I currently have this sweet Ansen bell housing (scatter shield) that is pretty old. I was going to use it to mount my SM465 to the 350 I have. Well, I ran into a problem. The hole that the tranny fits into is too small. So I have concluded that it is too old for my application. A 420 would work, but I already have the adapter for a SM465 to my LC t-case.
So my question is this, can you just throw the bell housing that I have on a CNC mill and cut the hole bigger to fit the SM465? I imagine that you cannot because of the mounting point of the clutch arm, but I had to ask. I have access to a CNC mill, so that would not be a problem. Thanks in advance.

Somebody has to know the answer to this one. It can't be too tough.

I split the difference in size when I mated a SM465 to my Pontiac engine. As I recall, the stock BOP Bellhousing was 4.875" and the "retainer" (front snout of 465) was 5.125" I ended up boring the steel bellhousing out to 5", and turned the retainer down to 5". Has been working great for about 4 years now.Going past 5" on the bellhousing was going to get close to the pivot stud as you mentioned:smokin:

Well, it looks like I couldn't do what you mentioned weps. The retainer measures 5.124" and the bolts that hold it on are touching the outside part of it. The hole in the bell housing measures 4.688". So I would need to open the hole up quite a bit and end up running into the pivot stud. Oh well, I guess I will just have to find a cast iron bell housing that works with the 465. Unless someone else has another idea.

i have a 465 bell with a 420, there is a gap but i dont see a problem, although that has nothing to do with your question, lol, 465 bells are a dime a dozen though, jiMMy

Jimmy, I am finding that aluminum ones are, but cast iron ones are not. Also, if someone does have a cast one, they are very proud of it.

Originally posted by ouibus
Well, it looks like I couldn't do what you mentioned weps. The retainer measures 5.124" and the bolts that hold it on are touching the outside part of it. The hole in the bell housing measures 4.688". So I would need to open the hole up quite a bit and end up running into the pivot stud. Oh well, I guess I will just have to find a cast iron bell housing that works with the 465. Unless someone else has another idea.

Why not use allen head bolts or something similar with a smaller head? Or you could always put those bolts in after you have attached the scatter sheild. You wouldn't be able to remove the tranny without removing the scattersheild, but it could be done. You could also cut notches for the bolts. As long as they don't affect the bearing retainer centering in the bellhousing it won't hurt anything.

Originally posted by ouibus
Jimmy, I am finding that aluminum ones are, but cast iron ones are not. Also, if someone does have a cast one, they are very proud of it. good call, i run an aluminum one on my turd

On my cast iron bell housing and SM465 setup the bottom two trans bolts screw into the trans from the inside of the bell housing.

70 K5, that is how I have seen some of the SM465 bell housings, but my tranny does not have threaded holes in it. They are are just drilled straight through.

Grandpa Jeep, that is a good idea on using the smaller headed allen bolts, but if I do turn down the bearing retainer, I will lose the area on the outside of the bolt hole. So basically the bolt hole will be open on one side. I will take a look at it tomorrow, and see if the smaller bolts will fit.