Can I use a cruise-o FE bell to mate a 351C FMX to a 352?

[falcongeorge]

I have a '65 f100 farm truck with a 352 and a three on the tree that needs a trans, I also have a '70 351 Cleveland FMX just laying around, I know there are some FMX/FE bellhousings around, but they are not common, can I use a cruise-o-matic FE bell to mate the FMX to my 352? I know the pilot on the cleveland converter is smaller, can you still get those little slip on rings that enable using the small pilot converter with an FE? What flexplate do I need? I know I will have to shorten the driveshaft, i can handle that. FE C-6s are getting pretty rare up here, and this thing is a budget farm truck.

EDIT: looked up the pilot rings, still available. Considering that its 70 miles through the mountains to a parts store and my neighbor has a lathe, I will probably just make the ring myself. I'm thinking 153 tooth flexplate is right for '65 F100 352? Could just get off my lazy @ss and count the flywheel teeth I guess...

[falcongeorge]

so no-one knows if a cruise-o bell will work with an FMX? main thing I am wondering about is the depth from the mounting flange on the block to the front of the trans case is the same.

[galaxiex]

I've worked on old Cruise-O's and FMX's but never took any measurements on the bell's, or tried swapping them.

I do know that some Cruise-O's have a dual bolt pattern for the trans to bell holes.
Of the 4 bolts that retain the bell to the trans, the bottom 2 holes are all the same.
But there are 2 different top bolt patterns for bell to trans.
Early have the 2 top holes lower than the later ones.
IOW on the later units the 2 top bolt holes are raised.
AFAIK all FMX bells have the higher top 2 holes.

Going by old guy memory..... the later Cruise-O bells and FMX "look like" they should swap,
as long as the top bell to trans bolt hole location matches.

I don't know what year they went from low bolt location to high, on the top 2 bolts,
but there were some trans cases that had both high and low bolt holes.
That seems promising for them to swap...

I can't recall if the same was true for the bells to also have both top hole patterns.

[galaxiex]

In case I wasn't clear, here is where the top bolt pattern was different.
This is a Cruise-O bell with only the top holes drilled/threaded. (same location as FMX)
I put the black dot approx where the low pattern would be.
Obviously there would be a matching hole on the other side....

[galaxiex]

Here's a "low bolt" Cruise-O with both top bolt patterns in the trans case.


Top holes not drilled.

[galaxiex]

Thinking about it more....

If you have the later Cruise-O bell with the high top holes....

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it "will work" with your FMX.

I could be wrong.....

[frnkeore]

So, what you basically need, other than the high/low bolt location, is the distance, from the front of FMX case, to the block face?

I have one on a '71, 351W that I could measure. It still bolted to the engine so, my measurement might not be exact.

[falcongeorge]

So, what you basically need, other than the high/low bolt location, is the distance, from the front of FMX case, to the block face?

I have one on a '71, 351W that I could measure. It still bolted to the engine so, my measurement might not be exact.

well what I really need is that measurement on a cruise-o bell, I have an FMX bell I can measure. I am starting to really think about just keeping the 3.03 in it and teaching my wife to drive a stick. Oh my aching clutch disc!

[falcongeorge]

Thinking about it more....

If you have the later Cruise-O bell with the high top holes....

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it "will work" with your FMX.

I could be wrong.....

EXCELLENT! Thank you galaxieX this is the kind of info I am looking for. I am comfortable re-drilling either the case or bell, depending on whats what, so thats ok. I have since found out that the biggest converter that will fit a cruise-o bell is 11". Not necessarily a game changer. I am now thinking about keeping the 3.03 and using a hurst Synchro-loc I have, I don't know I have to think about my options here.