Transmission / Overdrive: Bell housing seems wrong

[jbishop]

All,

I am putting together a 55 engine and transmission. 3sp OD and a 259. I have almost everything done but when I when to out the trans into the engine I noticed that it doesn't sit inside the large hole that looks like it should.

Can I just get this machined bigger? I have another bell housing but the holes for the trans don't line up. Any help would be appreciated, I'm trying to get this thing done for my wedding at the end of August and my back is really getting up against that wall.

TIA!

Jared

[Alan]

Jared; We need pics. and measurements to answer your question. There were a number of bellhousings and trannys and Studebaker yelled fire in the theater in 58.

[PackardV8]

All,

I am putting together a 55 engine and transmission. 3sp OD and a 259. I have almost everything done but when I when to out the trans into the engine I noticed that it doesn't sit inside the large hole that looks like it should.

Can I just get this machined bigger? I have another bell housing but the holes for the trans don't line up. Any help would be appreciated, I'm trying to get this thing done for my wedding at the end of August and my back is really getting up against that wall.

TIA!

Jared

Jared, Studebaker changed the transmission bell housing bolt pattern in '58. The '51-57 have a square pattern and the '58-64 have a tall rectangle, commonly known as a Ford pattern.

To further complicate things, there are 6-cyl and V8 transmissions which don't interchange.

As Alan says, photos and dimensions will help get it straightened out.

jack vines

[jbishop]

[StudeRich]

Does that Clutch housing actually FIT your 259 V8?

It looks like it may be the shallow type for the small clutch/pressure plate of a '51-''54 232 V8.

Try giving us the Casting number on the Clutch Housing.

Have you already Dialed-in that Housing to center on your 259?

[jbishop]

Does that Clutch housing actually FIT your 259 V8?

It looks like it may be the shallow type for the small clutch/pressure plate of a '51-''54 232 V8.

Try giving us the Casting number on the Clutch Housing.

Have you already Dialed-in that Housing to center on your 259?

I'm not really sure what that means but the motor was in a stand rebuilt with that bell housing attached. The guy I got the engine and car from said it was all original 55'. I will get the casting number tomorrow.

Thanks

[Alan]

The size of the hole in the bellhousing looks to be a little over 4" That is Champion trans. size. The tranny front bearing retainer looks to be a 4.680" which is the proper size for the V8. Those pics. are slightly distorted, which throw out my micrometer eyes.

[jbishop]

The size of the hole in the bellhousing looks to be a little over 4" That is Champion trans. size. The tranny front bearing retainer looks to be a 4.680" which is the proper size for the V8. Those pics. are slightly distorted, which throw out my micrometer eyes.

Those are about my measurements as well. Can I just machine the hole?

[63t-cab]

Jared, check Your pm box "blue bar upper right corner"

[PlainBrownR2]

Check your measurements on the second photo. Just looking at the photo, I can tell you that it's 4 inches in diameter from one end of the face of the input flange to the other end. The bellhousing also appears to be correct as I have a T86 bellhousing for a '55 Commander hardtop that also has a 4 inch hole.
The kicker though is that I had the same issues with getting the transmission into the bellhousing, and it revolved around the alignment of the pilot bearing in the crankshaft, with the alignment of the clutch and clutch splines. If any of those are off with the splines or the flange on the transmission, it's not going to go in. So, I took the bellhousing off, and loosened up the pressure plate on the flywheel, just enough to let the clutch slide around. I then slid the transmission in until the nose was in the pilot bearing, and let the clutch naturally center with the input shaft on the transmission. Once that was done, I torqued the pressure plate back up to specification, and put the bellhousing back on. Now, without touching or moving anything on the clutch assembly, the transmission should slide all the way into the pilot bearing, and then can be tightened up on the bellhousing. Easy enough!

[jbishop]

Check your measurements on the second photo. Just looking at the photo, I can tell you that it's 4 inches in diameter from one end of the face of the input flange to the other end. The bellhousing also appears to be correct as I have a T86 bellhousing for a '55 Commander hardtop that also has a 4 inch hole.
The kicker though is that I had the same issues with getting the transmission into the bellhousing, and it revolved around the alignment of the pilot bearing in the crankshaft, with the alignment of the clutch and clutch splines. If any of those are off with the splines or the flange on the transmission, it's not going to go in. So, I took the bellhousing off, and loosened up the pressure plate on the flywheel, just enough to let the clutch slide around. I then slid the transmission in until the nose was in the pilot bearing, and let the clutch naturally center with the input shaft on the transmission. Once that was done, I torqued the pressure plate back up to specification, and put the bellhousing back on. Now, without touching or moving anything on the clutch assembly, the transmission should slide all the way into the pilot bearing, and then can be tightened up on the bellhousing. Easy enough!

From the picture I can see how it looks like 4" on the transmission but it's more like 4 3/4. I will try to grab a better picture and also get the casting number off the bell housing.

[jbishop]

[TrickyRick]

Besides the hole in the bell housing the trans bolt pattern might be different.

Also with the bell housing bolted on the motor measure from the engine side of the clutch spline to the trans mounting face of the bell
housing. This will show any difference in the input shaft length.

[gordr]

If the depth of the bellhousing is correct, which Rich says may not be the case, then simply changing the front bearing retainer on the transmission would solve your problem. Much easier than milling out the hole in the bellhousing, which would be a machine shop job. Suggest you find a piece of 1/2" wooden dowel, and a straightedge. with bellhousing looselu bolted to block, insert the dowel into the pilot bearing area of the crankshaft, withdraw it about 1/4", and mark it where it meets the straightedge laid across the hole in the back of the bellhousing. This will give you a good approximation of the effective length for the transmission input shaft intended to be used with that bellhousing. Now measure the length of the input shaft on your transmission, from the tip to the face of the transmission case itself. If it's equal, or slightly less, a new bearing retainer on your tranny, and you are good to go. If the shaft is longer, or exactly equal to your marked dowel, double-check your measurements to be certain, but expect to be changing bellhousings.

[Alan]

Part numbers and casting numbers are 2 different things. 586, if those are the first 3 numbers, would put it newer than 54. That is as high as my books go. You should be able to find the proper bellhousing in your area. If you were around the Left coast I would just give you one, but back in MA, it would cost more than it is worth to send it to you.