My questions were asked in a previous thread a few years ago (https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-gear-gap.html) but were never completely resolved, so I'll ask it again. Apologies if I missed it in another thread.

I have a 1952 F1 with a completely rebuilt 215 including a new ring gear. It has been converted to 12 volts. I have been using the original 6v starter, and it worked just fine...until it fried a week ago. I couldn't remember why I didn't upgrade the starter until I could not find a new 12v starter for sale. Mac's sells a new 6v starter for the 215 but not a 12v. So, question #1 is does anyone know where I can buy a 12v starter for a 1952 F1 with a 215?

I took my old starter to a local shop to have it rebuilt and converted to 12v. They said it would be at least 3 weeks for parts to come in. They had one starter there on a shelf that had already been rebuilt and would work. Said he had built it when he was working on a flathead and never used it. It looked just like the old one, so I took it home and installed it. Cranked the engine just fine, but the starter drive would not release. Pulled the starter and found that the bendix/starter drive had over-extended and was now locked and can't retract. I'm certain it over-extended because the first time I went to install it the pinion gear assembly hung up on the ring gear and pushed it back and locked it. This being after the guy at the starter shop warned me not to do this... After he got it to retract I put some tape on it and got it installed.

Question #2 is can anyone provide the dimension from the starter body to the end of the pinion gear on a 215 starter? The thread listed above established that the starter drive should be 4.77" long, but not how far the pinion gear should be from the ring gear when installed. I'm fairly sure the new starter I have would either require shimming or moving the starter drive down the shaft to work, neither of which are good options.

Any help appreciated

Over-extended and locked

 

My memory of converting a 215 starter to 12 volts involved combining the 215 case and Y block 12 starter. Haven't had any problems in 8 years...