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Re: Lakewood Bellhousing??

To: "Tim Morin" <tigert@ktc.com>
Subject: Re: Lakewood Bellhousing??
From: James Barrett <jamesbrt@mindspring.com>
Date: Tue, 09 Oct 2001 19:58:16 -0400
At 12:27 PM 10/7/2001 -0500, you wrote:
>Listers,
>    What are the pros and cons of installing a
>Lakewood in a Tiger?  What modifications, need
>to be made?  Thank you!
>
>Tim
>

Tim, 
        Back in the late 70's I added a Lakewood Bell housing
to my Tiger II.  It was behind a BOSS 302, but that doesn't matter
much with what I have to describe.  I installed the Lakewood
because I planned to (and did) turn up to 7000+ RPM.

     First the bell housing  is slightly larger than the Aluminum 
6 bolt bell housing that came with my Tiger II.  I had to pound 
a good sized dent in the passenger side firewall to allow the 
hump around the starter to clear the firewall.

    On the plate that came with the bell housing, there were
provisions for mounting the starter for two different flywheel
sizes.  There was a "new moon" piece that could be broken out
of the starter hole to allow the larger flywheel.  The Boss 302
had the larger flywheel and I had to take the piece out.  The
starter mounting was therefore sort of sloppy and eventually I
wiped a ring gear with the starter teeth.  Had to replace the
ring gear.  

    The tolerance of the Lakewood bell housing, at least at that
time, was not so good.  I also had to replace the "snout" of the
transmission due to excessive wear.  I am not sure that was due 
to miss-alignment or due to the super hard to push Hays aftermarket
clutch. 

        I had to fabricate a clutch slave cylinder mount for
the Lakewood bell housing.  Later I actually had the slave
cylinder split down one side.  Like I said above, the Hays
clutch was very hard to push in.  It also damaged my back
due to crushed cartilage.  After a major operation in 88
that helped, but did not solve the problem, I finally had to
switch to an automatic in my 351C Tiger II.  

     I have since read articles in various Hod Rod publications
 that recommend using a dial indicator and various offset dowels
 or shims to properly mount the Lakewood bellhousing.  
       
     If I remember correctly, the Lakewood bell housing was
explosively hydroformed. i.e. Under water in some sort of a bracket
while an explosion occured to "hydroform the metal".

        NHRA and some others require an explosion proof
bell housing, approved aftermarket flywheel and clutch.  There are
numerious other requirements as well.  If you have changed the motor much
forget about official NHRA drag racing because the wheel base is too
short.  Get a copy of their rules and you will see what I am talking about.


James Barrett Tiger II 351C and others

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