Will a 2892513 Aluminum Bellhousing work with my 440 69RR?

[Rocket]

I just bought the trans, bell, flywheel, shifter, etc from a 70 383 Road Runner and wanted to know if it would work with my 69 Road Runner. I don't see any reason it wouldn't and the aluminum bell is kinda cool. Will it work?

 

[mcmopar]

The 69 and 70 use different flywheels (11" for 69, 10.5" for 70) but since you have the bellhousing and flywheel it seems to me it might work. The only concern I would have is mounting the starter. My Lakewood safety bellhousing has 2 different sets of mounting holes for the starter bolts - 1 set for the 11" clutch and another set for the 10.5" clutch.

 

[6R9Runner]

Make sure the threaded holes are TOP NOTCH and bolt it tight. I've seen what can happen to a cast housing if it develops a vibration from loose bolts.

Also, the shop manual recommends to check the centerline of the input bearing retainer in relation to the crank. There are offset dowels made for the purpose of alignment.

 

[Basketcase]

yikes!

 

[mcmopar]

Make sure the threaded holes are TOP NOTCH and bolt it tight. I've seen what can happen to a cast housing if it develops a vibration from loose bolts.

Also, the shop manual recommends to check the centerline of the input bearing retainer in relation to the crank. There are offset dowels made for the purpose of alignment.

If I didn't know better I'd say that pic was of my stock cast iron bellhousing after my little incident at the drag strip - but it's the wrong color. Hence the use of a Lakewood hydrformed safety bellhousing.

 

[6R9Runner]

Hey mcmopar, were there any fit issues with the Lakewood bellhousing? i.e. 11" clutch, z-bar etc...

 

[mcmopar]

No issues with fit on the mechanical parts you described. Plus, you can use the 10.5" flywheel and clutch because there are starter mounting locations for that setup also. The only thing that didn't fit well with the Lakewood bellhousing was the tti headers. I had to cut and trim the bellhousing a bit to get them to clear. That was a lot of fun using only a Dremel! Used a LOT of discs. If you are running tti 1-7/8" headers let me know and I'll send you a pic with dimensions to show you what needs to come off and where.

 

[6R9Runner]

Is a 10.5" clutch the preferred replacement for an 11"? Which clutch did you use? BTW my 383 is still sporting stock exhaust manifolds so no worries in that department, but thanks anyhow.

 

[mcmopar]

I stuck with the 11" clutch. I'm using a Ram diaghram pressure plate and a Ram disc. The pressure plate is gold in color (indicating one of the certain type models I assume) and was in the car when I got it. I had gone with a Hays unit when I rebuilt the car in '03 but when I broke the car at the strip (long story - not pretty) I replaced the flywheel with a Centerforce sfi rated forged steel model. The instructions said there was no need to have it surfaced so I didn't - and shortly thereafter it started slipping. So I had the Ram pressure plate rebuilt here locally, bought a new disc and had the flywheel surfaced. It works so much better than the Hays Long style pressure plate (3 finger) I was using before this one and the Ram pp is thinner than the Hays unit making clutch adjustments on the clutch rod a whole lot easier. I'm making some good power out of my setup and it hasn't failed to hold yet.
The 383 was the only big block using the 11" clutch in '69 if I remember correctly. Not exactly sure why, unless it had to do with getting the car moving with the smaller inch big block engine. In 1970 they went with the 10.5" unit which, if I remember correctly, was actually a 10.95" scalloped unit. I'm not quite sure about that, though. At any rate, I'd stay with the stock size clutch just to make sure everything else fits up. And as for what manufacturer, well, there are a lot of good ones out there but the Ram products have been good to me so far.