The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Bell housing doesn't have a pin sticking out

At the last swap meet, out at the Ball Park in Arlington, I got a good deal on a bell housing. It was exactly like my old one, but without the crack in it. These things are heavy and, of course, I bought on the other side of the meet.

Now that I have it cleaned it up and spray painted I notice it doesn't have the pin on the side for the shifter linkage. Poop. Back to square one.

Is this from a truck with a hydromatic transmission? Can the the pin for the linkage be added? Or should I sell this one and look for another?

Irwin. Did you ever get the one back from you buddy down at the train museum? Wanta trade?

I went to the hardware store, bought some stock rod of the right diameter, cut a piece long enough to go into the housing and leave enough room for the linkage to mount, and glued it in with JB Weld. Seems to be fine. I hope it holds. Oh, you'll have to drill a hole through the rod at the far end to accommodate a cotter pin.

oldbluetruck,

First, let me say that I do not know much about your year/series of truck (55 2nd, I assume).

In earlier HydraMatic trucks there was not a bell housing that was separate from the transmission assembly (thus, the manual transmission bell housing would not be of any use with a HydraMatic).

In manual transmission 216/235/261 trucks, if a factory 4-speed transmission was installed, there was no pivot pin sticking out because there was no need for a column-mounted linkage. Additional useless information: on some earlier 4-speeds there were also no holes on the upper steering column for the 3-speed shifter-bracket under the steering wheel.

As pknauth said, a stock or fabricated pin can be added.

Tim

According to tclederman, you'll be out of luck on the bell housing from my old rust mountain because it had the 4 speed tranny.

oldblue, could you drill and tap a hole for the pin? I think that woud be more secure than using JB Weld. Mike

Sorry, I was not clear with my response. I think the 4-speed bell-housing had the hole but no pin - but I could easily be wrong.

irwin arnstein - on the driver's side of your 4-speed bell-housing is there a hole for the shift-linkage pivot pin? If not, then one would have to be drilled out (as suggested by slomoe).

Tim

i don't have it here, but I can check if its still available.

Thanks for all the info.

Tim, I never thought of the 4 speed. Irwin, if you wouldn't mind checking on the availability of your old bell housing, and if it has the hole or even the pin. I would really appreciate it.

As for mine. I do not have a drill press. It is one of the things I really want - but keep my eye in the classifieds to find a used one.

Does anyone know - if I get the hole drilled in my housing can the old pin be pulled out for use in the this new housing? And how to do it.

I got a drill press, I bet we can make it work.

http://www.chevytalk.com/cgi-local/...on=on&db_id=7464&query=retrieval
Maybe?