Manual Trans Bellhousing

[Ron Downs]

Gentlemen,
I have a manual trans bellhousing that has a casting number of 1358905. The guy I got it from says it was from a 65 GS but it does not look like the one in my car. Anyone know what it fits? Thanks.
Ron

[flynbuick]

Are you sure the number is not 1358906?

[Babeola]

Ron,

Post a picture or two.

Cheryl :)

[wkillgs]

There is a bellhousing on e-bay right now:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7985643784&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1
I do believe it is a '65 model.

I had this pic in my files, it's not mine....somebody, somewhere, said it's a '63:

[Ron Downs]

This one looks just like the picture that Walt posted and it is 1358905. So this is a 1963? Will it work on a 65 401? Thanks.
Ron

[chasanderson]

Walt
Best looking boot I've seen in a looong time.

[Fullsize4speed]

That bellhousing is for

63 LeSabre, Invicta wagon, and Wildcat 4-speeds
64 Wildcat and wagon 4-speeds
65 Wildcat 4-speeds

That bellhousing also may be used on the 63/64/65 LeSabre 3-speeds, but I don't have one of those cars in front of me so I won't swear to it. I am sure it is the same for the 63 3-speeds, they had 401s, but the 64 LeSabres only had the small motors, and the part has a completely different number.

Bottom line is it is not correct for the smaller series manual shift cars that i am aware of (if I am mistaken, please let me know). It definately is a cool bellhousing, though.

Matt

It is interesting to note that my 64 parts book lists the upper flywheel housing as having part number 1358906, but I have a few of those back on the shelf and they are all 1358905. Typo, maybe?

[Ron Downs]

Thanks for the information everyone. It is great to have a resource like this board when you have questions.
Ron

[Babeola]

The 65-66 GS Skylark bell-housing looks like the one pictured below, but you should be able to adapt the one you have to any 57-66 Nailhead.

[SpecialWagon65]

Of course not many of them look that nice! Very nice work Cheryl. :beer

[Babeola]

Thanks Ted. Lord know what I inhaled while cleaning that, but I had my painting respirator on most of the time. It was a good thing I did clean it up as I found a crack that needed to be welded. I took it to three welders before finding one who could undo what the other two did. The last guy really had cast iron down. Anyway, there is a small fortune in the purchase and repair of that bell-housing!

Cheryl :)

[JEFF STRUBE]

will these bellhousing work in a 66 GS thats what i am looking for and console as well just starting fresh on converting to a 4 speed. So am going to need all the parts is there any one that has a tinplate for the floor hole

[chasanderson]

Cheryl I have a bell housing with a small crack in it what kind I've questions do I ask the welder to save doing it 3 times?

[Babeola]

Cheryl I have a bell housing with a small crack in it what kind I've questions do I ask the welder to save doing it 3 times?


Chuck,

Ask them what procedure they use to weld cast iron. They should say something about heating it (900*) before welding unless the crack it is on the very edge of the piece. Cast iron expands quickly and cracks when heated abruptly (like when welding). It needs to be heated and cooled uniformly to maintain its structure. That is as far as I go on the subject!

Cheryl :)

[chasanderson]

Great Info thanks Cheryl

[Brian]

The half round bellhousing like in the first picture can be made to work in the Skylark GS, but the little arm on the end of the shaft through it (the thing the boot is covering) is oriented wrong for the Skylark linkage. You will have to take it off the shaft, drill out the hole in it where it is round, then weld in new flats in it that locate it in the right orientation. Also, the heat-riser on the pass. side exhaust manifold hits that lip around the bottom of the bellhousing where the sheet metal cover on the bottom attaches to it. If your Skylark GS has a 3-speed manual, that housing won't work at all. The housing that Cheryl put in a picture of has two different transmission bolt patterns made into it--one for the 4 spd. and one for the 3 spd.