8rt bellhousing

GB SISSON

GB SISSON

Well-known member
This has been a bit confusing for me. I bought an 8rt to install in a '47 tonner. It came from a '49 f3. Unfortunately he had sold the cast iron belhousing on ebay. Hoping to be by his place today and buy the crash box 4 speed from the same truck. Will a stamped steel bh like one I have here work? The engine has an 11" clutch which I'd like to use. Also will need a starter. Will one from a 59ab work? I have lots of 59ab stuff. Thanks in advance. Heading over to the mainland today, wish me luck!
 
An 11 inch clutch will not fit in the stamped steel 1/2 Merc bell housing. You need the cast iron 1/2 bell from a truck. Don't ask me how I know. There was one on EBay with the correct starter plate recently. Problem is shipping since they are heavy.
 
51504bat said:
An 11 inch clutch will not fit in the stamped steel 1/2 Merc bell housing. You need the cast iron 1/2 bell from a truck. Don't ask me how I know. There was one on EBay with the correct starter plate recently. Problem is shipping since they are heavy.
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Right you are 51504bat. I learned that lesson during my early years of playing with my first early Ford V-8, at the ripe old age of 17, while installing an 8ba engine in my otherwise stock '35 3w coupe. The Merc bell will not allow the use of an eleven inch truck clutch, unless you do a whole lot of serious and probably unsafe grinding on parts that must not interfere :D.

I also have all the parts you need including a '48/'49 crusher box, with the granny gear, transmission, all removed from a '48 3/4 ton PU.

ps...also have 11" clutch and pressure plate that may be usable as is, or definitely good cores for rebuild at Ft. Wayne.
 
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Years ago before the posts on ford arm said that it won't work I put a 49 merc in a 46 big truck using the stamped merc bell housing and the 59 ab 11" clutch and flywheel
There were some problems had to take some off the back of the flywheel and modify the starter drive--- but I didn't know that it wouldn't work-- drove it many miles and when sold it was driven to California
 
The one on ebay was likely the one from my engine. When I first saw it it was on the ground next to the 4 speed. I had gotten the cash limit from an atm when I saw the ad and I bought the engine, two 17" tonner wheels and some other goodies. He said the bh was on ebay at the time. I ran outa time yesterday to stop and buy the ******. I didn't need it too bad, but it looked nice and I really love those 4 speed crushers. Thanks all for the info and generous offers! . I'll make a call about the cast bh. Do the hot rodder v8 guys use them or are they discarded like a lot of the other big truck gear? In other words is this considered a valuable piece in today's world?
 
i have 3 cast ones, and no steel ones. sadly, i am 1500 miles away. want to trade? there are 2 different starter plates for these, one has a quite large opening around the rear main, for a truck pan? the other smaller one is merc . i only have the large hole plate. van pelts will show the plates, or some one here must know
 
cas3 said:
i have 3 cast ones, and no steel ones. sadly, i am 1500 miles away. want to trade? there are 2 different starter plates for these, one has a quite large opening around the rear main, for a truck pan? the other smaller one is merc . i only have the large hole plate. van pelts will show the plates, or some one here must know
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I will look around for a plate in the morning. I know I have at least one. Out of curiosity will the cast iron truck bh work if I mount my 8ba in my truck based woodie with a 9" clutch and a 3 speed? Just not sure how I'll power the woodie, but I got some more wood on it today..... Sounds like we might have a deal brewin'. :)
 
Kurt in NJ said:
Years ago before the posts on ford arm said that it won't work I put a 49 merc in a 46 big truck using the stamped merc bell housing and the 59 ab 11" clutch and flywheel
There were some problems had to take some off the back of the flywheel and modify the starter drive--- but I didn't know that it wouldn't work-- drove it many miles and when sold it was driven to California
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If you used the 59ab flywheel on the 8BA engine the wheel and ring gear would set .200 closer to the back of the engine and the starter drive will have a problem, that's why you had the remove some meat of the back of the wheel. To make life easier use a 59 wheel with 59 and earlier engine and an 8ba wheel with an 8ba engine. Walt
 
Walt Dupont--Me. said:
If you used the 59ab flywheel on the 8BA engine the wheel and ring gear would set .200 closer to the back of the engine and the starter drive will have a problem, that's why you had the remove some meat of the back of the wheel. To make life easier use a 59 wheel with 59 and earlier engine and an 8ba wheel with an 8ba engine. Walt
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Thank you Walt. I have been wondering for years how to make my life 'easy' :) ..... Somehow from where I am it will take more than a flywheel matchup. Having a great New Years Eve though! And I have learned that easy isn't always the best, but for flathead flywheels the correct bh, flywheel and clutch will make life much simpler than removing parts of my flywheel with an angle grinder. I really appreciate all the help given here.
 
GB SISSON,
I believe the cast housing used on '48-'50 (?) trucks will work for all clutch configurations, however the correct starter plate must be used with each (cast iron or pressed steel).
I have printed and attached descriptions of use to the appropriate pages of V8Bob's document showing all the bell housings, starter plates and oil pans used during the flathead era. see my PM.
Howard
 
GB SISSON said:
Thank you Walt. I have been wondering for years how to make my life 'easy' :) ..... Somehow from where I am it will take more than a flywheel matchup. Having a great New Years Eve though! And I have learned that easy isn't always the best, but for flathead flywheels the correct bh, flywheel and clutch will make life much simpler than removing parts of my flywheel with an angle grinder. I really appreciate all the help given here.
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For GB SISSON and other members here who may read this post and want to know the ins and outs of all these 8ba bell housings, starter plates, etc., go to this very informative Techno Site, http://www.btc-bci.com/~billben/flathead.htm and look down the first column titled Engine Building, and click on "49-53 Bellhousing Compatable ID", coauthored by V8Bob and Moefuzz. Good read with plenty of pics.
 
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There is a bell housing now on the bay 171752567404 I see them often.
You could use a 10" pressure plate if your flywheel is 3 1/8" center to center
they have 9 springs and if you are not hauling gravel should be good.
Then get a disk 1 1/8" 10 spline . 9" no bolt to your flywheel.
 
going off the link that john put up, photos 1 and 2 of the truck bell and indented plate is what i have 3 of. scroll down to the photo with just starter plates, and put your cursor on the yellow note thingy, and it says the indented truck starter plate and the flat merc plate will interchange. thats what i have on a merc motor here i am using. cast bell, flat plate, missing the bracket to the pan, and no mount provision on the pan either, so somebody has been foolin with it.
 
I did a bunch of hunting in my attic today. Found some interesting stuff .... I will post pics when I can, but the grandkids are here and other family due soon, so I need to concentrate on family stuff right now. Bummer. :) Down to the fact her grandkids are a bunch of fun!
 
Well this is what I found... Looks like the engine with the 11" clutch still has it's starter plate. Should only need that cast BH. I have 2 stamped ones and my other 8ba needs a clutch, flywheel and bh. I found a 9" clutch and a flywheel that looks like it will accomodate the 9 incher. How can I tell if this wheel is correct for the 8ba and not from an earlier type. This engine is stuck and maybe today I will pull the heads and intake for a look-see. I have seen people in videos removing the head bolts with an impact wrench. Is this good practice?
 

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i do not understand why the starter plate leaning up against the tire has the big hole along the bottom? does the cut look home made? what does the back side of the one on the engine look like? flat, or with two indents ?
 
Easiest way to separate the flywheels is to check if the boltholes for the clutch is through holes or bottom holes.
The back plate must have been modifed to accept the wrong flywheel...
 
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