bell housing swap

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J

JJR

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Within a year I will hopefully be overhauling the A833 4 speed in my dart and I want to switch from a 9.5in clutch that was originally behind the 273 small block to a 10.5in. Obviously a bell housing swap will be needed. I am assuming all small blocks have the same bell housing bolt pattern and all A833 transmissions also have the same bolt patterns? I guess my big question is will the bell housing needed for a 10.5 in clutch fit in the transmission tunnel on the car? With the current bell housing clearance is tight, fine as frogs hair. Anybody dealt with this before?
 
I do realize this may require a kit for the z bar since mounting locations are different from 66 than 67 and up
 
First, what car, assuming 66 dart, and engine do you have? To do the 10.5 clutch, 130 tooth flywheel, you need a 68-up small block bellhousing, a torque shaft to fit 1963-1966 A-body applications, plus a bellhousing ballstud bracket, adjusting rod kit, fork pivot, and clutch fork. Spend time on the Brewers Performance web site, http://www.brewersperformance.com/ . Or Passon Performance website, http://www.passonperformance.com/ . You can also put in a 10 inch clutch into your 9.5 bellhousing and not change anything...
 
Also does anyone know if a bell housing for 10.5 in clutch will work behind a 273 I don't hear of anyone really doing it?
 
JJR said:
Also does anyone know if a bell housing for 10.5 in clutch will work behind a 273 I don't hear of anyone really doing it?
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I've done it. It was the only way to keep a clutch in the 64 barracuda for any length of time.
 
I have done this swap several times through the years. Use any A or E body bellhousing with the 4.354 hole for a small block. Grab a fork from a B or E body big block, OAL 10-7/8". Use the pivot from your 273 bellhousing. You will need to relocate the ball stud pivot. Line up a piece of tubing from the frame ball and it becomes obvious where the bell side needs to be. Use a piece of posterboard to make a pattern for modification. Depending on which bellhousing you use you may need to use a countersink bolt in the plate you fabricate to clear linkage. You will need to narrow the bellcrank. The adjustable rod can be a mildly modified factory one or just fabricate a new one.
 
JJR said:
What year of car did the bell housing come out of?
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Mine was out of a 71 340 Duster. But I have to agree with grimreaper, any 10.5 bellhousing will work with the small pilot hole. They started making them in aluminum about 1969 thru 1974. I think you can even use a 75-1980 bellhousing if you can find the 5.125 in the the small, 3.70 bolt circle, front bearing retainer, but double check with Brewers or Passon Performance for sure.
 
66fs said:
Mine was out of a 71 340 Duster. But I have to agree with grimreaper, any 10.5 bellhousing will work with the small pilot hole. They started making them in aluminum about 1969 thru 1974. I think you can even use a 75-1980 bellhousing if you can find the 5.125 in the the small, 3.70 bolt circle, front bearing retainer, but double check with Brewers or Passon Performance for sure.
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Yeah brewers seems to be the place. They say there ball stud relocation bracket works with 3 different bell housings. And they tell you what else to get for a fork and all that. Thanks for the info guys just wanted to be sure it would work.
 
If you change your bellhousing, I can use the Z bar if its for an early 64-66 A body.
 
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