Bellhousing for RHD w/ Crossflow & Type E Rocket box

[Vinman1]

Hope all are well,

 

Trying to engine / trans combo. Got a BH6A Bellhousing, which has the starter on the left, from Burton, and does not clear the pedal box. I am using a concentric hydraulic clutch set up, and the raised area where the clutch fork would normally go, is where it hits the pedal box. Hoping someone has run into this and can recommend the correct bellhousing? 

 

V

[7Westfield]

Don't know if you want to go this route.....but

 

When I put the T9 in my Westfield last winter, I used the BH3

Car is LHD, so starter went on right side, and I still had to cut away a pretty good chunk of the left side starter mount to clear footwell

[Vinman1]

I am thinking since I own the BH6, I will cut away the part of the clutch fork opening and have a piece welded in with a hole & grommet for the hydralic feed and bleed lines. Got nothing to lose by trying. Still curious as to what Lotus, Caterham used with LHD cars with this engine & trans

[MV8]

It sounds like you have the transmission set too far back. The engine should be far enough forward for the bell to clear the footbox. There is some variation in placement that I've seen in older caterhams. Some have the valve cover overlapped by the nose and the nose notched for carb clearance.

 

Does the shifter opening in the tunnel align with the trans sitting on the mount?

 

 

[MV8]

[Vinman1]

MV8,

 

Good point there. I am going to set the engine / trans combo in the chassis and confirm before I do any modifications. Will post pic. The trans tunnel cover has never been cut for the shifter opening. The car is a 1979 Arch chassis that hung from the rafters of a barn and was never put together. Got it with no power train. The bell housings in photos you sent and others I have seen look smaller and more circular than the two I have (Burton BH6 and stock Ford that came with the Trans from a 77 Pinto Wagon), so I am not sure if I still need something that Caterham had made. The ford one has the starter on the pedal box side and the starter does not align with the flywheel. I believe it came from a V6 car.

[MV8]

They may be a little smaller. I think if the main case is far enough forward and at the right height, the bell size won't be an issue.

However, since new bells are not rare or hard to find, you could cut and tig shut the offending bulges with 3/8 flat plate your welder can provide or possibly leave it open with a smooth, radiused edge. Depends on the details.

Edited October 16, 2022 by MV8

[Vinman1]

Modified Burton bell housing by rounding off square area of shift for opening. Finally got the engine & trans in car for test fit. Holes on trans mount are about an 1/8" too forward so will drill mount, NP there. The shifter seems way forward, and the engine seems tilted down towards front, making me wish I had a thinner trans mount. It was suggested that I cut some of the V part of that goes in the the trans tail shaft casing to lower it. Does not look like there is much to work with there, so I am reluctant to do that. Research on UK sites, leads me to think Arch had a different frame cross member for Sevens with Type E, Escort, or type 9 trans?

[MV8]

Pictures please. Looking at a mount, it seems possible to install the trans mount backwards, which appears to make a difference of about an inch in longitudinal placement of the bell. Place a carpentry bubble level or a protractor on the valve cover and the engine bay longitudinal frame rails. I'd expect the shifter opening to be a couple inches behind the bottom of the dash panel.

I think the type 9 and escort bullet 2000E have the trans mount further aft from the bellhousing mating surface on the main case but also closer to the shifter turret. It looks like your chassis was made for the trans you have.

Some pics that could help would be the installation at the footwell/bell area that needed modifying (no judgement on bell trimming skills), side view of the engine from 4 feet at valve cover height, and a down view of the installed arms and mounts.

[Vinman1]

Attached are the trans and bellhousing ready to go in. Mount is the same either way. You are right about the shifter placement too. As another test, I sat in the car and my left hand is under the dash without having my arm full extended, so should not be a problem. Will have to modify the Quaife shifter I bought, cut and/or bend.