Transmission / Overdrive: Identify these bellhousings

[StudeCat]

I found two bellhousings in a 1955 Commander in a junkyard. The two are removed and loose in the car. One bellhousing is for a manual transmission and possibly from this 55 Commander but I don't know. The other is from an auto trans and came from another car but I don't know which one. Can we identify which cars these came from?

The Commander has a clutch pedal. The manual trans bellhousing casting number appears to be 529084. See the photos. Will this fit a Stude V8? Which transmissions will work with this?
Thanks
Carl

[r1lark]

Carl, I only see two pics, both of the same Bellhousing.

It looks like a V8 Bellhousing for a square pattern T86 3-speed manual transmission. Very possibly came from that '55 Commander EDIT: WRONG!! I really need to stop viewing photos on my phone!

[StudeRich]

If number 2 Pic has the Lower Right Bolt Hole more outboard, (not a Square Pattern), it is the Late T-86 Borg Warner 3 Speed Housing. I can almost read that casting number, if it has 7 digits it is the later one.
You have to view it straight on, the angle could be throwing us off, just LOOK or Measure.

Neither of those (IF they are different) are for an Automatic. Get the Casting Number of the "Other" Housing.

Yes, they or IT is for a V8.

I think the Bigger question is; is IT or are THEY, for the Old Small Clutch 232, or the Larger Clutch 259/289?

That 529084 is a very early Casting Number definitely Prior to 1956, probably for a '51 to '54 232 V8.

[gjamesk]

Yes, they or IT is for a V8.

Are you sure? Looks like a 6 cylinder bellhousing by the location of the starter towards the top. All the V8s I've seen have the starter clocked at about 8 o'clock, not 10 or 11 like the one in the pic.

[StudeRich]

I guess you could be right, Pictures can be deceiving especially at Angles.
But to me those Tranny Bolt Patterns and center hole (again "In the Picture") seem way to large for a puny T-96.

If it were not for that early CAR Engine mount, I'd say it is for a TRUCK, with a Six and the Larger T-90 (T-86 Case) Trans.

[StudeCat]

Those two photos are of the same manual transmission bellhousing, with casting number apparently 529084. Here are some more photos of the same. Rich, the bolt hole you pointed out seems to be in the rectangular pattern with the others. I'll measure the hole positions.

What are the diameters of the old small clutch and the later larger clutch?

[gordr]

Champion six, for a car. '57 and prior? I found a loose one, and one bolted to a Champion engine, that might be a '55.

[r1lark]

Champion six, for a car. '57 and prior? I found a loose one, and one bolted to a Champion engine, that might be a '55.

Yep, now that i see the pic of the bellhousing standing "up", gord is right on the money - six cylinder bellhousing.

[StudeCat]

The car where I found these is a 16G8-W4, so the first bellhousing came from another car!

Then let's look at contestant #2:
This bellhousing has two rubber mounts at about the 4- and 8-o'clock positions (assuming they are positioned downwards). The starter mount is at about 8-o'clock (same assumption). See the photo. With this there is a flex plate with a torque converter welded on.

Can we figure which engine and transmission combo this came from, and/or what else will it fit?

There is a date code, M 21 7. What date does that represent?

I didn't find the casting number but it's probably under the grease. I found one cylindrical spacer and put one of the trans mount bolts through it so I wouldn't lose it. Are these cylindrical spacers used with this bellhousing?

[gordr]

16G8-W4 is a '55 Champion. G=Champion, H=Commander. So the first bellhousing could have come from it. Second bellhousing appears to belong to a Flightomatic, but maybe a DG 250? The thick spacer washer goes on the stud of the left-side bellhousing mount, between it and the batwing crossmember.

[Dwight FitzSimons]

[QUOTE=StudeCat;n1842849]The car where I found these is a 16G8-W4, so the first bellhousing came from another car!


There is a date code, M 21 7. What date does that represent?

/QUOTE]

M is the year code for either 1933 or 1958; We'll assume 1958. "217" translates to Feb. 17th. So, Feb. 17, 1958 is the casting date code.
-Dwight

[altair]

This is a 6 cylinder housing for a T96 looks the same.

[StudeCat]

16G8-W4 is a '55 Champion. G=Champion, H=Commander. So the first bellhousing could have come from it. ....

This car is a '55, has a 259 (engine s.n. begins with V), wrap-around windshield, trunk emblem says Commander - I think it's a Commander. Consensus is that this is a 6-cyl bellhousing. Perhaps it was placed in this car so someone looking for one would figure it out as we just have.

[StudeCat]

... Second bellhousing appears to belong to a Flightomatic, but maybe a DG 250? The thick spacer washer goes on the stud of the left-side bellhousing mount, between it and the batwing crossmember.

Yes sir, that left side mount is the location where I found it, and I moved it to one of the bolts so it wouldn't fall off.

[StudeRich]

16G8-W4 is a '55 Champion. G=Champion, H=Commander. So the first Bellhousing could have come from it. Second bellhousing appears to belong to a Flight-O-Matic, but maybe a DG 250? The thick spacer washer goes on the stud of the left-side bellhousing mount, between it and the batwing crossmember.

Yep Gordy and others got the Standard Trans. right, and I did miss that High mounted Starter and Six vs V8.

However, like EVERYTHING about '55's, everything is over complicated, confusing, overwhelming and some things poorly done, too Many Models, Mid year changes, a Factory Strike, a Steel Strike at US Steel, so I am NOT surprised that Gord missed the fact that '55's had those Weird Model Codes like NO other year.
In '55 Management at Studebaker had their Head somewhere else except where it should be.

Model "G" Usually does indicate a Champion, however NOT '55's.
16G6 is a Champion
16G8 is a Commander
6H is a President

So StudeCat (Carl) is correct, the Donor Car is a Commander. Of course the parts in it, not so much.

Also, the Automatic Housing and Converter ARE the '56 to 1964 Type for a Borg Warner Cast Iron Case Flight-O-Matic, which Dwight has ID'd as being from a 1958 V8.
The Converter has the Fine Starter Ring Gear Teeth for a '56-'64 12 Volt Starter.

They will not fit a Detroit Gear "DG" Type Automatic.