Cheap Ass 302 adapter for the uniformed

[snailwagon]

Maybe someone in this corner of mud is in the know. I am getting ready to throw an engine into one of my 55's. It currently has no engine, AA adapter bellhousing for a sbc to LC 4spd. Laying in the yard, not being used is a very nice 302 bolted to a LC 3spd transmission. I could throw the whole thing with the 3spd into the 55, but I hate the 3spd. It may not be hardcore because this cruiser won't see much dirt or mud, but I guess it isn't the norm.
To complicate it, I am relatively low on funds.

Now to adapt the 302 into the cruiser, I could a) buy mark's $1000 adapter kit for the 4spd LC trans, b) use a $450 kit and buy a c6 for the 302-c6-np203-lc case combo (already have a 203) or c) just buy an SBC and bolt it up to the AA adapter. As much as I'd love a 203 doubler, it is not necessary for a street vehicle with 31's. I'd prefer to save it for the 55 I like to smash on rocks.

Of the above ideas, the 350 route is the cheapest. Now for my question. what if i tried another option? 302 to gm transmission adapter plates are pretty cheap (around $200). I already have the ford motor mounts, 302 exhaust suitable for the cruiser, the proper flywheel and clutch for a cruiser trans to a 302, and the 302. Would a 302 to gm trans adapter plate work for adapting the AA adapter bellhousing/4spd combo to a 302? I really want to see how this little ford engine does on the road, its a nice little 1969 mexican block with cleveland heads.

 

[Mace]

use the 302/3 speed tranny bellhousing to a SM420..

Then a $200 adapter between the sm420 and the 3 speed tcase.

 

[Gumby]

Put the 302/c6/np203grb/t-case in the crawler and put a 350 in the street.

Sell the 3 speed adapter to help pay for the project.

 

[Mace]

302/c6/203/splittcase is not a bolt together deal. it takes fab work..

 

[Gumby]

302/c6/203/splittcase is not a bolt together deal. it takes fab work..

You mean mounts, drive shafts, linkage, etc. or is it different from a TH400/203/cruiser tcase?

 

[Mace]

It is different.

The only split tcase adapter out there is designed for a GM 203, not a ford 203 (slight differences in the bolt pattern between the two to make up the difference between DS drop and PS drop) So, what you have to do is actually get a GM 203 and plug all of the original tranny side bolt holes and redrill the pattern for a ford 6" round pattern. And then run a ford 31 spline input on the chevy 203..

It is not overly complicated, but in the end you basically have to buy a $500 adapter (203/splittcase) and then at least 2 203's (ferd and chevy and the ferd ones are getting hard to find) to get the parts you need.

It is a PITA

 

[snailwagon]

The reason to consider the toy 4spd or the c6 was strictly for road manners. The cruiser 4spd is more of a car than a truck tranny. I've driven an sm420 and it is not something that I'd like in a potential daily driver, but it is a dirt cheap option. The 3spd to 302 adapter is just a 1/2" aluminum spacer that goes between a stock ford bellhousing and a 3spd trans, might be able to squeeze $75 out of it.

My logic behind using a 302-GM trans adapter plate, which is just a 1/4" piece of Al, was that it may work together. This is based on my assumption that an AA sbc bellhousing-L/C 4spd was dimensionally the same as a gm-trans. (not length or spline). If this was true, an adapter for a GM trans may work fine with the AA bellhousing. One reason for using the 302, which I did not mention earlier, is that it is covered in the proper smog equipment for plugging into the 1977 fj55.

The pig with dents runs the ole' mighty f145, and is very reliable, so I'm not in a big hurry to throw that out.

 

[Mace]

You have a tcase for the c6 othere than the 203?

 

[snailwagon]

Nope, nothing but cruiser cases, also, no split cases. Just a 4spd, 3spd, and a transition case. I do also have a 350 gm auto trans from a gm4x4. I was hoping to get away with less than $500 in adapters and such, and I am not going to install a centered rear axle into this cruiser.

Are there any other options out there for a t-case with F/R passenger drop?

 

[Mace]

Dana 18..

 

[Mace]

Or Rover LT230
(pricy)

 

[snailwagon]

Is it blasphemous to use a jeep case in a cruiser?

 

[Gumby]

If it is don't tell Woody. He's running a D300.

 

[Mace]

Well, my cruiser is toyota, ford, chevy, international harvester, dodge but I did remove the jeep part I had..

You do what you need to, to get things accomplished..

 

[hobiesbestfriend]

So, what knd of Uniform do you wear, and why should it affect what adapter you go with?

 

[snailwagon]

it was supposed to be uninformed, but I only where mcdonald's uniforms, it's my dream job and is very classy.

I'm not 100% sure yet, but I think a ford auto is going in (I can get a low miles trans for free right now). Otherwise, a T19 looks like a viable, affordable option. Since I never paid attention to anything non toyota, the d18 never caught my eye. I'd never buy a jeep, but the dana 18 looks like a pretty good deal with better aftermarket support and is not ruled out as a transfercase option. On the wheeler pig, I think I'd rather have a d18 than a cruiser case due to case contstruction. In another week or two I am going to start piecing thise thing together, but it really looks like $500-600 for a xfer case adapter is going to be in order. The current hold off is waiting for some car clearing paperwork to go through so I can actually claim ownership before I dump $ into it.

 

[Cammy]

I know you don't like the low gear in an SM 420 but my NP 435 to a 3 speed t-case adapter was only $512.00 from AA. If you can do the auto for free plus adapter I say go that route.

 

[MoGas]

I have a Ford T-18 4 speed for sale.....6.35 first gear and I'm pretty sure I also have the bellhousing for a 289/302/351W. I was going to do a 302 or 351 in a CJ but now I have too many kids for a CJ.......You would need to use an adapter to get the LC t-case to bolt up but I think Advance Adapters or Marks has them or you could adapt to a Jeep Dana 18 Tcase easier.

The only difference between the T19 and T18 is a synchronized first gear in the T19.

LMK,
Dave