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Technical Home Built Scatter Shield?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Lee Veinotte, Feb 12, 2019.

  1. Lee Veinotte
    Joined: Feb 6, 2019
    Posts: 142

    Lee Veinotte

    Hey! I'm sure this has been asked before but the answer eludes me. I'm going to be running a 429 with a toploader in my 57. Not going to be high horsepower car, 99% street, no NHRA around here to contend with.
    A steel bell for the combo is well over a grand for me to buy here in the Great White North.
    Wondering if anyone has had any luck with either building a plate that would bolt to the outside of the stock iron bell, or a thick steel floor reinforcement plate attached to the underside of the tunnel?
    Any insight would be helpful
     
    Deuces and 52 mercury like this.
  2. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
    Member Emeritus

    That was how it was done in the early days. I have done it and seen a very nice build thread on here of a really good one. That said. I bought a Lakewood blow shield for my 460 some yeas ago. Don't remember it being more than other engines. Still have mine. Along with some other parts that should be going north. Still pondering transport.
     
  3. 73RR
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 7,175

    73RR
    Member

    Like Rich says, shop/home made scattershields were common back in the old days.
    Basically, just a rolled section of ¼" plate that covers the bell and has ears for attaching to the block.
    As good as a modern hydro-formed unit ? no, but at least it would direct all of the shrapnel to the ground.

    .
     
  4. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    If the errant parts are not contained, beefing up the area around it will just deflect the pieces elsewhere
     

  5. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,942

    squirrel
    Member

    The NHRA rules are mostly the result of folks getting hurt racing, so they are there for a good reason, and they work. Maybe look at the rule book specifications for making a scattershield, and follow them as best you can? I think it's basically what 73RR said, plus a block plate.
     
    THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER likes this.
  6. Lee Veinotte
    Joined: Feb 6, 2019
    Posts: 142

    Lee Veinotte

    I'd build it as 360* degree piece, around the bottom of the bell as well if I were to do it. I'm not going to be racing the car more than once or twice a year. Just something to save my feet if anything were to happen on the street.
    Thanks for all the replies!
     
    czuch likes this.
  7. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,143

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    This photo comes to mind every time one of these discussions come up.
    Sounds like you have put a dollar figure on the safety of you and those around you.


    [​IMG]

    There was a guy in the early 70's that hung around with some guys I knew, he had a 64 Galaxy with a 406/3x2/ 4speed, it was purely a street car but he drove like a mad man.
    I had not seen him around and asked about him, was told that during one of his escapades the clutch/flywheel exploded and took the back of the block off, very lucky he was not killed.
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2019
  8. typo41
    Joined: Jul 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,571

    typo41
    Member Emeritus

    We ran a 223 ford in the vintage class and there is no scatter shield, so we had a Frankenstein outer bell housing of welded thick plate steel sections that circled the stock cast iron bell housing.
     
    Deuces likes this.
  9. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,594

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    Put a SFI flywheel and clutch in the factory bell housing and you should be good.
     
    Deuces, mgtstumpy and Hnstray like this.
  10. Lee Veinotte
    Joined: Feb 6, 2019
    Posts: 142

    Lee Veinotte

    I am going to use a steel flywheel, not cast.
     
    Deuces likes this.
  11. Marty Strode
    Joined: Apr 28, 2011
    Posts: 8,801

    Marty Strode
    Member

    Here is one we built for a salt car. Bear in mind the driver's lower extremities are not even close to the flywheel area. A steel flywheel and pressure plate will go a long way for safety. IMG_3935.JPG IMG_3936.JPG
     
  12. Makes me wonder how any of us have feet anymore :rolleyes:
     
    Deuces likes this.
  13. Lee Veinotte
    Joined: Feb 6, 2019
    Posts: 142

    Lee Veinotte

    That's what I'm saying. How many of you old fellers (LOL) ran 4 speed cars back in the day and had no issues. With a brand new steel flywheel (not an old stressed unit) and a home built scatter shield I should be fine.
     
    seb fontana, Deuces and czuch like this.
  14. 41rodderz
    Joined: Sep 27, 2010
    Posts: 6,540

    41rodderz
    Member
    from Oregon

    Glad your thinking about safety .:cool:
     
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  15. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
    Member Emeritus

    Yeah. But I can make you a hell of a deal on a Lakewood shield for a 460 depending on shipping.
     
    vtx1800 and Deuces like this.
  16. The Chevys had a problem with their stock flywheels. If you go back and look at the early NHRA rules, scattersheilds were required on any manual-shift V8 Chevy all the way down to the stock classes, other makes didn't need one until they stepped up a class.
     
    Deuces likes this.
  17. RmK57
    Joined: Dec 31, 2008
    Posts: 2,659

    RmK57
    Member

    There's not a lot of room in the trans tunnel for any 429-460 bell housing. You may have to "massage" the tunnel or trim and fab a new tunnel if you go with what Marty strode suggests.
    I would try and locate a blow-proof bell housing myself.
     
  18. Lee Veinotte
    Joined: Feb 6, 2019
    Posts: 142

    Lee Veinotte

    Id love to take you up on it but the shipping to Canada for a large/heavy item is crazy.
     
  19. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,942

    squirrel
    Member

    and all these years, I though it was because the Chevys revved so much better. Dang.
     
    jimgoetz, sdluck, saltflats and 4 others like this.
  20. Back before things had to have an SFI (I think that's right LOL) certification I don't doubt that countless scatter shields got built in the back yard and I can imagine that the floors being reinforced happed too. I doubt that it would pass tech anyplace in the universe in this new millennium but something along these lines could also work. Maybe a little wider to cover more area.

    [​IMG]
     
  21. Lee Veinotte
    Joined: Feb 6, 2019
    Posts: 142

    Lee Veinotte

    That's basically what I had in mind only sloped down to match the taper of the bell housing towards the transmission.
     
  22. That was kind of what I was thinking.
    To actually build a tin can like say a Lakewood would be work. Not to say that you cannot handle it. But a cover plate may fill the bill for you real well.
     
  23. Lee Veinotte
    Joined: Feb 6, 2019
    Posts: 142

    Lee Veinotte

    I have the power!! For a street driven car that isn't going to be launched at any RPM or turned very high, I think a cover will work just fine. As far as actually building a bell housing.. I think I could if I had a factory bell for reference but I think the plate is the ticket.
     
  24. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
    Member Emeritus

    This was in my 32 in 65 when I bought it. I put it in my Packard powered Vega and it was accepted for SCTA competition. The Packard ha upload_2019-2-12_13-7-52.jpeg s a cast on bellhousing and can't use a store bought bellhousing
     
    prewarcars4me likes this.
  25. loudbang
    Joined: Jul 23, 2013
    Posts: 40,276

    loudbang
    Member

    I hate to preach to the choir but a friend of mine had a 61 Chev with a 4 speed and 300/327 he got from a wreck. We were at dover dragstrip in 1965 or 66 street tires and launched a few times ok and THEN it happened. A clutch/flywheel explosion resulting in damage like that photo.

    But that is not the end of the story by a long shot. It seems a chunk of the clutch/flywheel few into the stands and hit a spectator. Naturally there was a lawsuit and he lost. He could never afford the huge judgement against him so the lawyers or hurt guy garnished his wages so much EVERY CHECK. The last time I talked to him they were STILL getting money from his wages in 1995 so he paid for his mistake AT LEAST 30 years. And they possibly could be still doing it to his Social Security checks.

    I think if he could take back those seconds he would have paid in blood for an approved scatter shield.
     
    427 sleeper and czuch like this.
  26. KFC
    Joined: Jul 17, 2008
    Posts: 445

    KFC
    Member
    from UK

    My 34 ran a truck rim cut in half and mounted around the bell housing, it must be 1/4” thick weighs a tonne
     
    loudbang and czuch like this.
  27. 73RR
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 7,175

    73RR
    Member

    Do you have any contacts on or near the magic line? Fastenal 3PL is cheap freight !!
    Perhaps someone with a pickup is making a trip across the border and has some 'junk' in the bed.......get creative.

    .
     
    loudbang likes this.
  28. jebbesen
    Joined: Aug 18, 2015
    Posts: 716

    jebbesen
    Member
    from Winona, MN

    Oct 1961 HRM

    20240327_050749.jpg

    20240327_050800.jpg

    20240327_050820.jpg

    20240327_051959.jpg
     
    Deuces likes this.

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