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From: Paul D Hoffmeyer
Email: [email protected]
Remote Name: 206.191.194.248
Date: November 26, 2002
Time: 00:26:40
The '51-'53 331" Hemi came with a regular bellhousing bolted to the rear of the block extention. This made an extra long housing that enclosed the fluid coupling or torque converter, whichever the vehicle was equipped with, and the clutch assembly. This combination housing is the same length as the one piece bellhousing that came with manual transmissions on '53 to '55 or '56 Dodge V8 cars, '55 Plymouth V8's, '55 DeSoto V8's, and Chryslers, if there were any sold with manuals. These setups used a 6 or 7 inch long sleeve behind the throwout bearing to take up the extra length. Back in the sixties, I had a '51 Dodge sedan with a '51 Chrysler Hemi, Fluid Drive and overdrive. I took a regular 3 speed Fluid Drive tranny and a Plymouth overdrive tranny and swapped the front shafts. Had a homemade floor shift conversion with an on-off switch taped to the shift lever for the overdrive solenoid. By using second over as well as the other gears, I had 5 effective ratios. There were a very few late '53 or early '54 Chryslers with the long bell block used with the then-new 2 speed Powerflight. This was done with the use of an almost flat aluminum adapter plate between the extended block and the Powerflight case. Cast iron Torqueflights would bolt up, also. Unfortunately, I have only seen one of those adapter plates and that was 35 years ago. Last time I looked in his barn it was gone and he has gone to his reward. The old M-6 hydraulic-electric semi-automatic tranny was the most common thing bolted to the rear of the combination housing. Very dependable and stout, but no drag race king. Hope this info is useful. Paul H
