Chevy 235 Six Bell Housing Sex Education

I have a 1956 Chevy 235 Six in my 1939 Chevy 2dr. Sedan. Well the current closed drive shaft type 3 speed transmission is going out (Synchro's are gone) and I would like to go to an open drive shaft setup to get some modern rear brakes and a better gear ratio (would like a ten bolt 3:42 instad of the 4:10 or 4:** ratio I currently have).

Will a 1985 or earlier Chevy V8 bell housing (with Saginaw four speed transmission) bolt up to the back end of my 235 six cylinder block? What about the pilot bearring/input shaft/flywheel/clutch requirements? Any help from you folks out there who have walked this path would be greatly appreciated?

Later Specs

 

Try and ask on the stovebolt.com or chevytalk.com... I don't think the bellhousing will bolt up, the '62 and earlier blocks don't have a wide rear section on them, the bellhousing bolts up behind the flywheel unlike the later ones.

Brian.

 

The adapter will not bolt up to motor. The trans will bolt up to the stock bellhousing to my knowledge, if not I do believe someone makes an adapter kit to do that though.

 

You need a '55-'62 Chev six bell. The 4 speeds and T5 will bolt on it. Your clutch and disc will work too. You'll probably have to make a rear trans mount, and clutch linkage.

 

if u are gonna go to open drive , and you wanna use a saginaw,muncie , ect you need a 55-62 p*** car bellhousing, or 48-up truck , if u wanna go with a t-5 -then you can use the buffalo adapter - look in the tech section its covered a few times , quite a few hambrs have done it

 

I've always liked the truck bellhousings myself. They should be plentiful and have the open bottom to drop the clutch out. Use the flywheel and starter from the truck as well, it plays nice with the 6 banger that you have.

Your existing pilot bushing should work if the input shafts are the same diameter, no big deal even if you have to have one made up. The last bugaboo is the front retainer diameter on the transmission, it has to match up with the hole in the bellhousing with minimal clearance. If the retainer is too big, it can be turned down. I had one once that was too small and I made up a ring to bridge the gap.

Bob

 

Buffalo enterprises has the needed adapters to put a modern trans behind your motor,since its hooked to the original trans it still has the original bellhousing so no modern trans will bolt to it, The 47 to 53 truck and 55-7 car bellhousings will work but will need some modifications to the rear mounts so the adapter would be the easiest way to go. Jeff

 

the truck bell is the deal. will accept a saginaw trans.

 

The iron truck bell with the motor mounts on it. With the wide trans spacing that takes Sag, Muncie or the T-5. Then only the bearing retainer hole might be an issue. It will either fit, or it will be too big a hole and then you need a simple adapter ring.