Im getting a 1961 283 pretty cheap they have a 3bolt starter. i dont want to use the three bolt starter . So i guess a 2 bolt can be drilled and tapped. what flywheel do i use?
D&T the block for a later starter is going to really be a machine shop job to ensure the holes are located perfectly to keep the starter aligned correctly. Might be a real headache. I have D&T blocks that were setup for parallel holes to angled pattern and that's an easy task since I can install the starter with one bolt and check alignment and engagement before marking and drilling the 2nd hole. But never even considered doing both holes as I have no way to align the two holes.
Turn the engine upside down with the flywheel in place and make something you can support the starter with.....then just sit it in place and use the correct size transfer punch to mark the hole locations. Might want some type of strap to support the opposite end of the starter.
The starter you use, depends on the transmission you use. You didn't tell us...but should we ***ume it's a more modern aluminum case automatic? If so, look at the block, see if it has two holes for the starter to bolt to the block. If so, get a 168 tooth (14") diameter flex plate, and the starter and bolts for a 1970s truck 350 engine/350 transmission, and it should all work fine. I'd check the starter shaft to flexplate tooth distance, to make sure it's 1/8", before trying to start it, though, and shim if needed.
I've run the 3 bolt starters on my 48 since 1973 and have had a hell of a lot less problems starter wise than with the rigs that have starters that bolt to the block and you have to diddle with shims every time you bolt the starter up. It just takes a 168 tooth flex plate or flywheel. It was fairly common for guys to try to do that in the 70's when they wanted to switch to an aluminum case powerglide or use an aluminum V8 bellhousing stick setup. More didn't work out than did and a buddy bought a real nice 283 that someone had tried it on and couldn't get the starter to mate up right with the flex plate and gave up on and put in his late 50's Chevy pickup. I helped him do the swap on that one. I'm thinking that there was an article about drilling a SBC for a block mounted starter in the 70's but it may have been about drilling the hole some blocks didn't come with to use the starter for the other size ring gear. Chevy pulled two stunts that pissed guys wanting to use the V8 in a body they didn't come in in the 60's or 70's and that was not drilling the pads on the fronts of the blocks that 55/57 car and 55/59 Truck motor mounts bolted to and not drilling and tapping all three starter bolt holes in some blocks. I think the starter thing was blocks having the two side by side holes for the starter for a 154 tooth ring gear but not the hole for 168 tooth ring gear. Danchuk used to sell a starter plate to use the 3 bolt starter with later transmissions in Tri 5 Chevs that was pretty popular. Ecklers sells the kit for 170 now. https://www.ecklers.com/chevy-engin...VX87CBB2KQiFUEAQYASABEgKTbvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds You wouldn't get to run one of those cute little ring gear eating after market gear drive starters but life would be simple. I knew a couple of guys who bought the kits from Danchuk when they had a block with the starter bolt hole damaged and saved the block that way. I don't think I ever saw a setup that anyone made to use as a drill guide to drill the hole (s) with.
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