53 starter motor question
 

I inherited a 37 Ford pickup from my father. It has a 53 8BA engine, 5 speed transmission and open drive shaft conversion. It has been converted to 12 Volt electrical. The starter has been having bendix issues since Dad first got it. I've put two on it in 5000 miles since I've had it. When I got it, there was no support bracket at the rear of the starter motor, do I bought one. When I went to install it, the hole in the bracket was about an inch away from the oil pan bolt hole it should have bolted to. I also noticed that the face of the counterweight /collar on the bendix gear that faces the flywheel looked like it had been rubbing on the flywheel and it sure sounds like it does when cranking. The starter motor isn't original. Is it possible that there are two different length starters and I have a starter motor that has too short a shaft and body? If so, what is the correct motor and where can I get one?

Re: 53 starter motor question
 

Might you have a 6V starter?

Re: 53 starter motor question
 

Re: 53 starter motor question
 

Call early ford parts/ 3rd gen auto, they got what you need, good prices.

Re: 53 starter motor question
 

I've got an 8ba in my '39 p/u converted to 12 volts. For a while I was using a Power Gen 12 volt starter with an original style Bendix. The case was shorter than a stock starter so the bracket from the starter to the oil pan bolt wouldn't work. All in all the starter was a complete POS and it finally self destructed. I replaced it with a stock type 12 volt starter from Joe's Antique Auto. The new starters all seem to come with the new style enclosed Bendix which is a real PITA to install in an 8ba. Joe substituted an original style made in USA Bendix in place of the enclosed style and only charged me for the difference in price between the 2 Bendix's. Van Pelts also sells a 12 volt starter with the original style Bendix. One other thought. Are you sure you have the correct starter plate?

Re: 53 starter motor question
 

I'm not sure what you mean by "starter plate". The motor bolts to the bell housing. I'll try to get some pictures this weekend. Iy could be that the bell housing isn't stock since the truck has a T-5 transmission and open drive shaft and that's where the clearance issue is coming from. It just seems like the starter gear is pulling in too close to the flywheel and the counterweight coller is hitting/rubbing on the flywheel. The only way I could think to correct that is if the starter shaft was a little longer to move the gear away from the flywheel. If the bell housing is isn't standard then that might position things a little closer than normal as well but nothing I can do about that.

Re: 53 starter motor question
 

There are two different 6 volt starter configurations from '51-'53, one for the automatic transmission and one for the standard transmission.

Either starter will work on 12 volts without being converted to 12 volts.
Until you can determine what parts you have and are attempting to make work, all you really have is a guessing game.


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