Aluminium bell housing

[2cams70]

If you need a longer input shaft on a Ford 2000E four speed gearbox as fitted to the Elan the one from an early Ford Capri (Mercury in the US) model with the 1.6L OHV GT (or 2V for 2 venturi carburettor!) engine will fit and has the correct number of teeth. Note it has to be a GT tune pushrod motor identifiable by having factory exhaust extractors and 2 barrel Weber carburettor as only Capri models with this engine had the close ratio gear set.

It is not possible to tell externally from the gearbox whether or not it has a close ratio gear set. You need to remove the top cover and count teeth. Unlike the 3 rail 2000E this gearbox is single rail but all the internal components except for the selector mechanism and mainshaft are interchangeable with the 2000E.

Ford models with Pinto OHC engines in the UK and Australia all had a larger 4 speed single rail gearbox that is a different family and shares nothing in common with the 2000E. Not sure about the US ? perhaps the smaller 1.6L Pinto was available with the smaller single rail box??

Many years ago it was still possible to find these in wrecking yards but maybe a bit of a struggle now although specialists may still have them.

Escort/Cortina/Elan all had the short length input shaft. The Capri was the exception with the longer one.

[nmauduit]

Thank you 2cams70, useful tip - I'm presently in Europe, I'll dig along that line when times come to assemble the gearbox, though I'd rather try to keep things as close to stock as possible, so that I can mix and match parts more easily down the road (so I will check first if there is a way to use the bell with a stock gearbox input shaft : if it's indeed only 6mm more rearward, maybe just turning an ad'hoc adapter for crankshaft centering would be enough to fit a stock input shaft 2000E/close ratio gearbox).

[rgh0]

The 5 speed Lotus boxes in the Plus 2 used a bearing mounted in a carrier that pressed into the flywheel centre hole rather than in the crank end due to the shorter inlet shaft versus the bell housing. You could do something similar with this bell housing

cheers
Rohan

[nmauduit]

The 5 speed Lotus boxes in the Plus 2 used a bearing mounted in a carrier that pressed into the flywheel centre hole rather than in the crank end due to the shorter inlet shaft versus the bell housing. You could do something similar with this bell housing

cheers
Rohan

Hello Rohan,

yes, for the Lotus 5 speed conversion of my street S4 I did something like that (actually to fitting 2 needle bearings back to back instead of one IIRC), so far it held...

What's your take on bellhousing structural strength requirements : is it something I should worry about with a torquey race engine (yet to be built, but I'm accumulating parts for a racer project) ? or even of milling a bit the bell face to get closer to specs ?

[rgh0]

I would not think the bell housing would be a problem with a competition 1600 twink. Bell housings due to their large diameter are not heavily stressed. The torque reaction is carried through the gearbox shafts to the engine mounts

If you machine down the end flanges of the bell housing to shorten its overall length just need be careful they do not get to thin and enough thread left where bolts screw into the actual flange. if you do this, backing up under any bolts with large shaped washers to spread the load on the thinner flanges would be desirable.

cheers
Rohan

[Davidb]

I have resurrected this old thread because I finally acquired one of these aluminum bellhousings as suggested by Vic.

Unfortunately, it requires the use of a three bolt starter! Otherwise it appears to fit fine. Since my Elan has a near new Tilton Superstarter I am unwilling to change it.

So, two questions-

Does anybody want to buy this aluminum bellhousing?

Does anybody have a magnesium bellhousing they want to sell?

[2cams70]

Unfortunately, it requires the use of a three bolt starter!

On the Cortina/Escort series bell housings early bell housings were 2 bolt and later ones where 3 bolt. You could still use a later 3 bolt starter on an earlier 2 bolt housing without having to change anything. The 3rd hole on the starter bracket is just left unused. In other words it's probably still worth offering up your existing starter to the new housing and seeing how things look. You may find it fits OK.

[Davidb]

2Cams: No two of the bolt holes line up. It is for somebody with a three bolt starter.

Anybody wanna sell a magnesium bellhousing?

[2cams70]

No two of the bolt holes line up. It is for somebody with a three bolt starter.

I'm no expert in American Fords but a part number beginning in D12A.... (as it does on your bellhousing) is not a European Ford part number but rather an American Ford one. I suspect therefore that it isn't from a Mercury Capri which is based on a European Ford Capri but rather an American Ford Pinto or an American 2.3L Pinto engined Ford Mustang (most likely it's ex - Mustang)

It's therefore probably configured for a starter motor unique to the American market rather than the Lucas or Bosch starters used elsewhere where 2 and 3 bolt starters can be interchanged. It's possibly for an Autolite starter but I'm not sure.

So called "high torque" starters are usually based on a current production starter used in more modern cars but with a special custom made mounting bracket and pinion gear to adapt it to older cars. They are usually a modular construction so parts can be interchanged. You may not need a complete new high torque starter therefore - it may only need the mounting bracket part replaced.

Suggest you do a bit more research regarding the car that bellhousing was originally fitted to. Once you identify the car you can then identify the original make and model starter motor. Once you have this information the supplier of the "high torque" starter maybe able to replace just the bracket rather than the whole starter so that it fits.

[Davidb]

2Cams: All we have to do is read this thread from the beginning to know what car it came from.

Anybody got a magnesium bellhousing they want to sell?

[holywood3645]

I have been following this thread as I wanted to use this bell housing on my BDA (Kent block) Being fitted to a MK1 escort, had it machined to the correct 2000e size, acquired all the parts for the center hydraulic release bearing clutch which after much heartache and help from a friend (prezoom) got the clutch to the correct clearances. Now only to find the location of the starter interferes with the big wing sump.
So I too have one for sale, and need an alloy 2000e bellhousing.
It will work on my elan, (sump on front) but I Also think the starter is different (not Elan bolt spacing)
LMK if anyone is interested

James

[au-yt]

This company have been making gearbox conversions for a host of cars for 57 years!
Last year they made an aluminum bell housing for an Elan 5 speed last year.
Assuming the 5 speed gear ally case front bolt pattern is the same as the 4 speed they will fit a 4 speed.
Apparently the original bell housing is very thin and cracks. these are thicker and apparently some what stronger
https://dellowconversions.com.au/

[nmauduit]

This company have been making gearbox conversions for a host of cars for 57 years!
Last year they made an aluminum bell housing for an Elan 5 speed last year.

which part would that be, do you have the reference ?

[au-yt]

This is the best picture I could find.
This is for 5 speed which If I'm correct is different to a 4 speed box.

[nmauduit]

This is the best picture I could find.
This is for 5 speed which If I'm correct is different to a 4 speed box.

I've gone though Dellow Conversion current offer and failed to identify that one (52 manual bell housing on their website)...