Help!! Trying to join a t98 and chevy 350 or ford 400

[Wes797]

So I currently have two t98s that were attached to a Ford 292. I also have a 1971 Ford 400 and am having a lot of trouble joining the t98 with the Ford 400. I'd rather join the t98 and a Chevy 350 though. If you have any knowledge of bellhousings or conversions please please tell me this has been a really annoying issue! Thanks, -Wes

[junkyardjeff]

I dont understand why someone would come on a Ford site asking about chevy motors,go to a generic hotrod site and you might have better luck.

[Wes797]

because it is a ford truck and tranny, I also included the possibility of using a ford 400 engine, just added the chevy for extra options, now do you understand? It isnt that complicated.

[junkyardjeff]

Find a 351-M or 400 in a late 70s truck with a manual trans and get the bellhousing,flywheel and clutch parts and you will should be able to bolt the T98 to the 400. Alot of us Ford people do not want to hear about chevy motor swaps so if you want info on those go to those hotrod sites and whats so hard to understand about that.

[85e150six4mtod]

What pattern is on the T98? A square, or a rectangle with a "butterfly" looking cut to the trans mounting surface?

You might be looking at a scatter shield custom drilled for either application. For the Chev, try Advance Adaptors:

http://advanceadapters.com/

You'll probably have to contact them.

The problem you MAY have, is the old square pattern was replaced by the "butterfly" rectangle. An OEM 400 Ford would never have had a square pattern bell, only the butterfly.

Anyway, this is an old trans. Is it in good enough condition to go through all this, when there are millions of GM and Ford transmissions made that will bolt right up? Even if it's new in the factory oil paper, I bet it's not worth the effort and money to adapt.

Feel free to ask any question. I'm considering an early Hemi with a GMC blower into a Ford Taurus cut down into a flatbed.....

[Wes797]

Yea one side the holes are closer together and the other side they are far apart making it look like a sideways butterfly. I have two of these trannys in excellent condition but I also have a square holed bellhousing for the 400 so I might just go out and buy a np435 and try and craigslist the t98's, idk how much they are really worth though.

[85e150six4mtod]

If the pattern is a rectangle and the trans looks like a butterfly, that is the "later model" Ford pattern. (8 1/2" wide by 6 5/16" tall) A square pattern for a 400? Could it be an FMX automatic trans bell? (got a throw out fork gizmo on the driver side?)

Check the pic here:

http://www.davidkeetoploaders.com/imposters.htm

2nd pic down, trans on right is drilled for both patterns.

[Wes797]

Yea it has the throw out arm on it, I got this 400 bellhousing for a junkyard and they said it is for a manuel style tranny. To me the pattern in the bell housing looks very similar to a new process 435 pattern

[Wes797]

oh btw just to clarify, the two T98A's I have are the pattern with the hold on the one side really close together and the other side far apart. They are both off 1961 Ford F-250's with Ford Y-block 292 engines. The truck I own is a 4x4 with a divorced transfer case and the 292 is a little tired and I have a 71' 400 out of a LTD so I thought it would be nice to update the old truck a little.
From what research I've done looks like the T98 wont work with the 400 so I'll need to either buy a T18 or New Process 435 which is fine with me.