[Shotimes] OT - sb ford engine / tranny block plate

[Justin Schick]

Hi folks,

Sorry for the OT, but I need a quick and informed answer to help along my Mustang project. I got a lot accomplished on it yesterday. It originally had a 289 and early "green dot" Cruise-O-Matic C4. It is in the process of receiving a 351W (bored and stroked to 408) and an AOD. I had to clearance the tranny tunnel a bit for the fatter AOD, but afterward it sat on the new crossmember perfectly. With the transmission in place we went to drop the engine down in. We had the flexplate on, then took it back off after realizing we'd forgotten the dust shield / spacer / block plate that goes between the engine block and the bellhousing of the tranny. It was only then that I realized this plate between the 289 and C4 would not work between the 351 and AOD. The new combo uses a larger diameter flywheel (had to have the correct 28.2 oz weight grafted on), which pushes the starter out farther than what the hole in the plate is provisioned for.

What I'm trying to figure out is if I can go without the plate, or should source the correct one. I'm pretty sure it would bolt together as is. If I would go with no block plate, where would the slack get taken up? If it brought the torque converter out away from the input shaft, or left the motor mounts farther back than where they should be to bolt up, that would be bad.

Any and all thoughts please reply to me off list. Thanks in advance!

Justin
silver 92, and a couple other Fords...