Bell housing

[Northern lights]

I have a '57 short step with what I believe is the original 235 I6 and 3 SPD standard. I am swapping out both tranny and engine but planning to keep the bell housing. However, 30 years ago I had a '57 bel air 2dr hdt with a 235 and power glide and, it seems to me that when I pulled them, there was something goofy about the bell housing. I vaguely recall a spacer of some sort, perhaps 1" thick and that either the engine or trans was NOT interchangeable with later model stuff. I seem to recall there was a change in '58?????. My question, will the bell housing bolt to most any chevy engine (using a 348, same bell as SBC and BBC). I'm reasonable certain that the 4 spd I'm installing will bolt to the bell with the possible chance that I may have to turn the bearing retainer down.

[Jurassic-1]

The power glide had an adapter plate on it . A standard trans bell housing should fit no problem.

[Northern lights]

Cool, thanks Jurassic.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

The 235 bell housing will not fit the v-8 engines or 63 up 6 cyl. eng. You can use the v-8 or later 6 bell housing up through 72 in your frame & the trans. will fit.

[Northern lights]

Thanks Wrenchbender. My dad said that he had to change the bellhousing on his '62 when he pulled the 292 (IIRC) and put a 283 in it so this also got me wondering. I haven't looked but assume that my '57 truck has the tranny mounts on the bellhousing like my belaire did and i would like to keep that rather than installing a cross member tail mount as my intention is to use the stock forward engine mounts, again, rather than installing a cross member mount, and they won't work so well with a tranny tail mount.

[_Ogre]

30 years ago I had a '57 bel air 2dr hdt with a 235 and power glide and, it seems to me that when I pulled them, there was something goofy about the bell housing

your 57 came factory with the powerglide so it would have had the side mounts on the bell housing
pg was the auto trans for chevy from 50 thru early 70s

[55dude]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

your 57 came factory with the powerglide so it would have had the side mounts on the bell housing
pg was the auto trans for chevy from 50 thru early 70s

keep in mind they changed to aluminum in 62?

[mr48chev]

Just get a 55 to mid 60 something truck bellhousing. Make sure that the hole for the bearing retainer has the Id that matches your bearing retainer. Somewhere along the way the bigger trucks went to a larger diameter bearing retainer and a larger matching hole in the bellhousing. They do make spacer rings but that is extra money you have to spend that you don't need to spend if you buy the one with the correct id to begin with.

[_Ogre]

the old powerglide had a pg specific bellhousing
if he wants a powerglide that bolts in it will need to be the old style with side mounts

if he wants to switch to a v8... not sure the pg was offered with the low starter for v8

[mr48chev]

He doesn't "want" a powerglide Ogre his first post says he "used to have one in a 57 car and the bellhousing was rathe hinky. What we old farts called a "powerglide ring"

Northern Lights the front end of the bellhousing behind the 235 looks like this after you pull it off the engine.


The front side of a cast iron V8 bellhousing looks like this:

[Northern lights]

Thanks mr48chevy. The bottom one I'm very familiar with, the top one, not. Would like to find one with the side tranny mounts. If not I could put a cross member mount in.

[_Ogre]

totally missed the 348 and 4 speed
he will need a 55-59 truck or 55-57 chevy v8 bell housing

and front motor mounts for a 55-59 truck (ouch on that price)



above is the bolt in fix
or the weld in is to go with new side mounts and trans x-member

[mr48chev]

That was a snagged from Ebay photo NL and I think that bellhousing had side mount setup on it. The six cylinder bellhousing came with one of my trucks that came with no engine but had the bellhousing and a trans full of sand.

[_Ogre]

i googled ''chevy 348'' and realized it is the 1st gen big block
348 cubic inches (5.7 L), available from 1958 to 1961 in cars, and in light trucks through 1964
will the 55-59 truck bellhousing work on this motor?
i've never seen a bb specific bellhousing

[Northern lights]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

i googled ''chevy 348'' and realized it is the 1st gen big block
348 cubic inches (5.7 L), available from 1958 to 1961 in cars, and in light trucks through 1964
will the 55-59 truck bellhousing work on this motor?
i've never seen a bb specific bellhousing

The 348/409 uses the same bellhousing as second gen big block and small block chevys.

[_Ogre]

it's a chevy, why did i doubt it would fit???