10/22/99
Rich.
These bellhousings are fairly rare, but not because they have the
bolt pattern for the 4- and 5-speed transmissions. The rarity is simply
that not very many Buick Specials or Olds F-85s were sold with manual
transmissions. The earliest bellhousings from 1961 production had only the
bolt pattern for the Warner T-86 3-speed transmission then being offered.
In late 1961 production, when the 4-speed was offered as an option, the
housings were modified with new bosses and drillings for the classic
Chevrolet 3- and 4-speeds. This same bolt pattern has apparently been used
for ALL chevrolet manual transmissions since sometime in the 1930s, I
believe. From then on, all the housings had both drillings to the best of
my knowledge.
I bought a very early production 1961 Olds F-85 in late 1960 which
had the column-shift 3-speed transmission in it. The only new car I have
ever owned, and I am 58 now years old. At any rate I eventurlly did some
mild souping on that engine and adapted a Packard 3-speed overdrive
transmission to it, using an adaptor made for a Chevrolet engine. Very
easy thing to do. That housing had only the 3-speed drilling. All the
housings I have encountered since then (4) have had both drillings.
There, now I have put in my 2 cents worth.
Cheers,
Dave Kernberger
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>OK..I have been quiet for a long time on here because I'm not currently
>doing anything, but I'm still building my database of info for my brain...
>
>I have the what I believe to be the fairly rare GM 4 speed bellhousing off
>of the 63 Buick Special, and my block is the same and was the 4bbl version.
>So that's what I have...Now...I know it has two seperate bolt paterns for
>the tranny. one for the 3 spd, and one for the 4spd's
>
>NOW here is what I'm looking for... Can some type up a list of what
>Transmissions will bolt up. Not really interested in the 3spd's so you can
>skip those.. So the ones I'm interested in are the 4, 5, and if any of the
>GM (or other) 6 spd's will bolt up, include thoe too.
>
>In addition, if you could mention which car/engine combination they come out
>of that would be helpful when Bone-Yarding for the parts....Strength is
>concern of course, and I'm also interested in wheather the cases are Iron or
>Aluminum. I would like an All Aluminum drive live. Just becasue I think it
>would be cool...Plus it woul dbe light in wieght.
>
>Anyway, there it is...See what you can come up with. Oh One more Question.
>Will this bellhousing fit the British Blocks? and if so, All of them or just
>some. I have though of abandoning the use of this block for the updated
>british block which is stronger and has the EFI heads..
>
>Thanks in advance!...
>Rich
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