Flathead Trans. Help/Options

I have a recently aquired '53 Merc. Flathead I am putting in my '55 Ford Panel truck. I already have a ready-to-run TH 350 trans. I'm leaning towards staying with it. Heard good things about that combo. I'm currently looking around for a cost effective, quality adapter. Anyone have any suggestions of where to get one or ideas of what other type of trans I could go with without breaking the bank ? Thanks for any help in advance.

 

I'm sorry, but I have never heard of mating a TH350 to a flathead... ever. I know T5 from a blazer is easy with a bell housing and a kit and C4 is also a bell housing and a kit to make it work. As for other gear boxes, I think you have a little room with bolt patterns, but I don't know the numbers.

 

Put in a Y block (or something later) or you will have problems if you ever try to sell it.

Charlie Stephens

 

people might think this is an odd move, but i just put a powerglide behind my flatty. i had a good PG and it needed a home so i stuck it to my flat head that needed some gears. cost effective? well... i got my adapter from wilcap. not cheap but a quality peice. it takes a mopar gear reduction starter. a little paint over the billit aluminum and you'd really have to stare to see the adapter.

 

http://www.wilcap.com/flathead.html#8BA350AT

 

Alot of guys have been against running a Flathead in a '55 F 100 and I knew I'd probably run into the same with the TH 350. The Panel had a 400 SBC hacked into it when I got it. My intention is if I ever sell it the SBC will go back in it w/ the TH 350 and the Flathead will go in whatever my next project is. sweddy eddy; I checked out Wilcap. The adapter is actually cheaper than others I'd seen. Thank you.

 

my pleasure. one note, i had to clearance the cam cover bolt heads myself. just the bottom two. i think at some point the bolts were changed out and had a thicker head. i put some rtv on the bolt heads and test fit the adapter to see where it was hitting, then i just took a 3/4 drill bit and drilled in about 3/16 of an inch and problem solved.

 

Thanks for the heads up. I'll remember that about the cam bolts. I'm going to call Wilcap tomorrow and probably go ahead and order the adapter. Thanks again for the solid advice and not trying to talk me out of it ! I'll keep you posted on my progress.