1953 Ford to T-5

Need some help, I have included pictures below. Having been reading Tech articles and kind of know the direction I am heading, but still need some advice. Below is a picture of the 3 speed 1953 Ford transmission behind my 1953 Flattie. I want to attach a 1991 T-5 from an S-10 I bought recently. Can I use the 59 AB Hogshead listed below I found for sale. I only have a picture so there is no way for me to check it, without buying it. I know I will need a adapter between the hogshead and the T-5. I want to get rid of the heavy duty truck bell housing. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Chad

 

That part in the second picture is what Ford trucks used from '48-'52 as a bell housing, connecting the lite duty early-style ******s to the late blocks. I call them "1/2 bells". Mercury used similar bells from '49-'50, only stamped steel instead of the cast iron used on trucks.

The "hogs head" adapted heavy 4-speeds and possibly other HD ******s to the cast 1/2 bell for trucks. They can be/have been modified/machined to adapt saveral late transmissions to the 1/2 bells. I have one, though no picture at this time, but they are much smaller than the 1/2 bell.

The companys below, along with several others, offer an adaptor to mount the S-10 to the cast/stamped 1/2 bell.




http://cornhuskerrodandcustom.net/Pages/Home.aspx

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Offenhauser-Chevy-T-5-Transmission-to-Flathead-Adapter-Kit,35589.html

 

We used a "two piece" bell housing that came with our engine - pulled from a '49 pickup. It had the HD four speed box. We chose an aluminum plate adapter from Nastalgia Sids which is about 1" thick. Astro van clutch disc to fit the T5 and new pilot bushing. Stock flywheel and clutch plate. The flywheel did have to be machined out about 1/4" in the center depression to clear rivets on the Astro disc. I was ready for some kind of nightmare tech problem - like all the others. But this setup works like a charm! After several thousand miles we have no problems!

Here ya can see the bell housing, plate adapter and ******...

 

So the 1/2 bell will bolt up to the 53 model engine? If so then it sounds like I should buy the 1/2 bell, then the adapter from Cornhusker and try to start putting this driveline together. Its all going into a 31 sport coupe. I promise to post pictures of the conversion as soon as i get all the parts together.
Thanks
Chad

 

Running a T5 behind my 8BA..

 

I used these a few times - Wilcap
http://www.wilcap.com/flathead.html

 

Do you need to buy another bell housing? Is it a weight issue - how much could you save by swapping this out?

 

Heres Who I used..Real nice kit, came with everything! http://www.flat-o.com/carproducts/5speedflato.htm

 

you use the 8BATruck bellhousing with my set up

 

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

So the link above leads me to believe the 8ba bellhousing will bolt up to the 53 Flattie which is a 8BR. Does this sound correct? If so, then I would need that housing and the correct starter cover plate, then someones adapter. Please forgive my ignorance, I have limited experience in early transmissions.

Also, to answer the question earlier "Why not use the heavy duty truck bell housing? I was told that it is difficult to make these work??? I was not trying to save weight. (though it is kind of ugly!)

 

All "late" flathead V8s, which include '48-'53 Ford truck and '49-'53 Ford/Merc car blocks are virtually the same. The only exceptions are the '49-'51 Lincoln/heavy truck 337" "Big" flatheads.

 

The Flat-o set up is the best kit out there..nice and easy..Just trying to help..been through this already.

 

Thanks M.Edell, I like the product you used. Do you have any pics of your set up?

 

I might someplace...The kit came with the adapter,clutch fork,Throw out bearing,Disc,bolts.

 

Are you planning on keeping the stock clutch setup on the '31? If so this answer is very true. The half bell and the full bells used different style clutch ***emblies and the 1/2 bell setups will match the stock style fairly closely.

If you buy that 1/2 bell you are correct, you will need to buy a matching starter plate.

 

I have a 39 ford pedal ***embly.

 

Here is my 8 BA right after it was pulled from the Jeep wagon it spent the past 30+ years in Shifty.


You can see that it has the half bellhousing on it with the Hogshead and and aluminum adapter that I guess fits a Jeep transmission.
This one is going in my AV8 project with an S10 T-5 behind it using one of the flat plate adapters the other guys listed previously.
The Cornhusker adapter takes place of the Hogshead and the adapter behind it and I think when you add up current asking prices and going prices the cost is about the same. I'd figure out which setup worked best with my clutch pedal setup and go from there to save linkage h***les.

 

Mr48chev

I really appreciate the picture. It is definitely worth a thousand words!
That's exactly what I need to do. Thanks for the help, you guys are an amazing wealth of information.

 

true...thanks all

 

Anyone know where I can buy the correct starter plate for the housing pictured above?

 

Just watch on ebay. They are cheap

 

If you open the link below, and scroll down to "49-53 Bell housing Compatible ID", you will find the info you need to ID the correct starter plate. You can use either the truck or '49-'50 Mercury plate. You DO NOT want the '49-'51 Ford car angled plate, as this ONLY fits the matching '49-'51 Ford full stamped steel bell housing.
The truck plate does have a recess for the aluminum seal retainer, but the starter pad is parallel with the mounting surface. The similar Merc plate has an angle brace that can be removed if not needed. The Merc plate also used the common car rubber seal.


http://www.btc-bci.com/~billben/flathead.htm