wayfarer

I was NOT critizing anyone's work but I do question methods and (cap)abilities...perhaps that is the engineering career side of my brain. Your question has been asked and answered many times and it would 'appear' that each new query has the expectation of a paint-by-number answer/approach. If you are the builder then you need to evaulate where the frames are closest to being in the same place and then figure out how to blend them in a safe and structurally sound fashion.

Is the new trans a 46 RH or 46 RE ?

...just my opinion, and not meant to pick on you but............if you have to ask then you probably are not up to the task.....

There is plenty of swap info on this site if you take the time to search. here is one...

Please do not beat on that 'ol horse anymore...shes getting tired. If you want photos of a late 5-speed swap, look at my web pages. The AX15 and NV series will both require similar install.

Hopefully, with whatever adapter package is chosen, the starter/flexplate/flywheel issue is covered......? There is still -1- of the oem adapters listed on ebay.........

Greg nailed it.

^^^^^what they say............The E body axle assembly will be more difficult to find so consider other options. That said, I do have a housing for sale if you want to go that route but the rest of the parts will exceed the cost of the Explorer unit. See my web pages for some axle dimensions.

Not exactly. If you stay clear of the mentioned Plymouth wheels then there will be no issues with starter-flywheel-bellhousings. Because the crank flange is 'shorter', using a 218 wheel on a 230 crank will set the ring gear deeper into the bell and thus require the machine work Don shows in the photo for the starter to properly engage.. The face of the small Plymouth crank flange sits right at 1.00" from the face of the block. All other L6 and V8, prior to 1962 (except for the slant-6) measure 1.185". These numbers will vary slightly due to the clearance on the thrust main and whether the crank is then positioned fore, aft, or somewhere in between when measured.

The flywheel issue is related to the crankshaft. The Plymouth 23" 201-208-218 does indeed use a flywheel that is different from all others due to the amount of flange projection as measured from the block. The magic number is 0.185" shorter than a 230 for example. Flywheel ring gear tooth count changed for the 1957 model year from 146 to 172. I have seen/found the 146 used in later L6 installations however. Flywheels bolt patterns used 4, 6 and 8 bolts all on the same bolt circle so all will fit on an 8-bolt crank.

Back to Fastenal. I recently boxed up a rebuilt 330 and shipped it to a customer in the SF bay area.....less that $200........ 2-sheets of OSB, 4-2x4's , a used pallet, a tube of construction adhesive and a hand full of screws.......... I built the same box and shipped an engine to a customer near Detroit for about $300. It simply doesn't get any cheaper. And, if you are thinking of a v-8 for your '50 then you'll need to check this out https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/lookey-what-i-got-for-a-project-hyfire-poly.360864/

As said, take the time to clean everything before throwing it away, especially since you say it is difficult to find one. As to finding a 'poly' ask around , and don't forget that Fastenal ships small pallets very inexpensively...

Certainly is 'feasible' but, will it be practical? The engine is quite heavy and you will only have a single attachment point remaining at the front. You will need 'something' to hang the engine from.

...if you need a spare frame to work with I just happen to have one...along with the sheetmetal of course..... Best bet is to do some serious measuring before picking up the sawzall.

Craigslist is a good place to run an ad and at $5 about as cheap as you can get. Warning: you will not get alot of money for the car. Given your circumstances, I certainly appreciate your selling and moving on. .

...looks like something you should own.....

Pat McGuire makes an adapter for the gm stuff. Keep in mind that alot of stuff get changed/removed/modified when you get rid of the oem bellhousing/trans. When you see Pat's gm adapter prices the TorqueFlite adapters (ebay pieces or mine) will look pretty good. The one (2?) on ebay are truly unique pieces and are normally found on airport tugs from the 'old' days. If I wasn't trying to reduce inventory I'd buy both in a heart beat.

Anything but the 208-218 wheel. Just count the teeth to match what you need, 146 v 172.

Correct on the crank flange being the issue. The flywheels should not be mixed due to a 0.185" difference in crank flange projection. The flywheel was modified so that the bellhousings will swap. As to clutch, it does not care what flywheel it is bolted to..... The 146 tooth wheel was used on everything into the 56 model and the 172 appeared in 57. The are plenty of L6 that kept the 146 until 60 so check application. Also, keep in mind that all L6 and v8 used the same crank flange design until 60 (last year for pass car L6) and 61 (last year for v8, big changes in 62). Plenty of B&RB truck engines with 6-bolt wheels that fit the flange.

Just recently had a need to strip some mighty thick paint from some steel parts and found all of the 'new' formulas at Home Depot and Lowes. The new stuff did, finally, cut through but not as fast as the good-old-stuff. No doubt it would have been faster had the paint not been a inch thick....

Tight engine compartment. I looked under the hood of the truck in my avatar and, did I mention that it looked tight...at least to my eyes. I also know that many swap have been done and, long ago, saw pics of an EarlyHemi install, so you do have options. The real question is what do your long range plans include?

None of the 'exploded' views show any preference for the PF.

"nothing has been done" "ran about 30 years ago" "needs to be sleeved" ...the very first thing that you need to do is sonic check the cylinder walls for thickness. ...the very first. The internet is full of keyboard experts who regurgitate everything they hear, whether fact or fiction, and the amount of allowable overbore is a favorite subject. Having played with these old things for the better part of four decades I can state that I have found no constant, every block varies and until you know how much wall you have you do not 'know' what you will be able to do with it.

Much will depend on your intended use of the car. If you really plan to drive it 'everywhere' then some consideration must be made to being able to maintain a safe drive at, presumably, freeway speeds. This could be as simple as changing to radial tires (with newer wheels) or changing the rear gears to a more engine friendly number. Yeah, I certainly consider disc brakes; keeping up to speed is only half of the equation.... There can be a long list of other 'creature comfort' items based soley on your needs/wants.

...interesting ......certainly easy enough box to obtain these days.