A518 Ultrabell with column shift

[71Paisley]

Hello all. I'm about to put an Ultra bell on my A518 for my big block conversion. This is actually going in a C body 71Fury . Im asking here because not too many people put Ultrabell housings in their C bodies .There is no location for the column shift linkage. Curious who had this problem and how/if it was solved. I see that Ididit makes a cable kit 2801750010 for linkage but not sure if it will be an issue ( don't see many good reviews)

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Hello all. I'm about to put an Ultra bell on my A518 for my big block conversion. This is actually going in a C body 71Fury . Im asking here because not too many people put Ultrabell housings in their C bodies .There is no location for the column shift linkage. Curious who had this problem and how/if it was solved. I see that Ididit makes a cable kit 2801750010 for linkage but not sure if it will be an issue ( don't see many good reviews)

If it were me I'd fabricate a bracket to pick up a couple engine to bellhousing bolts & have it mount the standard shift bushing....

Using your original trans as a pattern, leave the stock bracket attached or reattach it while doing bracket design.... Use cardboard to pick up the bell housing bolts, then bend the cardboard 90 degrees rearwards it lays straight across the shifter bracket, mark the hole for the shifter bushing on the cardboard.... Now remove your cardboard template & trim it to get rid of excess material while keeping strength... You might find it best to add a gusset to the real bracket...

If you have the skills great otherwise have someone fab you that cardboard part in steel...

BTW Welcome to the Forum! And post pictures.. A Paisley C body isn't something you see everyday..

 

[ckessel]

Years ago I did an engine swap on a 83 CJ7 taking the 6 out and putting a new 5.2 Magnum in. The Jeep already had a 904 for the trans so that part was easy other than a case swap plus rebuild. I converted the column shift rod mechanism to a cable unit. Used a Morse cable like what you get on controls for boats, Turbo Action shifters etc. Ordered up some brackets from one of the shifter companies for the trans end and made up my own stuff for the column arm and to mount the cable topside to the frame. Had to play with the throw of the arm on the column to get the ratio to the trans right but it worked great.

 

[71Paisley]

If it were me I'd fabricate a bracket to pick up a couple engine to bellhousing bolts & have it mount the standard shift bushing....

Using your original trans as a pattern, leave the stock bracket attached or reattach it while doing bracket design.... Use cardboard to pick up the bell housing bolts, then bend the cardboard 90 degrees rearwards it lays straight across the shifter bracket, mark the hole for the shifter bushing on the cardboard.... Now remove your cardboard template & trim it to get rid of excess material while keeping strength... You might find it best to add a gusset to the real bracket...

If you have the skills great otherwise have someone fab you that cardboard part in steel...

BTW Welcome to the Forum! And post pictures.. A Paisley C body isn't something you see everyday..

Thanks , good call. I think I might give that a try.

 

[71Paisley]

Years ago I did an engine swap on a 83 CJ7 taking the 6 out and putting a new 5.2 Magnum in. The Jeep already had a 904 for the trans so that part was easy other than a case swap plus rebuild. I converted the column shift rod mechanism to a cable unit. Used a Morse cable like what you get on controls for boats, Turbo Action shifters etc. Ordered up some brackets from one of the shifter companies for the trans end and made up my own stuff for the column arm and to mount the cable topside to the frame. Had to play with the throw of the arm on the column to get the ratio to the trans right but it worked great.

Thank you, yes I was looking at cable kits from I did it. I might have to go that route. I'll probably try to fab a bracket 1st like mentioned above .

 

[dbc105]

Lakar has a cable kit also, it says GM column but Saginaw made the Chrysler columns so it should fit.
Where is everyone getting their Ultrabell? I've picked up an A518 to go in placeof my 727. I wish someone built a lighter weight one for those of us that are not going racing.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Lakar has a cable kit also, it says GM column but Saginaw made the Chrysler columns so it should fit.
Where is everyone getting their Ultrabell? I've picked up an A518 to go in placeof my 727. I wish someone built a lighter weight one for those of us that are not going racing.

They made the A500 which is lighter, still can be built to be capable of handling 500 HP, and it has a deeper first gear to help acceleration from a dead stop....

 

[dbc105]

They made the A500 which is lighter, still can be built to be capable of handling 500 HP, and it has a deeper first gear to help acceleration from a dead stop....

Thanks for the reply but I was referring to the weight of the belhousing not the trans. Mine is going behind a stock 383 big block. The Ultrabell is built for racing and I just need it for street but I don't know of any other good solution.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Look at JVX

http://www.jvxracing.com/jvxcatalog.pdf

Scroll down to page 13... You don't need to replace the stock bell housing, just use an adapter..

 

[dbc105]

Yes I know but I don't want to cut my block and the Ultrabell cost less. I just don't need a part so heavy duty. If I had a 4 speed I wouldn't install a Lakewood bellhousing for a street car. That's all.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Yes I know but I don't want to cut my block and the Ultrabell cost less. I just don't need a part so heavy duty. If I had a 4 speed I wouldn't install a Lakewood bellhousing for a street car. That's all.

What are you talking about? You need to do some trimming on the trans case but not the engine...

 

[dbc105]

The adapter I looked at required you to cut of the part that sticks out under the starter when bolted to a stock 727 bellhousing because the 904/A518 bellhousing places the starter is a lower position. Read this and go down to where it says "Detailed Instructions" and look just below that and see
"*NOTE: simple engine block modification required to utilize stock starter".

https://transmissioncenter.net/shop...ge-small-block-518-transmission-6-bolt-crank/

I've seen these installed and from what I'm told is that once you do this you can't go back, that may or not not be so but I'm going by what the Note says and what others have told me. The started no longer bolts to the trans bellhousing but to the adaprter. With the Ultrabell I can still go back to my 727 if I want to without disrupting the starter location and no block modifications. Just going by what I've read and been told. I have no personal experience with this but plan to have some.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

That is not the JVX adapter.... Don't know who makes the one the Transmission Center sells.... But with the JVX adapter the starter is bolted in the stock Big Block location & you use a hole saw to cut a clearance pocket in the transmission case...

 

[dbc105]

That is not the JVX adapter.... Don't know who makes the one the Transmission Center sells.... But with the JVX adapter the starter is bolted in the stock Big Block location & you use a hole saw to cut a clearance pocket in the transmission case...

Ok, I'll take a look at it then. I just knew what the other one said and really had my car not been number matching I wouldn't cared so much about the block. Thanks

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Ok, I'll take a look at it then. I just knew what the other one said and really had my car not been number matching I wouldn't cared so much about the block. Thanks

I'd feel the same way... No chance I'm cutting material off my #s block...

 

[ckessel]

If you have ever seen a picture of a "clutch flite" from back in the 60's, before Lenco's and others came out, you would see that what they did was lop off the bell housing portion of the trans. From there a special scatter shield was used to replace the lopped off bell and from there would bolt up to the engine being used. The Ultrabell is what that looks like and entails. This works out really well so you can add one to a B/RB/Hemi and/or source one that was used on a V10 or Cummins.