I am inquiring for a friend - he has an 8BA (49-53) Block, and a 1939 Ford Stock transmission which he want to mate up to the block. Can anyone supply info on the needed bell housing? He has been told it needs to be a truck bell housing, but would like verification to be sure. Thanks in advance Henry
Yes, either a '48-'53 F-1 cast bell housing or a earlier (not sure on the years) Mercury stamped steel "open" bell housing. The F-1 will accept an 11" clutch. The Mercury will only do a 10" . Either will work.
I have a related question. I've seen a period adaptor for the late flathead block to early trans that state in the intructions that the adaptor must be used with the truck or Merc bellhousing. If the bellhousings alone can be used to adapt the engine to the trans, then why is the adaptor necessary at all?
Not sure for you are correct that the only a Ford bell housing is the only thing need to adpapted a '39 style trans. to the back of an 8BA motor. Are you sure that the adpaptors are for a '39 style trans.?
Yeah, pretty sure. I saw it in just the last month or so for sale online. I can't remember where and I can't remember the brand. It was a plate type adapter. I went back and reread it several times, thinking that I must be misunderstanding. It was in the original box with the original instructions. I couldn't understand why the plate was necessary...doesn't seem to make sense.
My roadster uses a 3/8" flat aluminum plate along with the truck mini bellhousing to adapt the SBC to the 39 trans. Perhaps that is what they were talking about. It doesn't make sense to have an adapter to bolt things together that already bolt together without it. For the original question... the light green truck bellhousing shown here is what you are looking for.
If I recall correctly, the box was labeled "late Ford to early Ford trans." Maybe it really meant a Y-block and just wasn't specific enough.
That's what I was thinking. But if I recall, the Y-block is just a differently shaped ring as well. Can you pull up the ad still and post?
Unfortunately, no. I didn't save the link. I've been searching for it and can't find it again. I was thinking it was in ebay, but I can't find it by searching in "completed items".
Late flathead engine (49-53) to any 32-48 car (and pickup for several years following) tranny only needs the stock bell housing from the late engine to fill the gap since early flathead bell housing are intregal with block, unlike late engines. Truck bell housings are cast and merc bell housings are stamped steel. I think I still have extras of both types in my stash.
As stated the truck or merc bell is used. You also need the matching starter plate. I think one of the creators of this page is a Hamber, it gives good info: http://www.flatheadv8.org/bellhousing.pdf
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