Explosion-proof bellhousings.....streetable?

We've put them in tons of our shop cars, and use them on customer cars as much as possible, all SFI rated bell housings. Better safe then sorry. Look at some pics of cars with a hole throught the inside from a flywheel explosion-you're feet are the least of your worries sometimes.

 

And another note: Several guys I knew years ago with muscle cars had clutch expolsions below 3000 rpm, about one in every brand just driving around...NOT saying the guys never beat on them [they did] but damage can happen anytime later..I have been running a Lakewood Blow Shield Bell for almost 40 yrs and a multitude of different trans with no problems...Damned if I can remember if I ever checked it, I have checked others and they were under .005..

 

As a 17 year old, I blew up a disc on a 4 speed equipped SBC. Less than 6000rpm just playing around on the street, grabbing gears. ONLY the disc went. It punched holes in the stock aluminum bellhousing like it was paper mache'. That was 27 years ago and I ALLWAYS run a scattershield now.

 

For the sake of argument, are we talking aluminum bells vs. scattershields, or cast steel bells vs. scattershields, too? ( I have some Ford 4sp. bells from pickups)

 

OK another learning experiance for me. How do you tell cast steel from cast iron? I'm guessing machining it will tip you off right away. But without cutting on the part?

 

rap it with a hammer, if it rings, it's cast steel. Maybe I should have said cast iron bell, lol.

 

The one in my '28 is aluminum, but its a shield not a bell.
( it has NHRA cast into it and its really thick )

The Ansen is cast iron or steel ( I'm guessing steel ), and thicker than a bell, but not as thick ast the aluminum one.
It has NHRA cast into it as well.

 

I believe mine are nodular iron... early/mid 70's Ford pickup 302 and 400 bells. Looking to use one to hold up to about 500 hp/500tq. Just curious if the scattershield is that much better.

 

73RR...I don't think sooo...POP.

 

Meaning?

 

...Always interested in learning...so lets hear what you have to say!

.

 

First, you'll have to learn how to decipher his language (?????).

 

My 62 Galaxie Q Code has what has to amount to being overkill, a blow shield as well as Ansen scattershield. They came with the car when I bought it, sure gets people scratching their heads when they look under the hood.

 

In the past I have had the occasion to check a few Lakewood scattershields on a precision surface plate in the machine shop.

Since the scattershields were deep-drawn stampings basically, I wondered about their precision.

All the ones I tested were DEAD ON for parallel and location of mount holes. I was surprised.

Many people make the mistake of trying to dial them in while the engine is in the car or level on a stand.
That is NOT the way to do them.
No matter how rugged you think your dial and mount is, it WILL have "gravity droop" and lead you to dial it in for a slightly lower position than ideal. That will lead to shorter life for the pilot bushing and also transmission problems that will crop up later.

I ALWAYS stand the engine on end before dialing in any bellhousing.

Here is how I did the Studebaker engines when we built several for drag racing in 1973 and later. I have also used them for years in daily driver street cars and family cars for many years.
1955 Stude Coupe, 62 Hawk, 52 pickup, 51 bulletnose, 59 Lark.... many thousands of miles.

Yes, that is a brand new Weber aluminum flywheel. We bought several new ones for $50 each back then. Those were the days...










If you think you MUST do it while in the car, and dial in the housing 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 thousandths higher to make up for droop, you are only guessing. and will certainly be off by some unknown amount.