I tried a search for the clutch used for a chevy to a early ford 3 speed. I have gathered so far is to use the chevy pressure plate and mercury disc.. Question is what year Merc? also what pilot bearing to use...…………..
Many, many moons ago in the 60's I put a 283 in my 48. I was a dirt poor Airman 2/c so I couldn't spend any money. If I remember we used the chev Pressure plate and the ford disc. The ford trans shaft must have fit the pilot bearing. It's been a long time but I know I didn't have to do anything out of the ordinary. It was an Honest Charlie adapter used to make the connection.
About 60 years ago I mated a 265 to a Ford 3-speed. The adapter I bought included a pilot bushing that I pressed into the crank.
you need a 49 50 merc pressure plate. the Chevy pressure plate will work but you will have to grind down the diaphragm fingers on the pressure plate to clear the input shaft when completely depressed. the Chevy clutch is a diaphragm style and the merc is a long or borg and beck. The Merc pressure plate has the same bolt pattern as the Chevy clutch, so it bolts directly to the chevy flywheel, but has the Long/ Borg & Beck style clutch fingers on it that clear the input shaft properly. the Chevy clutch can hang up and chew you input shaft up, and since you have to remove material from the diaphragm fingers, the throw out bearing does not make proper contact with the clutch fingers anymore. You can use the merc disc, the spline count and diameter is the same, or you can use a 10 inch disc from a 46 - 48 ford car. the clutches are readily available from Wilcap. they make them specifically for this swap. you probably wont be able to find a parts house 49 50 merc replacement clutch, but you can try. Call Wilcap and tell them what you are doing. They have everything to make it go together real easy, and they are great to wok with. http://www.wilcap.com/wilcapstore.html#!/BH-307-EFM/p/54397258/category=14420222 above is a link to the Wilcaps page for the Chevy adapter. Call them and they will sell you just what you need out of the kit (clutch), I believe I paid right at $230 dollars for the clutch for my 39 ford, with a 283 backed up with a 39 3 speed
Yea, friend did it in his ‘50 merc. Chevy flywheel was already drilled for a merc cover and he used the merc disc.
Jason, Not all chevy pressure plates are a diaphragm style, The late 50' 60's chevys did come with a Borg & beck style, Wondering if I could use one of them with the Merc disc? Price WAY better than the wilcap pressure plate. Does look like there is a adapter sleeve for the pilot bearing though..
The key is that the Mercury Borg & Beck pressure plate has the Chevy bolt pattern to fit the Chevy flywheel and the release fingers match up to the early Ford throw out bearing in diameter and throw out travel. I did many of them without problems. Just make sure there no worn parts in the Ford linkage.
My 46 Ford coupe has the original trans with an old Cragar adapter to the 283. I used a 49-50 Merc pressure plate and disc. Also the release bearing. Pilot bearing (bushing) from Wilcap.
If you could find one that has the proper spacing of the fingers you could. But the later style clutches all fit on the older small Chevies as well. There is a good chance that even if you were to order one that was originally a borg and beck clutch, a replacement will now be a diaphragm type because it will work just the same in its intended application. If the same clutch will work on a small Chevy from 55 thru the 70s the parts manufactures are probably only going to offer one to cover everything, as there is not a huge demand for an original type 58 Chevy clutch. If you were closer I would hook you up with an original 49 50 Merc pressure plate to have rebuilt. I can measure the spacing on the clutch fingers from an Original Merc pressure plate so you can have a reference to go by when hunting for a clutch.
Not a giant fan of speedway but they offer this pilot shaft bushing that is for small chevy to early ford trans to eliminate any kind of adapter sleeves. https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Replacement-Pilot-Bushing-Chevy-Engine-to-Ford-Trans,39106.html
I looked on Rock Auto and found a Borg and Beck Clutch kit for a 55 chevy ( at least the picture shows it as a Borg and Beck, so no guarantee.) but all the others listed are diaphragm type. not bad a $112 bucks. https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog...8,1326406,transmission-manual,clutch+kit,1993
You can actually buy the clutch disc at AutoZone. You may have to remind the guy that he has a classic car directory on his computer and hold his hand. You should also be able to get the Disc from NAPA but the guy may have to look in the book.
ok... Thnx for the info guys.. Clutch ordered fingers crossed it is the correct style I will find out in the AM Vintage Ford has the disc at a descent price. And will get the pilot from speedway
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