Bell housing search for '67 Jeepster

[historynut]

I am replacing the V6 with an F4 in my '67 Kaiser-Willys Jeepster convertible and need a bell housing that fits between the F4 and a T86 transmission. Does anyone know where one can be found?

 

[69jeepcj]

You can try earlycj5.com, they have a "wanted to buy" section that I have had luck on. You are wanting to put a F-head in your 67? most people want to upgrade to the v6.

 

[historynut]

Couldn't find that particular bell housing. Changed transmission to a T-90 with usual bell housing for the F4. Only problem was the engine mounts had to be moved forward about an inch. I replaced the v6 with the F4 for two reasons: The F4 is a Willys engine, the V6 is GM. I am not a fan of GM and I wanted a purer Willys vehicle (although the '67 is a Kaiser Jeep). The other reason is the V6 managed only 19 miles per gallon on the freeway with overdrive! With looming gas shortages (peak oil and all that) I wanted a little better mileage. The F4 with V6 ratio differentials should do the trick.

 

[69jeepcj]

completely understandable. Oh, the overdrive... I just stripped the gear of the mainshaft on my overdrive on a highway drive. ADVICE....keep the oil level full in your od, It shares the oil with the t-case so keep it full. The warn overdrive is only rated a 300flbs torque and very sinsitive to oil levels. My level got low on the tcase and destroyed my overdrive. Not cheap to replace.

 

[historynut]

Happened to me too some time ago - blew out the OD because of low oil. After it was rebuilt I installed a change: The two drain plugs, one in the transmission and the other in the OD, I connected with a piece of copper tubing, the largest possible because 90 weight doesn't flow very fast. As long as there is always oil in the transmission - which is easier to check than the OD - there's no more worry about the OD.

 

[69jeepcj]

Thats a good idea, where on the od did you drill the hole for the tube? I will probably do that when I get my od fixed. You ran the other end of the tube to the trany and not the tcase?

 

[historynut]

The two drain plugs - transmission and OD - are on opposite sides. The tube has an 'S' shape in between the two drain holes. There's enough of a gap in the transfer case for the tube to lie nicely against everything so that it doesn't hang dangerously down. I used brass fittings and a copper tube, my vintage jeep doesn't go hill climbing any more. For better protection, use steel fittings and tube. Or else fit a skid plate to protect the tube.