VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Mechanical - Engine, Trans, etc Puttin a 261 in a 37 sedan with clutch question

Trying to use the '37 bell housing to retain the stomp start and original 3 sp tranny BUT having probs with the clutch fork. Had to get away from the original finger style clutch and carbon bearing when I had to change the flywheel to match the crank bolt pattern and now I can't find a clutch fork suitable for use with a throwout bearing that will fit in the housing. The newer syle clutch fork "nubs" overshoots the crankshaft centerline by about 3/8" using the original pivot ball location. Patricks who has been my guiding light in this project says he's never heard of this situation but to try it anyway. Well, you know what they say about pioneers ..... them's the ones that gets all the arrows. Surely someone of you have done this conversion and can shed a whole lot of light on my predicament and help me to a successful completion. Thanks in advance for any help.

Use a 1938-1939 flywheel housing. They have a foot operated starter and any newer fork should work.

Hello 37ryan,

The '38 clutch fork should work as the throw out bearing is for the diaphragm style clutch. I think over the years chevrolet had different length throw out bearings for different applications so you should be able to come up with a combination that will work.

All the 6 cylinder throw out bearings were the same length. In the later years the V-8 with higher performance engines had a "thicker" pressure plate and more narrow T.O. bearing.
The later numbr for the 6 was 909422 - sold hundreds of them.

The 38 CAR bellhousing you suggested in a previous reply works! It allows me to bolt up the 37 tranny perfectly to the 261 and use the newer style clutch. However, I CANNOT use the 6v starter because its too long and interferes with the oil dipstick tube. No problem tho because I converted to 12v and had a 168 tooth flywheel. The next step is puttin it in the '37 and seeing if it all meshes