Bell Housing Interchange Question

[JerseyHarold]

Will a P-15 bell housing (with the small circular vent holes along the top) interchange with a P-23 ('51-'52) bell housing (square opening in top of housing)?  I have P23's and won't keep it if it doesn't fit my cars.

 

Thanks for any help

 

Harold

Edited February 2, 2020 by JerseyHarold

[plyroadking]

I found that the starter clock position changed at some point between 1940 and 1949. That was the only fitment issue I noticed. Probably kind of difficult to measure while they're in your car.

[wayfarer]

Post up a couple of pics so some comparisons can be made.

[greg g]

If I remember correctly I am using my 46 bell housing on my 56 engine, No issues I recall.

 

[JerseyHarold]

7 hours ago, greg g said:

If I remember correctly I am using my 46 bell housing on my 56 engine, No issues I recall.

Greg,

 

I was thinking along the lines of will the bell housing itself fit a P-23 as far as starter location, rear mounting bolt locations, and clutch fork pivot point.  My cars are in storage so it's tough to make comparisons.  Based on what I've seen/ remember, the starter sits at a different height on the P23.  I've attached a picture of the P15 bell housing I have.

 

[Dodgeb4ya]

Hollander shows starters interchange 1946 thru 1954 for Plymouth cars.

Bell housings same 1946 thru 1954. Excluding HyDrive.

I have a P15 bell housing as I remember in my 52 Belvedere. Works fine after 45 years.

1953 Plymouth bell hosing shown.

Edited November 16, 2020 by Dodgeb4ya

[JerseyHarold]

43 minutes ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

Hollander shows starters interchange 1946 thru 1954 for Plymouth cars.

Bell housings same 1946 thru 1954. Excluding HyDrive.

I have a P15 bell housing as I remember in my 52 Belvedere. Works fine after 45 years.

Glad you confirmed that it will fit; so it's a keeper.

This won't be what my wife wants to hear.....

[Dodgeb4ya]

There is a difference on the P15  bell housing needing the bolt holes to mount the clutch torque shaft pivot plate...cannot remember how the 1949 -52 cars are...I'll have to look...

[Eneto-55]

If I understand what is being said here, the P15 bell-housing has the round vent holes, and the later one has the square vent hole.  (Correct?)  I was wondering which one I have in my 46, because I have a 55 model engine in it - came with the car when I bought it in 1980.  I had a 1st series 49 bell-housing too, but it was apparently stolen out of the trunk of the car while it sat in my parent's back yard for many years.  (My dad stopped some guys who were attempting to steal the whole car once some years ago.  They must have stolen any cast iron that was loose, because some of my brother's parts were also missing from the trunk of a 51 Plymouth he had there.)

[Dodgeb4ya]

I looked in the 1953 MoPar Master Parts book and it lists 1942 to 1953 std 3 speed bell housings under the same part number so the venting can be several small round vents or a big rectangular top vent..just early and late slight design differences.

[DJ194950]

4 hours ago, JerseyHarold said:

Glad you confirmed that it will fit; so it's a keeper.

This won't be what my wife wants to hear.....

dj

 

Maybe if you take it out of storage in the house oven and put it outside or such she may not care much??

 

 

[derbydad276]

I'm guessing this is the bell housing  I need to use the Ashe adapter to mount a 833 

[Dodgeb4ya]

On 2/4/2020 at 6:31 PM, Eneto-55 said:

If I understand what is being said here, the P15 bell-housing has the round vent holes, and the later one has the square vent hole.  (Correct?)  I was wondering which one I have in my 46, because I have a 55 model engine in it - came with the car when I bought it in 1980.  I had a 1st series 49 bell-housing too, but it was apparently stolen out of the trunk of the car while it sat in my parent's back yard for many years.  (My dad stopped some guys who were attempting to steal the whole car once some years ago.  They must have stolen any cast iron that was loose, because some of my brother's parts were also missing from the trunk of a 51 Plymouth he had there.)

Your P15 must have the up to 1948  bell housing with the four round hole vents.

This 1942-1948  housing has two drilled  5/16" X 18 tpi threaded holes to mount the clutch torque shaft pivot bracket.

1949 and later bell housings with the top big rectangular vent don't have those two left side drilled/tapped holes.

This is because the pivot shaft bracket is mounted to the underside of the bell housing via a plate bracket on the 1949 and later Plymouth bell housings.

I think Hollander and the parts books are wrong on saying all 1942 thru 53 housings are interchangable.

You can use a 1942-48  "early style" bell housing on 1949 and up Plymouths but you cannot use a 1949 and later bell housing on a 1942 thru 48 plymouth.

Edited November 16, 2020 by Dodgeb4ya

[Dodgeb4ya]

1 hour ago, DJ194950 said:

dj

 

Maybe if you take it out of storage in the house oven and put it outside or such she may not care much??

 

 

The P15 bell housing will work on the 1949 and later Plymouths for sure.