I'm building a classic 1960 F250 4X4 for my grandson. Out with the old 292 Y-block and in with a built 390FE. I picked up a bell housing (C4TA-7505-G) at a wrecking yard that is the only type that fits the 4-speed transmission and has the cross member mounts and the attachment location for the hydraulic clutch slave cyl. Unfortunately, it appears this bell may be for a Medium duty FT engine such as used in F600s etc. I am using a 151?2 inch 184 tooth flywheel. My problem is any starter that can be used on the 390FE block, the bendix slightly misses the flywheel teeth. Evidently these bell housings had the starter offset to accommodate a 12-inch clutch flywheel assembly. Does anyone know of a starter that might work? I see other C4TA-505-G bells for sale and people say they fit the 390 FE which is true but you cannot use a 390 FE starter. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Hey there GPRuss, not seeing any comments on your situation. I guess a starter would be easiest if there is, the one you need. How about the correct bell housing for your need. Thinking from a 66 F-350 with a FE engine (352). Or a 65 or 66 truck up to a F- 350 that has the step in the cab, namely F-100 and F-250 4X4. These should have the bell housings with the slanted mounts. Tho these trucks don't use a slave cyl, there are holes for the clutch equalizer shaft to mount or a bracket that you might do a quality adaption to for the slave. Thinking someone on this forum might have one to sell you, or a online search. Good Luck, Cap

 

C4TZ-7505-D .. FT Bell Housing / Marked: C4TA-7505-G / Obsolete - 1964/78 330/361/391 FT engines with 4 & 5 speed manual transmissions.

There is no FE bell housing that will work with a hydraulic clutch, because no Passenger Car or F100/350 with an FE engine came with one.
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352: 1965 F100/250 4WD, 1965/66 F350, 1966 F250 4WD used the same engine mounting system as 1957/64 272/292 trucks.

Front center upper/lower insulators, one above, one below the cross member.

Rear right and left upper/lower insulators, two below the cross member, two above the cross member, below the ears of the bell housing.

The following bell housing has the same type of ears as the original 292 bell housing.

C5TZ-7505-C .. Bell Housing / Marked: C5TA-7505-C / Obsolete ~ This bell housing will be very hard to find.

Stop spinning your wheels trying to find Ford parts that'll work, buy an aftermarket kit to install the 390 in your 1960. You'll have to ditch the hydraulic clutch.

1958/62 FE starters use the HUGE Bendix inertia starter drive. 1963/76 FE's use a different starter and drive.

1958/64 FE's use a different flywheel that has a 153 tooth ring gear than the 1965/76 FE flywheel that has a 184 tooth ring gear.

1965/76 FE's have 4 different flywheels, one is 427 only, one is 410/428 only. The others have to do with the size of the clutch.

1958/64 FE engines were only installed in cars, have rounded valve covers without holes for smog valve/oil cap, there's an engine oil fill tube at the front right.

These engines have a different bolt pattern on the block where the rubber insulators bolt on than 1965/76 FE engines.