350 Adapter Question

[NikP]

I just joined the ranks of fj40 owners. I bought a '75 and it looks liked the previous owner kludged his own Chevy-to-Toyota adapter plate. He appears to have installed his own homemade plate on the back of a standard GM bellhousing.

It appears the transmission is about 4-5 inches forward of its normal stock position.

Question: With a Downey or Advanced Adapters is the transmission forward of it's stock position as well?

It's causing a problem since the shift lever hits the heater in first and third. (Actually it doesn't hit it anymore because it's so badly dented that there's now clearance.).

I'm wanting to clean this mess up and would appreciate any help.
Anyone have pictures of a downey or AA adapter installed? I haven't found any yet.

 

[Bret]

There are many posts regarding engine placement and 350 conversions. When you swap the motor out you are starting down a road of compromises, whether they are financial or mechanical. One of those is often moving the engine forward to clear the distributor and provide enough clearance for cooling. The down side is the shifter hits the heater. Some remove the heater, others bend the shifter, others use a different tranny.

The other question regarding the home grown bellhousing: If the pilot bearing/transmission input shaft is properly engaged the motor should not move with a commercially available adapter. It will just look a bit more refined.

There are several books available that outline this process, Downey and Advance Adapters come to mind. Both have guides for doing the conversion. You can also search the forums for years of reading.

 

[4x4 Station Wagon]

The answer to your questions is yes. The tranny gets moved forward with all of them except the marks adapter which stays in the same spot. As for your shifter you could remove it, and then heat and bend it to clear the heater perfectly. The good thing is with it the way it is you probably have pretty good firewall clearance yet decent spacing from the front of your fan to the radiator. I agree its ugly but it appears to be working? I have a friend that has been running a home made set up for years. If it really really bothers you then you could take it out and grind on it for a while to clean it up, spray it with some thick paint such as bedliner, change your clutch/throwout bearing while your at it and drive away.... Remember to change it to something else you might be talking moving your motor and transfercase mounts on the frame, and possibly having drivelines that are a bit to long or a bit to short...

 

[4x4 Station Wagon]

Thats what I get for writing long winded messages. Bret you beat me to it.

 

[zebrabeefj40]

Using a Ranger overdrive or underdrive from AA will move the stock trans back to it's stock location too...while putting the motor plenty far away from the firewall. I'm sure if you search for Ranger OD you'll find how it works and fits.

Nick