A-833 QUESTION

[bluecuda360]

Can somebody answer this? What difference is there between a small block B/E body 4 speed trans and big block B/E trans? Is it the bearing retainer size?

[72hemi]

The input shaft bearing is larger on the big block 4 speed. There is also a hemi 4 speed that also has an 18 spline input shaft instead of the 23 spline.

[bluecuda360]

Okay, so if the bearing retainer is 4.80 it is strictly for a big block? And if it is 4.30 it a small block?The reason I'm asking is I have a 74' 360 4 speed Cuda.I never had the original trans for it, and the bellhousing that came with the car (in boxes)is for a 72'-73' 318 -340 #3515734 .It has the small retainer size in it.I dragged home a 4 speed it has the 4.80 opening.Is the 74' bellhousing #3743959 a unique piece? If so what is different about it? It looks like I have trans and bellhousing that I cant use,am I correct?Thanks for any help or suggestions!

[Chryco Psycho]

not all big blocks used the bigger retainer , the 74 360 may have used th elarger retainer as well , the set up you have is a mismatch but you could bore the bel out to 4.80or sell it & buy a bel with the 4.80 hole

[bluecuda360]

Thats what I'm hoping is that the 74' bellhousing is a 4.80.I'm trying to locate one,not having much luck.I know its kind of an oddball year.Thanks for the help.

[HP2]

Why don't you just buy a different bearing retainer and swap it. http://www.passionperformance.com/c42.html

[Chryco Psycho]

you can geta a 4.80 retainer to fot the smaller bolt pattern but not the other way there is now way tro fit the the smaller 4.35 reatiner to the 4.80 trans

[bluecuda360]

Yep, the retainer on my trans has the larger bolt circle 4.16 ,cant get the smaller retainer with that bolt circle,like Chryco said.Still searching for that 74' bellhousing to see what that looks like.

[matt63]

When I bought my Lakewood scattershield it came with a spacer ring to accommodate 2 sizes of input bearing OD's.  I don't know if it is sold separately or not but could be made up easy enough if you have the smaller housing.

[Aussie Challenger]

  take your bellhousing to a good machine shop with the front retainer housing and they will machine your bell housing.   

[73EStroker]

I had my 426 Max Wedge bellhousing (cast iron 10-1/2") machined out to fit the OD A833 and it seems fine. The machine shop should have a lathe called a bridgeport lathe. This keeps the bellhousing stationary and the cutting tool turns.

[Jim]

I was about to post a similar question myself when I came across this thread.

I've got a big block 23-spline four speed and I want to (possibly) run it behind a small block. So I just either need to swap to the smaller bearing retainer, or enlarge the bell housing hole, correct?

I'm still exploring engine options on the Cuda.

[71chally416]

If I was going to enlarge the hole in a bellhousing I'd use a Mill, not a Lathe. It has a table to clamp the part down. 

[LAA66]

 Doesn't the bellhousing and trans need to be indexed to the crankshaft also?

[Aussie Challenger]

I was about to post a similar question myself when I came across this thread.

I've got a big block 23-spline four speed and I want to (possibly) run it behind a small block. So I just either need to swap to the smaller bearing retainer, or enlarge the bell housing hole, correct?

I'm still exploring engine options on the Cuda.

 You need to  get hold of a small block bell housing, measure the input retainer dia. on your gearbox and try to find a bell housing with that dia. opening. If you cannot find one and it is smaller then it will have to be machined larger. If retainer is smaller an adaptor/spacer ring will have to be either made by a machine shop or try to find one.