removed the bronze bushing to see how they machined the steel adapter bore. Note how beefy the bronze insert is. I removed this old aftermarket adapter from a 57 J2 Olds motor that the buyer will be using a B/M Hydrostick in an old drag Crosley. So I know it fits Olds. It is threaded so it can be removed like I did. If you can't find one, mine is available. Walt, I did not have clearance issues on the 32, and I first ran the stock 1955 Olds starter for about a year until the fields shorted out. I had a new Ross mini on the shelf that I got in trade when Tony's father Ross wanted a pile of stock Olds J2 tripower linkage that I listed on hamb ads. So I traded in case I ever needed one and had little $ invested. This is my opinion only, but based on my experience in using a mini on a true every day driver that gets started multiple times each day 12 months a year. Take that as "very severe duty cycle" compared to a weekend hobby driver. I ran the mini for about 2 years and it sure sounded like it was slowing down/not as peppy as it was when new. Mini's spin fast, so I noticed the noise was gradually changing over the last 6 months,,,,before it locked my engine up in my yard when I was going to find out why it was slower, and also started grinding the teeth several times that last few days. I rocked the car in gear and it unlocked so i knew something bad happened. The drive gear on the mini lost chunks of several teeth, and then one complete tooth broke off on that last start attempt and the tooth piece jambed the flywheel. My flywheel ring gear was still in perfect condition, thankfully as I had sold my NOS ring gear to a hamber that really needed it. I'm no engineer but I am convinced that because the mini starter has aluminum castings for the gear reduction housing designed for a small import car, the casting is not strong enough to prevent the steel reduction shaft ***embly from pounding the machined bore out oversize. The Olds has much more rotating m*** including the heavy flywheel, and over time the casting bore gets pounded oversize and the reduction shaft is now wobbling and allowing the drive gear to perhaps "climb" on the ring gear (causing binding, which made my starter get slower over time) I've always been on a tight budget and hate spending more money, but if it was me with a clearance issue, I would spend the 50% more to get a starter changeover instead of the new mini. Like I said, you may never have that problem on a car that gets used far less than mine. I found a stock used 56 Olds starter in my pile and it's been in there for 2 years now.
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