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RE: Buick 215 Bellhousing

To: "David Kernberger" <dkern@napanet.net>
Subject: RE: Buick 215 Bellhousing
From: "Larry Hoy" <larryhoy@prodigy.net>
Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2000 22:59:08 -0700
[mailto:owner-buick-rover-v8@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of David Kernberger
>Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2000 7:38 PM
>To: Larry Hoy
>Cc: buick-rover-v8@autox.team.net
>Subject: RE: Buick 215 Bellhousing
>
>       I thought I had the stock bell housing situation all figured out
>but that is apparently not true afterall.  Is an adaptor plate necessary
>for the GM T-5?  Later bell housings all have the correct bolt pattern on
>them already, don't they?

Some bell housings (generally the later ones) are drilled for both the 3 speed 
and 4 speed
transmissions.  You won't have any problem mounting a GM transmission to these 
housings.

> Or is the adaptor only for the Ford T-5?  It must take care of the 
>bolt-pattern differnece and
different input shaft
>length at the same time.  Is that correct?

The three speed only bell housings (generally the early ones) can accomodate an 
adapter to mount a 4
speed transmission.  The problem is the adapter makes the bell housing deeper.  
If the adapter was
made to accomodate the GM pattern then the input shaft on the transmission 
won't reach the pilot
bushing.  So [Dan Lagrue] makes the adapter to fit the Ford T-5 because the 
Ford Borg Warner
transmission has a longer input shaft.

The bell housing advertised on eBay is the early 3 speed type so to use it you 
need an adapter and a
Ford transmission.

>        I remember my very early 1961 Olds F-85 bell housing was drilled only 
>for the Borg Warner T 86
3-speed tranny.  But my understanding is that
>all housings were produced with both the 3- and 4-speed drillings once the 
>optional T-85 4-speed
was introduced in mid-to-late 1961 production.  Is
>this not true?

David this is a wierd question, I think the answer is no, which of course means 
your statement is
correct.

The early bell housing your talking about is the type that is being sold now on 
eBay.

  Are the GM T-85 4-speed and T-5 5-speed bolt patterns different?

I think [this could be wrong] all GM 4 speeds and 5 speeds us the same pattern. 
 From "then" to
"now".  But of course that is a pretty broad statement.  Someone is going to 
tell us about his Aunt
Sally's Buick that was made in Austria that had a different pattern.

>  I thought they were the same.  I thought the GM T-5 was a direct boltup, 
>including input shaft
length and pilot bearing guide.  Is
>this true?

The GM is a direct bolt up to the GM engine if you use the GM 3/4 speed bell 
housing.

>       So,  what am I missing?  TIA

Nuttin.

Check the bell housing on eBay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=490227158

you'll see the pattern is for the 3 speed only.  The type drilled for the 3and 
4 speed transmissions
have two different patterns.

Larry Hoy

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