Maybe someone know of a combo so I can help a friend, we are looking for a throw out bearing that will slide over the nose cone on a LaSalle trans, (1.550 id,) but has to go onto a chevy clutch fork so need a complete assembly or parts info to make one. It is an old trans combo in his coupe he bought, got the trans done ok, but now problem with the T.O. bearing. Thanks for any info. Bobby
Is this a possiable fix to our problem, do we need to have the original cadillac throwout bearing assembly alone with the caddy clutch fork. This was also mentioned. Thanks, Bobby
The Cad probably uses the same TOB and fork as the early Olds. If so, I do know the Olds bearing diameter is larger on the face, but I don't know if it will fit well against your pressure plate style fingers. Need measures on Olds stuff? I have some here. what kind of motor are you using, and what type of pressure plate? have any pics?
Where are you located in NY. I have a bunch of Olds stuff including TOB's that I can measure. Coincidentily, I have a Packard tranny that I just machined the snout to fit a GM TOB as the Packards are hard to find and very expensive. Easy to do as the Packard snout ID is a lot smaller than the Lasalle. Perhaps a Chevy truck (1 ton or larger) may be large enough so that you could turn down the snout if needed.???? I checked the only NOS 50 Olds throw out bearing I have and it is around 3/4 inch wide on the face if that helps.
I don't know if this will help, but there is an article in CAR CRAFT (10/1955) about adapting a Cad-Lasalle box to a Chevy six. Among other things, they used a Cad throwout bearing, and ground the ends of the Chevy clutch release arm to fit.
Waiting for motor from machine shop, have a lot of fun?? getting the sbc and the lasalle trans to play well in the same sand box, with not clutch fork and throwout bearing for this adaption been hunting around to get answers, I have asked about all the good info you you have put on this post, finally hooked up with a fellow in Calif that knows the combo and gave me part number for ford parts that adapt to the lakewood sbc scattershield and work. Waiting for the parts to arive, I'll keep you up-dated as I get into it some more, all I know is there were a lot of racers and hands on racers in the fun days of making stuff work. Wish I was able to meet some of them. Thanks for you replys will keep you up-dated. Bobby
hi Bobby, I'm just giving you a bump to see if you have any updates. I hope everything is working out good for you.
I talked with him a few days ago. The trans is in Vermont getting set up by vtwhead on here. Things are looking good I guess. You got to see his Hellzapoppin Dragmaster T-shirts
Angry Frenchman, thanks for asking, YEP I took the trans to vtwhead, what a super guy knew the trans inside & out, was no problem for him, had the pain in the ass detent ball problem under control. Got it back this past tuesday, GREAT. Thank you F&J for the contact lead. Now wait for the motor to get done that get into the Algon fuel injection set up and get to hear the project running. Thanks everyone for all the input & consern. Bobby.
Also now waiting for the bracket that has to be welded into the chevy lakewood scattershield so the ford clutch fork can work, had to get the ford throw out bearing hub machined out to slide over the lasalle nose cone that is part of the adaptor bolted to the scattershield. Was not able to get a GM fork & 1.5" to bearing. Thanks to Larry Wilock in Calif for his knowledge about the adaptor kit and where to get the parts needed. A lot different that the set up in my Dragmaster. Have to give the early racers a lot of thanks for their awesome machine work and how to ab-a-dapt back in the good day of racing.
OK gang latest on the chevy/lasalle trans project. Got it all together after the LONG wait for the SPECIAL! ford bracket for the ford fork to mount to which did not match up, the bracket was to narrow and did not lock into the holes on the fork. So GM came through, the new GM fork I bought fitted the ford throw out bearing hub like ford wanted it to. All I had to do was make a stop so the bearing did not slide off the end of the nose cone. I made the stop to work at the scatter shield, with the bearing touching the fingers of the pressure plate there is 5/8" space between the fork & stop, when the clutch releases so I can move the output shaft there is a lil` under 1/4" space. Now put the combo in the chassis & get the Algon FI set & start this bad girl, hopefull in 2 weeks after the rest of the small stuff to put on. Thanks for your interest, Bobby
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