Flat Head Bell Housing
 

Bolting an 8 BA (1949 and later) engine to a 46 Transmission... Which is the Preferred bell housing ?? The stamped steel or the Cast housing. Is one just as good as the other. Thanks for any advice I can get on this issue.

Re: Flat Head Bell Housing
 

Opinions may differ, but I'd go the stamp steel one. Stronger than the cast iron one and a little bit lighter. If you are using an 11" clutch though, you have to use the cast one for it will not clear the stamped one.

Re: Flat Head Bell Housing
 

You will need the half bell. I prefer the Mercury stamped type but the pickup cast part will work as already mentioned but the flywheel is another necessary part since an 8BA has different starter mounting. Any 8BA flywheel will work but it may need to be redrilled for a clutch to fit the 1 3/8-inch 10-spline trans input. Some F1 pickups, police cars, and station wagons had the 10-inch Long type clutch that was used back in 1946 but that's about it for the Long type. The Borg & Beck 10-inch type clutch from a 1949 through early 1951 Mercury will also work since they had the same spline & throw out. late 51 Mercury is same as the Ford with the 1-inch 10-spline trans input plus its a Borg & Beck set up for that small spline.

You may also need a rear sump oil pan unless you already have one. The F1 pickup or 49 through 51 Mercury rear sump pan will work. Just make sure you have the correct starter plate for what ever half bell & pan you use.

Re: Flat Head Bell Housing
 

While not as strong as a scatter shield, the steel one will serve much better for safety sake in case of a flywheel or clutch blowup and they DO blow up on the street occasionally.

Re: Flat Head Bell Housing
 

Make sure you get the proper matching starter plate for the bell housing you are using. The starter plates are harder to find and usually more expensive than the bells. In the past, people would save the bells and throw the plates for some reason.

Re: Flat Head Bell Housing
 

I like the steel one for a number of reasons. They are very easy to modify for different transmissions, The one in my truck has an 80s F150 3 spd with OD. The one in my buddies truck is a Toyota 5 speed truck box. WE bored out the register to match and welded on some bungs to mount the trans. For the Toyota we had to make a spacer. and the beauty here is :we use the stock clutch linkage.
Gramps

Re: Flat Head Bell Housing
 

One difference in the cast vs. stamped steel bell housing, that I recall, is the cast/truck bell will accept up to an 11" c&pp, while the stamped steel will only take up to a 10" c&pp. This may only be a factor/consideration for a truck that requires an 11".

Re: Flat Head Bell Housing
 

The stamped bell will allow you to use the later model bendix on your starter 36fordguy