Ford and Mercury Trans Adapters

Ford and Mercury Bell Housing Adapters

1948-1953
(Late Style Flathead V8 Motors)

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When Ford changed the design of the V8 engine in 1948 to the new 8BA/8RT type motor, they provided a separate bolt-on transmission bell housing adapter. This part (basic #6392) is known in the parts manuals as a "Housing Assembly). Along with this part is a stamped sheet metal part (basic #6366) which they referred to as a "Cover Assembly".

To those of us in the restoration hobby, the Housing Assembly is often called a bell housing or a transmission adapter. The Cover Assembly is generally called a starter plate, since this is the part that the starter bolts to.

The confusion exists about these adapters because Ford produced about 6 different starter plates and 6 different V8 bell housings. The important thing to know is that each bell housing adapter is designed to be used with a particular starter plate. The chart below shows the various adapters by part number. As further information is available, we will include pictures of the actual pairs.

The early truck bell housing was a cast iron adapter used strictly on the light trucks. Ford also produced a stamped metal bell housing with the same bolt pattern for the transmission. This was the large round opening with 8 bolt holes, used with the 1932-48 three speed passenger car trans, the 1942-52 open drive three speed truck transmission, and the 1949-50 Mercury passenger car.

The other stamped sheet metal bell housing used was manufactured with 4 bolt holes for mounting the newer type 1949-51 three speed transmission. Finally, for 1952 Ford began using a cast iron bell housing which also had the side opening for the clutch release fork assembly.

The truck four speed transmission used from at least 1940 until 1948 and maybe up through 1952 were coupled with an adapter that fit between the engine bell housing (and the bell housing adapter used on 1948-52 trucks). This casting adapted the round 10 bolt bell housing to the 6 bolt front of the 4 speed truck transmission (and the Heavy Duty 3 Speed T-87 transmission). It carried the clutch release shaft and fork. Ford used a number on the casting (01T-7505) but I have not been able to find this specific part in any of the chassis parts manuals, so we will use the casting number to identify it here. It is often referred to as a "hogshead" adapter.

Model/Year	6392 Bell Housing	6366 Cover Assy (starter plate)
1948-52 Ford Truck	8RT-6392 (cast iron)	8RT-6366-A (3.25" radius crank opening)
1953 Ford Truck	(not listed)	8RT-6366-C (2.12" radius crank opening)
1949-51 Ford Car	8BA-6392	8BA-6366-B (slanted starter mount)
1951 Ford Car	1BA-6392	8BA-6366-B (slanted starter mount)
1952-53 Ford Car	AC-6392-D	EAB-6366-A
1949-51 Mercury	8CM-6392	8CM-6366-B (see note a)
1951 Mercury	1CM-6392	8CM-6366-C (see note b) 1CM-6366 (1951 only)
1952-53 Mercury	AC-6392-D	EAB-6366-A
Note A: the 8CM-6366-B is replaced by the 8CM-6366-C along with 8CM-6825 bracket Note B: the 8CM-6366-C is used with the 8CM-6825 bracket

Click on a picture for enlargements. Two matched sets are shown.

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