Thanks for the email response Norval. I too will be watching carefullly to see if our procedures are comparable. I may do something bizarre like prototyping a blow proof bellhousing built to mate the Ford tranny to the GM 90 degree block bolt pattern. That would eliminate any need for an adapter.

Ed

 

The transmission will have a mustang yoke.. Most universals are the same so you can just get the proper universal from any parts store. Take the stock corvette universal with you along with the mustang yoke and they can quickly match the setup. I stock a few universals in the shop and they fit ford, chevy and my dodge truck. There are not that many different ones.
Since the universal has to be taken apart under the car use a flapper wheel and polish the yoke bores a little. This makes sliding the universal cups in easy and very little pressure is required to assemble it under the car. Universal don't have to be tight, little more then finger pressure works fine.

 

Norval,
Thanks for the information. I will get the ford yoke and find the correct universal to fit. I have people searching for a bellhousing and a piece of aluminum and should have those by mid week. Again, thanks for all the assistance.
Bernie

 

The adaptor is no bigger then 9 1/2 inches by 11 inches by 1/2 inch thick.

 

Thanks Norval!

 

Norval & carguy4sure,
I will have a piece of 1/2 inch aluminum this evening sometime. I hope to find a bellhousing by this weekend and can start the process of mounting the adapter. I'm thinking that I need to mount the bellhousing to the engine and use straight edges to find exact vertical and horizontal lines and their lengths with them centered on the throwout bearing and transfer those deminsions to the adapter. Is this how you do it?
Bernie

 

Bernie. The first thing I did was lay the plate on the bench, place the bellhousing upside down over the plate and draw the hole. Figure out where it goes on the plate. Roughly draw it's location.
I then use a big lathe, but a boring head on a mill works good too just harder to get a very accurate hole.
Anyway I bore a hole centered over the one you just drew on to the diameter of the bearing retainer on the transmission.
This is the hole that will be used and later indexed on the bellhousing.
Find roughly where the hole goes and bore it.
We will worry about centering it later.

Once the hole is bore you will again place the bellhousing over the plate, center the 2 holes as closely as possible and fine the 2 bolt holes only. The one at 8 oclock and the one at 3 or 4. Only these 2 holes are needed for now.

If your mill have digital readout it is even easier??
Regardless you need the hole bored first.

 

Bernie. This is how I will do Doug's.
I will roughly find out where I want the hole.
I will then bore the hole on the lathe, the lathe takes only about 15 minute. Boring head on the mill works great but takes more time.
I will then set the bellhousing on the mill the face that goes to the motor facing down.
I will then dial indicate the hole that is in the bellhousing. Again this doesn't take more then 5 minutes. Once I find the center I will ZERO the digital readout. This is the exact center of the hole.
I will then move to the lower left hole of the bellhousing, the one at about 8 oclock. With a drill bit that just fits the hole I will find this hole. Again I will WRITE down the address of this hole off the digital readout. I will then move to the right hole, the one at 3 or 4 , find the center of this hole with the drill bit and agian WRITE down this address off the digital readout.
I will then mount the adaptor plate, find the center of the hole I just bored. Set the readout to Zero, the same as before then move to the 2 addresses on the digital readout centerdrilling and then drilling big enough for a clearance hole to bolt the adaptor to the bellhousing.
ONLY THESE 2 HOLES, NO MORE
The bellhousing needs to be mounted to the engine and the plate bolted to the bellhousing.
Using a dial indicator we are going to find the exact center of the adaptor plate and adjust it with a hammer until the runnout is ZERO. NO runout. The 2 bolts with washers under them can be used to hole the plate while allowing it to be adjusted.
Once adjusted for NO runout tighten the bolts really tight, recheck and then remove the bellhousing from the motor.
Then without disturbing anything from the clutch side of the bellhousing I drill 3 or 4 1/4 inch holes for dowel pins. Pick spots on the bellhousing where the metal is extra thick , drill one size under 1/4 inch then use a reamer and ream the 3 or 4 holes for dowel pins.
This guarantees future alignment of the adaptor plate.
Every time the bellhousing and plate are bolted on they will keep the alignment.
Get this far and I will give further instructions.
My fingers are getting tired. I am not that great a typist.
Good luck
Ever want to call me at home 519-747-3099 evenings
Work 519-888-4567 Ext 2303 12-1 is best at work but anytime is fine if I am here.

 

Norval,
I have your instructions to start the process. I hope I can find a bellhousing fast so I can get started on the machine work. I have a friend at a local aluminum manfg. facility cutting a piece of aluminum for me. If everything goes well I hope to be in this mod. for less than $1,000.00. Thanks for all the help! I'll be talking with you later.
Bernie

 

Bernie this is a picture of my old adapter. To start you want the big hole and the 2 side ones market with the black circles. You go this far, leave the outside of the adaptor alone. You can trim for looks later. Right now you want the hole off to one side so you don't run out of material and the 2 holes, these are clearance holes, slightly bigger then the bolt you are going to use.

 

Bernie it was nice of you to call. To clarefy everything one more time the adapter as shown in the picture is right side up. The top is the top near the floor. The left is the left.
The two holes outlined in black fall outside the transmission. In a shot of the adaptor installed you can see the left bolt outside the transmission at 9 oclock and if you use your imagination you can make out the other one on the right at 3 oclock.
So you want the big hole and these 2 holes, no more for now.

 

Norval,
I get the picture! As soon as I locate a bellhousing, I will get the first part of your instructions done. I was glad that I was able to catch you at home and discuss this with you. Again, thank you, not just for helping me with this project, but for the help and inspiration you bring to the forum and guys like me that benefit from your expertise. Without you and others like you, who are willing to help others overcome obsticles and their fear of doing something new, our hobby would be just for the chosen few who have the talent and tools to work on and modify their cars. You make it possible for everyone to share this passion we have for our cars.
Bernie

 

Norval has been a great asset to us all.

 

Guys you are making me blush..

Bernie you need to order a pilot bearing.. I get mine from Coleman racing Part # LW115975. cost about $30
Sealed Ball Bearing 9.669 ID 0 and adapter ring. Use whne adapting Ford or Lenco trans to chevy V-8

this is the pilot bearing in the crank to ford transmission.
I used a ford pilot bearing which is bigger OD then a chevy and turned it down in a lathe to fit the back of the Chevy crank.

This roller bearing is just an alternative that needs no work.

 

Norval,
Again thanks for making this mod so easy for the rest of us. I will call Coleman today!
Bernie