621 Bellhousing on a 348 - easy question (hopefully)

[427John]

Heddrick sounds like you could go either way you wanted with your combo,since you have provisions for both,I don't think the 553 bell will preclude the use of a block mounted starter,unless the little tin plate with the starter hole in it interferes with the nose of the block mounted starter,in which case you could just leave that off.Something you may want to mockup up before installing the engine.

 

[heddrik]

Thank you , I am nowhere near that but it's something to remember. Guess the block mounted starter would be stronger?

 

[427John]

That's interesting. Mine is an early 1960 5011 block that was built in the first quarter. I bought the engine after it has been removed and do not know what transmission it originally was installed with.

If your block stamp is readable you should be able to decode what tranny it originally came with,if yours has the 3 holes as shown in the pics above it'll accept a block mounted starter,and any block in combination with an early bellhousing with the starter mount will accept the bellhousing mount,so hopefully if yours has the 3 holes you choose either route and round up the correct parts to do it.

 

[need1morecar]

I have a T0512GB -> 280 HP / Powerglide, built in May.

Based on the info here, I'm sticking with my plan to bolt the 621 bellhousing straight to the block with the 168 tooth flywheel and bolt the starter to the block. My last unknow at the moment is what starter to actually buy.

 

[Don Jacks]

I have a T0512GB -> 280 HP / Powerglide, built in May.

Based on the info here, I'm sticking with my plan to bolt the 621 bellhousing straight to the block with the 168 tooth flywheel and bolt the starter to the block. My last unknow at the moment is what starter to actually buy. Call DB Electrical and order pn SDR0031L less than 67.00 with bolts,shipped to your door. There are people on this site who have been using this companies products for years.I've yet to hear of a problem.

 

[SSpev]

Automatics all had to be drilled. never saw a auto that had starter bolted to it.
And they where matching 3 bolt starter noses not the 2 bolt.

 

[Jim Sullivan]

Will the 621 bell housing fit over a 168 tooth flywheel? I may be confusing this bell housing with another number, but It might be for the smaller flywheel?

Well, I had to dig out my old bell housings to figure out what I had. It turns out, I "mis-remembered" the number, I have a 421 and a 385? and both are small bell housings. Now I know I can keep my eye out for a 621.

 

[Don Jacks]

Automatics all had to be drilled. never saw a auto that had starter bolted to it.
And they where matching 3 bolt starter noses not the 2 bolt.

Both of my 5011 blocks are drilled,both were factory powerglides[iron type] according to the deck stampings Tom.

 

[DonSSDD]

A starter mounted to the bellhousing lines itself up, no need to shim it to align it with the flywheel.

 

[need1morecar]

So just out of curiostiy, I checked my original 1960 283 which came with a 2-barrel and a cast iron Powerglide. This one, as mentioned, used the plate between the engine and bellhousing and had a bell-housing mounted starter. However, the block (casting number 3657519) is also drilled and tapped with all three starter mounting holes. I was a bit surprised to see that, but maybe they machined them for either use (AT or MT)?

 

[DonSSDD]

Same casting in my 59, don’t remember if it was drilled or not. I used the bh mount when I converted it to a 4 speed, bh came from a 58 Chev 348.

 

[427John]

That would be my guess,what has me curious is the blocks that didn't,were they machined on a different line or in a different plant?It seems that to minimize confusion and mistakes that machining instructions would be consistent on a given line.

 

[oldskydog]

For 58-61 the Turboglide starter was block mounted. All others including cast iron powerglide were bellhousing mounted. Don't know if all blocks were drilled or only TG.

 

[427John]

You would think if they were drilling only turboglide blocks there would be plenty of mistakes on the line can you imagine getting an engine tranny combo ready to drop in and finding out the starter wouldn't bolt on?Also it wouldn't explain why need1morecar's 283 was drilled,it's starting to sound like drilled blocks were more the rule than the exception.

 

[La Hot Rods]

Kinda like a small block without a oil filter mount.

 

[oldskydog]

283's had turboglides too from 57-61.