The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline nothing original to this post, v8 swap

what all do I need to get to put a 350 in place of a 235/261?
will the stock flywheel/clutch bolt up to a 350 by chance or will I need to find another clutch setup? also any issues using a bellhousing from a 55-67 truck and bolting up to a '77 350 sbc with the block mounted starter?

this is going in Mater in the fall and I will be keeping my SM-420,

I know that I've got a lot of questions going on here, but I just want all my ducks in a row.

Thanks,

Richard

Make sure your bellhousing is for the SM420. There are also the cast iron bells for the SM465 that look the same but the hole is larger for the larger bearing retainer on the 465. I am not sure on the flywheel and starter questions, sorry.

You will need a 55 2nd. series or later V8 truck bellhousing- - - -the 235-261 bell will not bolt to a V8. That one requires a starter with a 3-bolt nose cone that bolts to the bell housing, not the block. You'll also need a standard shift flywheel for the V8. Clutches- - - -there are several available, all the way up to a 12" diameter disc and pressure plate for heavy duty use. I prefer the 11" clutch for anything but very heavy load-pulling. Your 6 cylinder clutch will bolt onto the V8 flywheel, I believe, but it's going to be the weak link in the chain. I'd recommend going bigger. The mechanical linkage from the pedal to the throwout fork will also need to come from a V8 application, so find a donor vehicle to scavenge the full bellhousing/linkage assembly from, or do some adapting to convert to a hydraulic setup.
Jerry

awww, man!!!!

It sounds like this is gonna get real pricey I may have to rethink my plans....

55 2nd was available with a V8 option. Might be easier/cheaper to find a donor for bell housing, linkage, tranny, clutch and drive shaft. Bolt it up and you are off to the races. SMALLTOWN WEEKEND in two days!

When I swapped out my 235 for a 283, I got a 11" clutch and pressure plate (from Napa), a V8 bellhousing (casting 3815891) from the junk yard and V8 flywheel (168 tooth) off a 307 motor. I used the same clutch linkage that was used with the 235, no problems. You'll need a V8 throttle linkage also, the 6 cyl won't work with V8's. If you want the original front engine mount, you'll need the V8 engine L brackets, studs with rubber donuts and crossmember brackets. If not, you'll need the aftermarket side mount tube setup. It seems complicated, but it's really not. PM me with any questions.

Another thing to consider is that the V-8 is about 5" shorter than the 235 which creates a considerable space behind the radiator. I used a 350 long water pump, a 1" spacer and a clutch fan. That puts the fan relatively close to the radiator. You may also wish to use a fan shroud.
Fred