Bell housing access holes

[Philip P.]

I was looking at a 1958 that a friend owns and it has 3 holes in the upper tranmission tunnel looks like access for the top of the bellhousing bolts. My 1960 does not have this not sure about a 1958.
Phil

[Paul D.]

Re: Bell housing access holes

I expect those holes were by a PO to expedite motor/trans r&r. I've seen similar things before, usually on cars with a race history (legal or otherwise). Chip.

[Edward L.]

Re: Bell housing access holes

They belong there. If memory serves, they were there to gain access to powerglide transmissions. There should also be a metal cover screwed to the fiberglass.

[Bill M.]

Re: Bell housing access holes

They are OE. From my '59:

[Paul D.]

Re: Bell housing access holes

Bill and Edward, is this something that went away when the iron case PG did? Were the holes only on PG cars? I have a 62 PG (aluminum case) car in my shop that does not have the holes. Curiously, three similarly sized and spaced holes are located directly under the center of the fuel tank. I don't recall anything passing through them, but car has been disassembled for some time. Could you advise as to their purpose? Chip.

[John H.]

Re: Bell housing access holes

They belong there. If memory serves, they were there to gain access to powerglide transmissions. There should also be a metal cover screwed to the fiberglass.

That's correct - those holes are required for access to index the torque converter to the flywheel with a screwdriver when re-installing a cast iron Powerglide transmission in a finished car.

[Mike E.]

Re: Bell housing access holes

Never used on a 62, haven't seen one on a 61, even though they used cast iron pglide. Any one seen those on a 61?

[Mike E.]

Re: Bell housing access holes

Bill and Edward, is this something that went away when the iron case PG did? Were the holes only on PG cars? I have a 62 PG (aluminum case) car in my shop that does not have the holes. Curiously, three similarly sized and spaced holes are located directly under the center of the fuel tank. I don't recall anything passing through them, but car has been disassembled for some time. Could you advise as to their purpose? Chip.

Those holes vent the gas tank cavity. They were on all 53-62's.

[Joe M.]

Re: Bell housing access holes

Have them on my 57 which I suspect was an automatic. Were those holes present on manual shift 56 -58 cars?

[Bill M.]

Re: Bell housing access holes

Bill and Edward, is this something that went away when the iron case PG did? Were the holes only on PG cars? Chip.

Chip:

The photo above is from a factory 4-speed car.

Bill

[Paul D.]

Re: Bell housing access holes

Thanks for the info guys! Chip.

[Philip P.]

Re: Bell housing access holes

Thanks for all the information, for some reason the replys were not sent to my e-mail. The holes look exactly like the ones on the 1958 and it does have a metal plate covering them. The car we believe was origianlly a 3 speed car.
Thanks again
Phil

[Philip P.]

Re: Bell housing access holes

IS it correct to "assume" that some manual transmission cars may have these holes. The car in question is a 1958 my 1960 4 speed car does not have them. The only way I can think of that it was originally an automatic car would be the placement of the clutch rod mount on the frame may not look factory. Anything else one could look for to tell what transmission the car originally came with. Paint marks on the frame is long gone.
Phil

[Bill M.]

Re: Bell housing access holes

IS it correct to "assume" that some manual transmission cars may have these holes. The car in question is a 1958 my 1960 4 speed car does not have them. The only way I can think of that it was originally an automatic car would be the placement of the clutch rod mount on the frame may not look factory. Anything else one could look for to tell what transmission the car originally came with. Paint marks on the frame is long gone.
Phil

No assumption required. See posts 4 and 8.

[Philip P.]

Re: Bell housing access holes

Thanks for the information again. Every thing looks correct on the car as far as I can tell just one of those things you do not see often. It is clear that the holes appear on manual transmission cars, we believe this was a 3 speed car originally but do not know of any differences (automatic vs manual) other than the clutch rod and spring mounts on the frame and of course we do not have any orignal documentation how the car came from the factory. Is there anything else that would say that this was an automatic car from the start.
Phil