78 Fairmont Block- Lo Starter Mount - will it fit a 69 C4?

[MercuryMarc]

My new block with casting numbers D8BE- looks like a low mount starter. Can I use the bellhousing from my 69 C4 transmission? (mated to a 69 200 with a high mount starter)?
Thanks-
marc
63 Comet ragtop

 

[xctasy]

Part of the delight and constornation with Fords is What Happens When The Freeking Parts Bin Runs Dry, ya know?


The low mount starter block of that era should be from a 250. If, however, you really do have a low mount 200, then you've just proved Ford were just doing some really wacko things with there casting factories production!


I've heard about most of the wierd stuff. Domestic Yank Tanks with, gasp!, Japanese Jatco transmissions, French C3 gearboxes, tiny C4 bellhousings for Mustang II's, but big C4's on the early German engined 2.0 Pintos and later German V6 Capris, and then Mazda 5-speed gearboxes with V8 bellhousings on 4.9 efi's, and Honda alloy heads on Aussie Falcons. :fume: :splat: :duh: opsie: :shockin: :smash: :boom: :nono:

First up, have a look at the Tech section by clicking on the Ford six engine above.

Then Check this

picture for the 200 six sitting beside the 250 X-flow, and then check out Mikes Big Bell Transmission post in the Tech section.

Sadly, the 69 C4 high mount bell won't fit becasue its designed for a 136 or 148 tooth flywheel, and the Big Bell has 157 teeth.

Best option is to get the 157 teeth C4 or a good C5 from the V8 302/5.0 Windsors, and use the I6 flexplate from a 250. The one fropm a Mustang II is too small.

Redrill the trans following Mikes article, and then redrill the 3" bolt spacing flywheel to suit the 2.75" bolt spacing, and add a spot welded 3.622" spacer with a 1.375" hole. Thickness is 62.5 thou. This should save you a packet. The starter needs to be the one for the 157 teeth auto, not the 300 I6, or 351W/C/K/M or 400 item, which has 164 teeth. The separator plate needs to be the 157 teeth auto 5.0/302 item.

Talk to Offenokee Comet, (hope I got the spelling right). He has a tricked out 2v headed Comet with a low mount big bell block which has the C5 trans. Was having issues with the starter, as each type has a dedicated type of separator plate.

Stick with it, and realise that well chip out with the details if it ends up being a 200 low mount

 

[63comet]

Heh, Ford did build a 200 with a low mount starter, I believe they started doing this in 78-79. The bell housing used is about 3/4's of V-8 bolt pattern, (the top two bolt holes are missing from the bell). Therefore, unfortunately, you cannot use the 69 bellhousing. As Xtaxi says, you can adapt the V-8 bell or use a C5 tranny and bell made for those years.

 

[MercuryMarc]

The height from the crank centerline to the deck is about 7 3/4 inches so it is definately a 200 (250 would be taller). But I had asumed that the casting numbers indicating the 78 production would have been a high mount, not low mount.

I did get a tranny that came with the 78 engine (the donor wanted all the stuff out of his garage) so I am going to examine it and see exactly what it is - I think that the engine mated to that tranny and maybe should just use that (after rebuild) instead of my exsiting sick tranny.

Thanks again!
Marc in SF
63 Comet Ragtop
http://mercurycomet.net