I altered the ***le so I won't have to make another pointless post. I'm thinking about 2 different kits to put a Chevy manual trans behinds and early Cadillac. Wilcap has a full plate (aluminum) and use a Chevy flywheel with the Cadillac bolt pattern and Speed Gems has a kit that has a 1/2 plate (steel), it uses all stock Chevy parts (clutch and flywheel) with an aluminum adapter on the crank. Can anyone think of ones being better then the other?. Is it better to have a modified aluminum Chevy flywheel or a aluminum crank adapter........or does it just come down to cost of each kit?. Wilcap: https://wilcap.com/wilcapstore#!/CAD-350-MT/p/54397263/category=14420222 Speed Gem: https://transmissionadapters.com/pr...65-390-to-chevy-manual?variant=32022997958774 Last question: Anyone know off hand how long a 331-390 with the hydro auto is in total length. I would like to shove it into the back of the panel without having to take it apart at someones house.
engine dimensions here from an earlier post might help Technical - Block or Whole engine Dimension for Cadillac | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com)
I used the Bendtsen's kit. (Speed Gems) it really ****ed. I modified the shape of the crude plate to match the early Chevrolet 3 bolt starter bell housing and Cadillac engine . That allowed me to dispose of the ugly *** starter they provided. By matching the driver side of their crude plate it provided a place to mount the Chevrolet clutch linkage. If I had it to do over I'd just purchase the adapter plate and crankshaft adapter. Ron
The "flat back" later version. Looks like it now. Reason I ask is I found a Wilcap kit used and I was looking at the Speed gems kit but I was going to buy pieces (just adapter and crank spacer). Not sure what would be better to run or even IF it makes a difference (except for price). I'm planning on putting it in my '56 Chevy panel truck in the future and hooking it to the stock 3 spd. The older Wilcap kit uses a Mopar starter and what I ***ume would be a stock Chevy clutch setup (it doesn't say on their website).
I have the larger truck bell or the smaller bell that's on the 261 now. Looks like the only reason to run the larger bell is for the 168 tooth flywheel and starter in the kit. I can run the 153 and stock start with mods like you did.
This is the Speed Gems deal. Wonderful so far, but the car isn't running yet. This set up turns the back of the block into a small block Chevvie so you can run whatever you want for a manual trans and clutch. In the box is the stock style clutch and flywheel it came with. -Abone.
I sent a question to Speed Gem asking if I could buy the block adapter and crank adapter separate, so we'll see. I'm waiting on the older used Wilcap adapter picture from the seller. I do like @seabeecmc idea to use the stock 3 bolt Chevy starter. I guess it comes down to price and do I want to run a modified flywheel with a Chrysler starter or do I want to run a stock parts with a adapter crank hub. Doesn't sound like one kit is better then the other.
My only question is whether or not you would ever need/want to replace the flywheel. Custom wheels are expensive, the crank adapter allows for using an oem wheel.
The Jalopy Journal
