I'm planning on pulling the 239 out of my '52 Panel this weekend. This is the first time that I'd be pulling a 239. I don't want to screw anything up. Is there anything that I should be looking out for?? I want to keep the transmission inside. Is that possible or do I need to pull it too?

Lastly, my truck is a 3 speed on the column. After pulling the flathead, I'm planning to transplant a 215 back into it. Is the bell housing on the flathead the same as on the 215? Are the bell housings different between 52 and 53 model years? Will I be able to simply drop the 215 in and not worry about the bell housing, pressure plate and tranny?

This is the current bell housing on my 215. It's out of a '53 Ford Crestline. Will I be able to attach my current truck transmission to this bell housing?



Thanks, Ilya

 

I have a 215 in my '53 F-100. I also have a 215 out of a '52 F-1. I bought the engine/tranny for parts. There are several differences between the two. The '52 had the front motor mounts cast into the timing cover. The mount on my '53 bolts onto the timing cover. Yours looks like it has the side mounts. It came out of a car, right? Also, the tranny had a different bellhousing. My '53 bellhousing looks a little different since mine has the rear motor/tranny mounts cast in. I think the rear mount on cars was on the tranny itself. The '52 tranny had a different bellhousing. Here are some pictures of my '53 215: Engine rebuild

... and the tranny: Overdrive Restoration

Some more pictures: '52 215 and tranny

If you need the timing cover, I'd swap the one off the '52 215 for the one on your '53 215. Not sure what the tranny in your panel looks like. If it's like the one on my '52 215, it should bolt up.

Hope this helps!



Kevin
1953 Ford F-100
Go Illini

 

Kevin,

I have three 215 engines. One is out of a '52 truck, but has a broken bellhousing and the block is cracked in two places where the bellhousing would mount. The other two are out of a '53 model. I have a 215 out of a '53 truck and a 215 out of a '53 car.

Yes, the engine pictured in my post is out of a car. I was going to switch out the timing chain covers from the '52 truck 215 that I already have. I don't need the motor mount that's currently on the spare '53 215 engine. I'll trade you for the motor mount from your '52.

I'm still confused about the bellhousings. I guess when I get into the job, I'll be able to see if the 215 will just bolt up to the tranny. I'll definitely refer to your website and will likely ask more questions here.

Let me know on the trade through PM.

Ilya

 

Maybe by now you've gotten your answer, but I don't think you can bolt up the 6 where the V8 was. But I'm not familiar with the 53 V8 bellhousings; were they a hogs-head arrangement like 48-52 trucks, but with some lugs for the mounts? I think the 52 V8 tranny would have a partial circular bellhousing on the front of it (integral) whereas your 6 doesn't.