1949 Fluid Drive onto '52 Truck engine?

[maddmaxx1949]

Hey all, first time posting on the forum.  Bought a '49 coronet basket case as my first car and I have some questions. The engine that came with it was in pieces and I had a spare running '52 truck engine lying around so I was planning on using  the '52 truck 230 instead of the stock 218. Is the 3 speed standard transmission just plug and play if I use the correct belhousing? or does it need modification?

[Merle Coggins]

I believe your Coronet would have a 230 engine. Have you verified the truck engines CID? 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks used the 218. Only the 1 ton trucks used the 230. If the truck engine is a 230 it should adapt to your car's bell housing and Fluid Drive without any issues. Does the car have a 3 speed, or is it Gyro-Matic?  

Edited June 16, 2020 by Merle Coggins

[maddmaxx1949]

I do believe you are right it is a 230. and the truck is a 218.Had my engines confused there. Got way too many sitting in the barn to keep track of. Is there any other major differences between the two besides stroke length? and it is a standard 3 speed. 

 

[Merle Coggins]

The 218 truck engine may only have a 4 bolt crank flange that wouldn’t work if you have Fluid Drive on the car. The truck bell housing and 3 speed are different than those used in the cars. 

[maddmaxx1949]

I'm pulling the transmission and bellhousing on the truck engine today. I'll look and see once I get them off.

 

Update. Pulled the flywheel and I have all 8 bolt holes on the crank. Fluid Drive fit right on. Need to get a new clutch disc and some more nuts for the fluid drive as I only had six from the original flywheel and the 3 speed has a different shaft size than the transmission I had on. I'd upload some pictures but I'm still trying to figure that out.

 

Update Update: Dont have the right size disc lying around but I did find what looks to be the correct 9" pressure plate. Going to have to see if I can find some along with the some mounting bolts at the local parts store. My guess is that I'll be able to bolt it all together this week and test it out. Its currently sitting on the truck frame so I will need to weld a makeshift mount for the car bellhousing since they are not the same. Side note if any one can point me to a good transmssion Identifying link based of looks and cast numbers I would appreciate it.

 

Edited June 18, 2020 by maddmaxx1949
added photos

[maddmaxx1949]

Well sourcing out a clutch disc for these is proving more difficult than I thought. I see them on Bernbaums but putting over 100 bucks in just for a disc seems a little much to me right now. Is there any place else y'all get aftermarket discs or is that pretty much the only game in town? 

[58prostreet]

Don Coatney used to recommend Tennessee Clutch in Nashville, TN> Phone 615 242 4163.  He spoke highly of them and I would trust his recommendation. 

[maddmaxx1949]

I'll give them a look Thanks!

[kencombs]

Try eBay for a disk.  I've found several parts there.  I bought  a 23 spline, 10" to use with the original pressure plate to adapt an A833 to my 230/56 1/2T.  less than 25 bucks shipped. 

 

[plymouthcranbrook]

I bought my clutch assembly from Then and Now in Ma.  The have a web site and are pretty well known. I got mine about fifteen years ago so I don’t know current prices but I am happy with the results I got.

[maddmaxx1949]

Got a clutch coming from Tennessee. Not sure who I talked to but dang what a good experience. And for about half the cost I was expecting. In the meantime I'm going to start a thread for the entire car rebuild. It's my first time delving into something like this and I'm pretty excited. I've only ever worked on the flat 6 engines hardly on the rest of the trucks and cars besides brakes. 

 

I'll update this one once I get the trans bolted on.

 

 

[maddmaxx1949]

While I'm on the same subject of the driveline and waiting on the clutch disk to arrive, I'm going to convert this to a traditional U joint shaft instead of the ball and trunion driveshaft. I don't have one any ways and the traditional driveshafts can be had pretty cheap. I ran across a thread mentioning the Spicer 2-2-349 adapter and was curious to know if this would work with my transmission or if anyone had used them for theirs as well?  Biggest concern for me is will it fit inside the flange. The bolt to bolt numbers look close enough to me to be attributed to human error. http://www.northerndrivetrain.com/product/SPI-2-2-349.html is where I found the dimensions for the adapter.

 

ID of the flange ~ 3.339"

Bolt to Bolt (center to center) -  2.175"

Bolt to Bolt (center to center) -  1.840"

 

 

[DJ194950]

Parts used by a former forum member, with these perhaps you can do a web search for pictures using the part #'s listed?

Also check his website where his rebuild of a old mopar is documented . Very interesting!   http://www.oldwillysforum.com/Plymouth/02-hom/home.html

 

 

DJ

 

 

[maddmaxx1949]

Ordered the Spicer 2-2-349. Should be here by Thursday or so about 100$ for a pair of them which to me isn't bad. I can then have a driveline shop fab a traditional driveshaft as opposed to frankensteining/finding and rebuilding an old one. Still waiting on that clutch disk to come in likely tomorrow. Will update once everythings arrived. Thanks DJ for that link. awesome project and documentation on that site.

[maddmaxx1949]

Clutch came in along with the Spicer conversions. Like a kid on Christmas when I got them on the porch this afternoon. New disk fits like a glove. Definitely recommending those guys at Tennessee clutch in the future. Couple of other questions arose when I went to put it together. And the Spicer 2-2-349 fit great. So for future member searches. The Spicer 2-2-349 works with a conventional 3-speed from a 1949 Dodge Coronet. 

 

1.) the Runner Bushing (looks like a pilot bushing they might be the same thing) inside the fluid drive, is that an easily replaceable part? or should I just leave 'er as is and send it?

 

2.) My pressure plate has a some grooving in it. Is this worth a rebuild or again just send it? 

 

 

These questions aside I don't see any additional issues arising from putting the fluid drive onto the 218. So long as the corresponding crank with bolt on to the fluid drive unit and one has the proper bellhousing. I appreciate all the input and help with this!

 

 

Edited June 24, 2020 by maddmaxx1949

[maddmaxx1949]

Well, new pilot bushing I picked up from Napa was too big so since the old ones still in there I'm just going to use it. Will finally have everything bolted in tomorrow for the final confirmation.

[maddmaxx1949]

Final update, everything was put together and fit nicely. Was able to run the engine and check the transmission with everything out of the car. One issue I ran into was the bolts on the block going into the bellhousing were too long and actually bottomed out against the fluid drive coupling, so much so the motor was stuck. didnt know until I pulled everything back apart. Shorter bolts in and everythings good. Thanks everyone for the help!