So I am restoring an old 1955 Chevy g***er that originally ran a big block Chevy with a four speed. I want to use the Ansen cast-iron ****ter shield with the side mounts that work on the tri five Chevy. My only problem is that those ****ter shields that are made for this application all have provisions for the early bell housing mounted starter. The big block Chevy obviously has a block mounted starter. Has anyone used this combination before and can tell me if the nose of the big block Chevy starter will fit into the pocket of the Ansen cast iron ****ter shield? This only applies to the ****ter shields with the mounting tabs, the later cast iron ****ter shields all have provisions for the block mounted starter. Has anyone ever run the Ansen cast iron ****ter shield with the mounting tabs, with a big block Chevy?
Why not a modern Lakewood SFI rated bellhousing so you KNOW you are safe? The added plus is you would p*** tech at a strip if you wanted to try a test and tune etc....
I run the bellhousing mounted starter on my 56 with the big flywheel in an Ansen ****tershield. Works Perfectly! Fit is the same between small and big blocks, flywheel size determine's what starter nose is required. Not sure if the block mounted starter will work, like it does with a Lakewood piece. The big flywheel is needed with the bellhousing starter, incase you were wondering.
The block mounted starter will not work with the Ansen ****tershield. You can switch the end housing out on your existing starter to the bolt in style and you should be good to go.
They were cast “steel” by their advertising as I remember. I had one in my 62 ChevyII so I could run AHRA rules at Lions Drag strip in the mid 60’s.
I used to mix and match starter pieces to get what I needed. Up to 1972 pickup used the bellhousing starter, I believe, as well.
OK, here’s another question. These are two of the same part number Ansen ****tershields. The one labeled “A”has the starter hole quite a bit larger than the one labeled “B”. It looks like it came from Ansen that way. Does anyone have any idea why this one would have a bigger starter hole than the other?
Looks like it was "machined" out, to give clearance for a block mount starter nose cone. Could be wrong.
Not a big block in my car, but I am running the Ansen shield. I had to do some grinding on the housing to make it work, but it wasn't a big deal. Running the block mounted starter on mine. Had to modify the tin shield to make it all work also.
I can't answer your question and I can't see it very well, but it doesn't look like a 360-degree shield anyway. Two stories from the 60s . . . 1. Went to Riverside to watch the drags. Got on the east side with my Model A pickup. Sat in the bed. A blown G***er blew its clutch about 100 feet off the line. Had a 180-degree shield. We laid back in the bed while our feet and the back of the ($49.10) truck was peppered with clutch and flywheel parts. . . . and 2. Year later, we'd built a Gas Roadster. Chevy V-8/V-8 Ford trans. "Puffy" aluminum adapter, 180-degree shield. Blew the clutch, adapter disappeared, motor dropped down and the headers d****d over the "steering" (wrong word, I know) making the car turn left out to the toolies. (It's hard to raise a V-8 engine with a 12-inch chrome steering wheel. Just say in' . . .
The Ansen shield for the SBC and BBC was two piece so that clutch maintenance could be made. In one picture you can see the tapped holes. I'm not sure but I think Wedge cast them for Ansen. I've had a couple which was an easy bolt on in the mid-60's to p*** tech in lieu of fabricating and fitting an external shield
They are the same as truck pieces, I have one in my car and have been using it since around 1978. I have a stash of truck starters and had one built in 2016. Find one with the truck nose cone and see how it fits.
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