The bell wasn't shallow to accommodate the adapter ring. It was shallow because of the Buick Nailhead engine design. That version of the transmission was sold as a "universal" trans because the design happened to lend itself well to adapting. Kept GM from making another trans. The Nailhead trans case was continued in production for a few years after Nailhead production stopped, I believe, to supply those using adapters. I suppose production rose to the point for most using the adapted trans that it was worth buying specific cases for their engines. Spro wrote: > I've had a number of the nailhead TH400's over the years, but I didn't know the bell was shallow to > accommodate the adapter ring. I have a nailhead/adapter ring TH400 in a 73 J-4000 with an AMC 360. > > -Spro > > -----Original Message----- > From: Frank Swygert [mailto:farna@xxxxxxx] > Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2007 10:14 PM > To: msproviero@xxxxxxxxxxx; amc-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: re: fsj 232/th400 [was: AMC Ads] > > Spro, you didn't miss anything much, just don't understand how the early > Jeeps w/AMC engine fitted a TH-400. The AMC TH-400 case didn't come > along until around 1972 or 73. It was used through 1969. Prior to that > the "universal" model TH-400 (same as the Buick "Nailhead" case/bell -- > it was also sold as the universal to other makers because the shallow > bell left plenty of room for an adapter -- the old Buick Nailhead had a > deep flange on the back of the block) was used with a cast iron adapter > ring 1.5"-2" thick. The ring was used mostly with the AMC 327 (65-67 in > FSJs), but some Jeep sites report that a similar setup was used with > 71-72 AMC V-8s. The 327 has a different bolt pattern than later AMC > V-8s, of course. > > -- Frank Swygert Publisher, "American Motors Cars" Magazine (AMC) For all AMC enthusiasts http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html (free download available!) _______________________________________________ Amc-list mailing list Amc-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx http://www.amc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/amc-list