Bellhousing below frame rails... help?

[dversaw]

Hi Owners/Builders smarter than me,

I dropped my engine and transmission in yesterday. Big day in the build process. Engine is a 351 Windsor custom built by the Engine Factory. Transmission is a TKO 500. Fit like a glove, except after installation, I noticed that the bottom of the bell housing sits maybe an inch below the frame rails. There was another post about this a few years back that I found, and the majority of the advice was to raise the engine a little. Sounds easy, except with the engine size and fancy-schmancy air filter I got on it, I have practically no clearance below where the hood over it will be. I imagine a terror scenario that I catch on to something while driving over it and really screw the drive train up. Has anyone else had this issue, and if so what did you do /did you fix it? Some kind of fabricated skid plate or something? I think raising the engine is not much of a possibility. Thoughts?

Dave in Virginia

[michael everson]

If its a aftermarket steel bell housing, just cut the bottom off of it. Many before you have had to do this. I assume it's a Lakewood or ?

[AJ Roadster NJ]

I agree with Michael. I have a McLeod steel bellhousing, and I cut off a little over an inch from the bottom (both the backing plate and the actual bellhousing).

You actually have an advantage that yours is in the car. Pull a line straight across from the bottom of one frame rail to the bottom of the other, just in front of the backing plate. Mark it, and that's your cut line for both the plate and the bellhousing. I can't think of a way to safely cut that while in the car (I used a heavy reciprocating saw on mine) but perhaps you have a tool that will let you do it without pulling the engine.

But I can think of about 30 reasons right off the top of my head not to raise the engine, don't do that. Cut the bellhousing.

AJ

[dversaw]

Thanks Michael and AJ. That is what I will do. I've got my share of tools to get this accomplished while the engine is mounted. Might be a little tight under there, but a good ol fashioned sawzall with a metal cutting blade should do the trick. Thanks for the direction!

[Gopher]

Plasma cutter mans best friend.

[Rscocca]

Just don't cut the flywheel

[AJ Roadster NJ]

Good point Rscocca, but you shouldn't come even close to the flywheel. On mine, the entire cut was within the flange portion, the flats where the bellhousing attaches to the backing plate.

AJ