Flathead starters nose hits the bell housing cover, help.

Bought a rebuilt starter for my flathead and when it turns over it does not sound good. when I was under the car I noticed the metal cover in the bellhousing was dented from the inside out and the paint came off, the starter seems to be angled down. Help!

 

the problem is not likely the starter, but the starter mounting plate you are using. Many flathead starter mounting plates have a mounting flange parallel with the plate itself. Those from '49/'51 Ford 8BA have and angled mountning flange because on those bellhousings the lower portion of the bell is angled. When using an angled bell with the correct angled starter mounting plate all is well. But, when using an angled mounting plate on where it isn't supposed to be, tne starter ends up as you describe.

In examing these parts, I have come to the opinion that an angled starter plate can be modified to parallel style. It requires slicing the mounting flange about 3/4's of the way around it's circumference, removing as much material as needed to bring the flange into parallel position, then welding the seam.

Ray

 

cut a hole in it ....my 46 has a hole in the end and you can see the drive

 

Go here look at pdf on bell housings.
http://www.btc-bci.com/~billben/flathead.htm

T

 

You GOTTA tell us what flathead and transmission on something like this. There's more than one setup!