I was given a bellhousing with a '66 396 motor that I purchased. It's unfamiliar to me in that it is not fully enclosed. It looks like a regular bellhousing with bottom half cut off...just below the tranny mounting bolts.
The numbers on the pad across from the GM2 are S741311 and the numbers on the alongside the output opening (going vertical) are F1658.
Any ideas?
Thanks.



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Yella

I'm guessing it is cast iron. Right? This is a 55-62 style (55-7s had provision for motor mounts on each lower side). If so, this housing will accept the larger 14in flywheel/11in clutch combo, which is what you want , especially with a BB. The fully enclosed housings started in 63. There was both a small and large housing for a 13in and a 14in flywheel.
The date, F1658, indicates June 16, 1958. This is not a rare or valuable bell housing because there were a gazillion of them between 55-62-----------------------especially the 58-62 versions without the side mounts such as the 55-7s had.
This housing will bolt up to ANY V-8 EVER made by Chevrolet, since 1955, which has this bolt pattern.
I also presume that it has the three holes at the starter position for mounting a starter. If so, you can use a starter nose that mounts to the housing, or, you can use a CAST IRON starter nose with the staggered bolt pattern which bolts to the bottom of the block (that is if you have a later block which has the starter bolt holes, early 283s didn't have these holes).

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Tom Parsons

Tom,
Thanks for the help! Is there some type of cover that bolts to the bottom of it so the flywheel/pressure plate are not exposed? If so, I'm missing that piece.

Yes, actually, there are 2 pieces. One goes in front, with a hole on the right side for the starter nose (3734908), and a pan (3704923). I don't know for a fact that they are still good, but I pulled up both part numbers on http://gmpartsdirect.com and they are still showing to be good. Better buy them while they last!
And also, these parts are fairly common to locate at swap meets, but chances are, you may pay as much or more than buying brand new ones. You could order and buy them from your local Chev parts dept, but they will be much more than gmpartsdirect.
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Tom Parsons



[This message has been edited by DZAUTO (edited 09-04-2002).]