Mention was recently made in other threads of the desireability/advisability of engine mounting lugs on the bellhousing. Looking at the original GT40 parts drawings I do indeed see a mounting lug on the bellhousing. However, looking at the chassis drawings I don't see any place for that lug to attach. The only fastening locations I see are in the vertical plane of the mounting lugs on top of the ZF. I believe that is where the rear subframe bolts on as well. The bellhousing lugs must certainly be several inches forward of that plane, and I can't see what they would bolt to. Can someone clarify this? I have always thought that the GT40 used only the standard engine block mount points and the suspension ears on the ZF. Just trying to understand.
Bellhousing engine mount lugs
- Thread starter daryl adams
- Start date
Daryl,
The issue was brought up by Frank at Wealdon Engineering. He PM'd me about the missing posts. I asked him for more details and I have yet to hear back from him.
Frank??
Mike
The issue was brought up by Frank at Wealdon Engineering. He PM'd me about the missing posts. I asked him for more details and I have yet to hear back from him.
Frank??
Mike
OK Guys, Just having dinner ! will reply later, Frank
Thanks, Frank. Dennis Olthoff is considering an alternate bellhousing for my MKI and I have time to incorporate additional anchorage if it's the right thing to do.
Daryl / Mike. The original GT40 Monocoque had mountings on the bottom of the bellhousing as well as the lugs on the gearbox top plate. The chassis had tubes welded into and through the lower cross beam, and a threaded bar 0.5 inch dia.( nuts both ends ) passed through this tube and the bellhousing, and spacers were made to take up any gap between them. Original pattern GT40 bellhousings are available in the UK, AND ARE BEING USED AS REPLACEMENTS ON ORIGINAL CARS, so they are very accurate. These are available for approximately $1200 plus shipping. I am not sure whether your SPF chassis has the requisit tubes welded into the crossmember, you must check, but you will need to make additional supports for the gearbox, and if the method above is not available then we have fitted an alternative that will. I can E mail pictures of the bellhousings to you, but the file size is too big to post here and I still cannot reduce picture file sizes. Frank
Lynn Larsen
Lynn Larsen
Guys
That particlar bellhousing is also available from Safir GT-40 spares, Ltd.
It uses a 148 tooth flywheel and specific clutch. Apparently McLeod may be tooling up to do these with a mod to use a normal 10.5 clutch.
The other item is starter location. A Special cut out oil pan is needed.
I Should have a prototipe Blowproof housing within the next week using standard 157 tooth flywheel and 10.5 single or double disc clutch.
Being steel it should be easy to fabricate the two crossmember mounts.
We will also have a FE to ZF version soon.
Will post pictures as soon as we get it.
Cheers
Dennis.
That particlar bellhousing is also available from Safir GT-40 spares, Ltd.
It uses a 148 tooth flywheel and specific clutch. Apparently McLeod may be tooling up to do these with a mod to use a normal 10.5 clutch.
The other item is starter location. A Special cut out oil pan is needed.
I Should have a prototipe Blowproof housing within the next week using standard 157 tooth flywheel and 10.5 single or double disc clutch.
Being steel it should be easy to fabricate the two crossmember mounts.
We will also have a FE to ZF version soon.
Will post pictures as soon as we get it.
Cheers
Dennis.
Bringing this thread to the top for the SPF guys and problem some are having with the x-member/ZF top support of the rear horseshoe. The two lower lugs on this bell housing added two further support points to the engine / trans assy, particularly in regard to the weight & torque reaction of larger capacity motors. If the larger Windsor 427 + engines do not have this type then its quite likely for that top x-member to fail especially with some of the larger HP units. The FE427 dry sump motors fitted with T44 in MKII & MKIV both had this provision with lugs on the dry sump pan as well.
Attachments
Seeing the damage done in the other thread, I talked to Mike Trusty and he said he'd fixed his long ago. So, on Saturday, I made up some pieces myself and mounted them.
The bolts on the 'back side' were too long and there was not enough room to thread the 1/2" 20 bolts into the thread insert, so I had to put shorter bolts in for the rear clip frame and the A-arm mount.
But it's all done now. I checked that my cross bar was OK and I could see no damage. I bolted the new pieces on as the motor and transaxle were sitting already. Loosening the famous three bolts on the motor mounts to the frame did nothing, so there was no apparent bind.
Pics attached.
FWIW,
Kirby
The bolts on the 'back side' were too long and there was not enough room to thread the 1/2" 20 bolts into the thread insert, so I had to put shorter bolts in for the rear clip frame and the A-arm mount.
But it's all done now. I checked that my cross bar was OK and I could see no damage. I bolted the new pieces on as the motor and transaxle were sitting already. Loosening the famous three bolts on the motor mounts to the frame did nothing, so there was no apparent bind.
Pics attached.
FWIW,
Kirby
Attachments
Solid mounted. I had a problem with the third bolt not being in the motor mount some time ago and the part that goes to the chassis was cracked.
I think the name of the thread was something like 'Why my motor went clunk, clunk, clunk'...
At the same time, I converted the rubber motor mounts to solid. The upper ZF mounts still have what looks like polyurethane bushings. Maybe I should change those as well....
But the motor is solidly mounted everywhere else now.
Regards,
Kirby
I think I would leave the ZF mounts with the poly bushings, when you have what is effectively a 3 point or 5 point if you like setup it does not hurt to have a bit of compliance in one set- in your case the ZF top cover area. When we did motor plate mounts in Trans Am space frame type cars- plate front/rear of block it was easier on the transmission case to soft mount the extension housing and allow a bit of movement.
