8ba good bellhousing, starter cover rusted out

[tubman]

OK. That's NOT an 8BA bell housing (looks like an early 50's truck bell, which is cast iron). Now that we know what the O/P is actually dealing with, I'll bow out.

[cas3]

I have never removed one, but if I wanted to I would find a solid round steel or hard wood piece that fit perfect inside and hammer it out. Once its out, you'll see what it takes to fix or replace it

[1952henry]

Carefully bend in the flare, then drive it out. If fixing this one, when done, drive it back in, then re-flare it carefully with ball pien hammer. Wasn't difficult for me.

[1952henry]

Carefully bend in the flare, I used a screwdriver, then drive it out. If fixing this one, when done, drive it back in, then re-flare it carefully with ball pien hammer. Wasn't difficult for me.

[19Fordy]

Zeke's idea is best because you already have
the base of the canister attached securely with the OEM fit to
the cast iron bellhousing. One less problem to deal with.

[51 MERC-CT]

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Made a replacement some time ago using this information.

[19Fordy]

51Merc:
What material did you use to make
the steel replacement cannister? Was it custom made to fit or
were you lucky enough to find a piece of large dia.
tubing that "just fit" the opening?

[Mart]

It's not a critical piece, a simple patch migged in place will suffice. It does not even need to seal 100%. Just tacked on will be good enough.

[51 MERC-CT]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

51Merc:
What material did you use to make
the steel replacement cannister? Was it custom made to fit or
were you lucky enough to find a piece of large dia.
tubing that "just fit" the opening?

It can be fabricated out of anything that suits ones fancy with any means necessary to achieve the desired result.
In this case some suitable cold rolled steel from some where in the middle of the scrap pile was used. with 4 dimple locators positioning the heli-arc

fusion welded assembly.

[dad's deuce roadster]

Originally Posted by tubman

OK. That's NOT an 8BA bell housing (looks like an early 50's truck bell, which is cast iron). Now that we know what the O/P is actually dealing with, I'll bow out.

Interesting. The question then is will it fit an 8BA. I know, I could just check against the block that we'll use, but it's sitting at the shop for its build.

[dad's deuce roadster]

Originally Posted by Mart

It's not a critical piece, a simple patch migged in place will suffice. It does not even need to seal 100%. Just tacked on will be good enough.

Kind of what I'm thinking.

[tubman]

Originally Posted by dad's deuce roadster

Interesting. The question then is will it fit an 8BA. I know, I could just check against the block that we'll use, but it's sitting at the shop for its build.

It will fit fine. The rear of all '49 up Ford and Merc blocks, as well as '48 up trucks using the 239" engine, have the same bolt pattern. The Merc (pressed steel) and Ford truck (cast) bellhousings all have been used forever to mate the later blocks to the early transmissions. The truck bells will also accept an 11" clutch (which you do not want in a car).

[dad's deuce roadster]

Originally Posted by tubman

It will fit fine. The rear of all '49 up Ford and Merc blocks, as well as '48 up trucks using the 239" engine, have the same bolt pattern. The Merc (pressed steel) and Ford truck (cast) bellhousings all have been used forever to mate the later blocks to the early transmissions. The truck bells will also accept an 11" clutch (which you do not want in a car).

I liked a little deeper dive on your last comment. The guy who provided the engine we got the bell housing from and from which he is allowing up to pull other parts as needed advised, as did you, to not use the truck clutch. His comment was simply it's extra weight to spin up. But I am guessing there's more to it than that based on your comment.

Of course, we need the flywheel from the engine which we took the bellhousing since the flywheel we have from our 59A won't work with that bellhousing. So, to use the smaller clutch directed us to use the 8BA flywheel drilled to fit the 59A clutch.

But complicating this is the engine builder who is advising to just use the 8BA truck clutch as properly drilling the flywheel for the 59A clutch can be difficult. While not specializing in flatheads, he has done many in his 40+ years of engine builds.

Thoughts on all that?

[JM 35 Sedan]

I've carefully removed good dust covers from oil pans that were damaged, or otherwise unusable, and re-installed the covers on other oil pans, or in this case, an 8ba/8rt bell housing. I've also looked at making one by using the bottom section of a small, empty BernzOmatic propane/Map gas bottle, looks to be the right diameter, but care must be considered when and how the cutting of the section to be used is done.

[cas3]

If its a machine shop they should have a rotary table to index all the holes proper. I would then have the crank with your new flywheel and clutch assembly balanced

[tubman]

It's been a long time since I've done this, but I seem to remember that the best way to do it is to use a '49-'50 Mercury pressure plate and disc. The 8BA flywheel will have to be re-drilled to accept the Merc clutch (unless it's an actual Mercury flywheel). Perhaps someone who has done it in this century can confirm or correct this. You want the Mercury throw out assembly as well.

As stated above, the 11" clutch units are heavy and overkill. Avoid them at all costs; your left leg will thank you.

[alanwoodieman]

local muffler shop with expander and weld on flat piece for end

[dad's deuce roadster]

Originally Posted by tubman

It's been a long time since I've done this, but I seem to remember that the best way to do it is to use a '49-'50 Mercury pressure plate and disc. The 8BA flywheel will have to be re-drilled to accept the Merc clutch (unless it's an actual Mercury flywheel). Perhaps someone who has done it in this century can confirm or correct this. You want the Mercury throw out assembly as well.

As stated above, the 11" clutch units are heavy and overkill. Avoid them at all costs; your left leg will thank you.

Can we use the clutch, pressure plate, etc. which were being used with the 59A engine. These are 9 inch and with drilling the 8BA flywheel to bolt to the clutch it would seem to work.

Note the plan is to build the engine to about 305 ci.

[outlaw]

For the tin starter bendix cover, you might look at a bearing cover cup for trailer axels. They come in several different diameters & depths, and while I do not have any sizes to reference, they look very similar to the starter cover.

[19Fordy]

Originally Posted by tubman

It's been a long time since I've done this, but I seem to remember that the best way to do it is to use a '49-'50 Mercury pressure plate and disc. The 8BA flywheel will have to be re-drilled to accept the Merc clutch (unless it's an actual Mercury flywheel). Perhaps someone who has done it in this century can confirm or correct this. You want the Mercury throw out assembly as well.

As stated above, the 11" clutch units are heavy and overkill. Avoid them at all costs; your left leg will thank you.

Tubman: You are correct. I also used the stock Merc 10 inch clutch and pressure plate and flywheel. I think I used the stock 1940 throwout bearing also.
That was in 1970 and it's still running.