Myers transmission adapter kit

[Wilkeson5]

I in search of a myers transmission adapter kit. I’ve called myers Studebaker and they are on back order. I need one so I can complete my mockup of drive line . Does anyone have one or know of one. I need at least a plate just to do the mockup.

[rockne10]

I thought Phil Harris had them.

[StudeRich]

Remember; all the Aftermarket/Custom/Performance Parts like this are STILL with Phil Harris, what he sold off is, the Fairborn Studebaker Common "Studebaker" Parts Business.

[Mike Van Veghten]

I have a Phil Harris / Fairborn adapter in one of my Conestogas.
All fit well, but the starter. I had to open the hole for the Ford starter slightly. A few minutes with a half round file, and done.

Mike

[Rafe Hollister]

I called Phil Harris maybe 6 months ago about adapting SBC tranny to a stude engine (259 to an 88 IROC T-5). He said he didn't have one, but figured there should be one available. So he said to call back in a month or so and he would have a kit. I have not called back yet.
Rafe Hollister

[bensherb]

If i remember right the problem with fitting the Chevy T5 to the Stude engine is that it needs to sit in a rotated position ( 15 degrees?) for the shifter to to be vertical. Seems to me it would be just as easy to modify the shift lever than to fiddle with a weird adapter, and just re-drill the bell housing.

[Dick Steinkamp]

If you do use the rotated Chevy T5 with a straight up adapter, the fill plug will be lower than in the stock position. The trans will not be full if you use the usual method ot leaving out the fill plug until ATF comes out. Replace the fill plug before filling and use a full 3 quarts of ATF.

[bensherb]

I'm not sure which one the Myers adapter is but when I was considering a GM AOD trans I found at least four different adapters from different makers. I did not like the design of ANY of them, because none of them took into account replacing the rear engine mounts that would be removed with the removal of the bell housing crossmember which is required to fit the GM trans.

NONE of the modern GM automatic transmissions was ever designed to carry the load of an engine as heavy as the Stude engine. They were all made for use with an engine with side mounts which carry virtually ALL of the engine weight; not an engine with only front mounts carrying only a small portion of the engine weight.

I did install a GM 4L60 AOD trans behind the Stude 289 in my 'GT. I made my own adapter which incorporates rear engine mounts that bolt to the frame in place of the removed cross member.

If you have a mechanical aptitude, minor fabrication skills and a few tools, making a trans adapter is not that difficult to do yourself.

Here's mine:

The adapter plate and brackets are 1/4" steel, the "rubber donut" mounts I used are replacement '55-'57 Chevy front engine mounts and I used a small block Ford starter on a GM 168 tooth flexplate adapted to the Stude crankshaft. I even made a replacement crossmember from 1"x 2" square tube to fit between my frame brackets and clear the new AOD trans and the dual exhaust. I made my crossmember to clear the stock exhaust. It could be simpler if not using stock exhaust (which I replaced shortly after the trans swap).

[Rafe Hollister]

Thanks Benherb, but not sure I follow you. Its the bellhousing that has mounts that hold the T-5 at a 15° rotation. So I need a chevy bellhousing adapter to bolt SBC bellhousing and tranny to motor and then whatever clutch stuff to make it all work. I'm not sure I care about the 15°, perhaps it will be just fine or I can make a shifter that compensates.
Can I bolt the T-5 to a Stude bellhousing? Then I could use all the Stude clutch stuff. And I would think the adapter plate moves the tranny back a bit, necessitating shortening the driveshaft?
Rafe Hollister

[JoeHall]

Bensherb, looking closely at your kit, I am wondering if it would be possible to modify Phil's steel kit, by welding the lower ears onto it, so as to provide rear engine/front transmission weight support, as yours does.

[bensherb]

Yes, I would expect ears could be added to any of the adapter plates to provide for rear engine mounts. It's just that none I found came with such a provision.

[JoeHall]

Wilkeson5 the last time I talked to Phil H, maybe 2 months ago, he had recently restocked his GM adapters, and had plenty on hand. If you are determined to have a Myers kit, and can wait 1-2 months, I will make you a sweet deal on one, as I intend to replace mine with one of Phil's. Now that I know the difference, going with Phil's is a no-brainer. IMHO

[Wilkeson5]

Thanks everyone I just purchased a PH adapter plate from Studebaker parts.com . Hopefully it gets here soon.

[StudeRich]

Ohio would have been a LOT closer, cheaper shipping and faster to IN than Arizona !

[billslark]

Why not make it easy on yourself and install borg-warner t-10 4 speed?



Bill