Ok friends! Im down the rabbit hole thats Cadillac engines. I have several on the list but i have a hard time figure out witch engine type is the more easy one to find a trans adapter to. Has someone made a 390 to early Ford 3speed adapter? I know of the flat plate for the 49-53 331 engines but in case i go for the 390, Whats the options?
The easiest one to find is the flat plate adapter for 49-54 331 engines. 55-62 adapters are pricey. From memory, offenhauser, cragar and speed gems made them.
Here is the Speed Gems live and in person. Not sure if you could conjure a Ford 3 speed pattern or not. I know you are pretty hard core on tradition, but it sure is nice to have a 5 speed, which will bolt right up with the Speed Gems. -Abone.
I'm going with the theory that the general concept from the adapter manufactures was in is that big bell Ford transmission just cannot handle the Torque of the big Cad. Not traditional but I have an AX15 from behind a V8 in a two wheel drive late 90's Dodge Dakota. Sold the Bellhousing on Ebay for almost enough to pay for the Novak AX15 to Chevy bellhousing adapter. When I adapt a stick off a SM420 that laid out in the sand for a lot of years to the stub stick on the AX15 and put a nice boot on it it will look like I am running an SM 420 and I will probably get commments on it and grin and go with it. I understand tradition and my boat tail roadster will be 99.9 traditon right down to the six volt generator. It can ride on the trailer behind the 48 if it has to go someplace more than 100 miles from the house.
As 562roadster said adaptors for 55-62 engines are hard to find and expensive. So are multi-carb intake manifolds. I paid $500 for my Cragar 303 adaptor and twice that for an Edelbrock 3 two manifold for my 55 331 and was glad to get them. I don't care for the 49-54 engines because of the bellhousing being cast into the block. Don't be discouraged, keep looking for a Cragar or Offy 303 adaptor on the HAMB, ebay, instagram or any other website you can think of. I had a parts wanted ad for the Edelbrock 3 two manifold on the HAMB for a year with only 1 reply, and it was for a 4 two manifold. I called a friend in Indiana and asked him to help me find one. He called my back 20 minutes later and had found the one I now own on instagram! Cadillac's are a challange. They aren't small block Chevys. You have to really WANT one. Best of luck with your projet and keep us posted. CKH
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