flywheel/bellhousing questions

[rjleiker]

Can I bolt up a 168 tooth flywheel in a 606 g-body bellhousing and then bolt up a 10.5" clutch set to the bigger flywheel?

I am trying to avoid buying a different starter when I switch over to the 5-speed without having to track down or front the money for an 11" bell.

 

[t5montecarlo]

While there are OEM 168-tooth flywheels drilled for a 10.5-inch clutch, the 168-tooth flywheel will not fit inside the 606 bellhousing.

Marc

 

[rjleiker]

how do you guys feel about just buying a 621 bellhousing and drilling/tapping out the hole lower for the lower ballstud position and then just grinding the other stud, from the standard position, down level with the casting?

I feel like this will probably keep the casting's strength and integrity in this area, while allowing the g-body fork... possibly... just an idea to get away from welding in a hole of aluminum...

But I still would have to find a clutch fork to pair with it...

 

[85_SS]

Personally, I'd just buy a mini-starter. You can get them for less than $80 on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.ca/SBC-CHEVY-CHROME-MINI-STARTER-PRO-SERIES-3500-C_W0QQitemZ250367841086QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item250367841086&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1215%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

I bought that exact starter when I did my T5 swap as it was recommended by several guys at mcss.com who've had good success with it.

It's not worth the hassle to try and re-invent the wheel with a custom bellhousing/fork setup IMO - go with something that's known to work and save the headaches

 

[rjleiker]

while I've got your attention... where did you get that shaker hood? Did you do a custom job yourself? did you just steal a T/A scoop and cut the hole?

 

[85_SS]

... where did you get that shaker hood? Did you do a custom job yourself? did you just steal a T/A scoop and cut the hole?

Yes and yes

It's a combination of parts from 77-81 Trans Ams that I customized to fit/sit properly on a Monte breather. I also installed a functional flap kit, and cut a factory hood for the shaker opening.

 

[rjleiker]

functional flap kit?

my buddy has a 79 T/A with the shaker and I don't recall a flap anywhere... is it a kit that opens with the throttle like on a blower?

 

[85_SS]

http://pontiactransamshakers.homestead.com/ (this is also the same guy on got some of my parts from)


It's an aftermarket kit to make the later shakers funtional like the 70-72 shakers. It operates via a switch mounted at the pedal. From 73-76 they had a removable blockoff plate, but all 77-81 shakers were purly cosmetic.

When I did the swap, there was two rules - it must be mounted to the breather (not the hood), and it must be a functional air intake. Even though they were common place on many muscle cars, I hate fake scoops/vents/etc. It doesn't take that much more work to make things functional - fake is just extremely cheesy IMO

I don't really have any good shots, but these few kind of show the flap that replaced the fake vents at the rear of a stock 77-81 shaker.

http://www.motortopia.com/files/74/album_exterior/449b536b2e6d9/100_0570JPG_Thumbnail1.jpg
http://www.motortopia.com/files/cars/album_exteriorinterior/47e5334d457b1/100_0654jpg_Thumbnail1.jpg
http://www.motortopia.com/files/cars/album_exteriorinterior/4776d7071acdd/100_0624jpg_Thumbnail1.jpg

 

[rjleiker]

What do you think of this flywheel and clutch set?


http://www.autozone.com/R,3682525/v...partType,00179/shopping/partProductDetail.htm

http://www.autozone.com/R,5082190/v...partType,00906/shopping/partProductDetail.htm

I found them listed under a '75 corvette with a 350... I think they will work...

 

[t5montecarlo]

That flywheel you linked to is a 168-tooth version. Is that what you want?

That clutch set does not come up when choosing a 1979 Malibu, so I don't know what it looks like. The diaphragm may/may not be right for your bellhousing/fork.