T18 swap

I'm getting ready to do this same swap to my '73 CJ5. I picked up the Ford 2wd T18 from the salvage yard yesterday. It came out of a 1987 F150.

The previous owner told me that this jeep had a T-150 already installed. I have not confirmed this. I hope so because from what I've learned on this site, I need the T-150 bell housing as a key component for this conversion.

 

They are heavy.

How long is the input shaft? If there's a tag under one of the cover bolts, it'll hae the Jeep PN and maybe someone here can ID it for you.

Don't think you can buy those bellhousings new - or if you can, they would be wildly expensive. The bell from a Jeep with a T-176 will work too, without drilling. The T-176 was probably used more widely than the T-150.

 

The T18 I recently installed had the same markings in the cast and was indeed the 6.32:1 first gear.

 

In this area, I've not been able to find a used T-176 or T-150 bell housing. Does anyone have suggestions of where to look for a used one?

 

What area?

 

So far all I have found is the one at Advance Adapters for around $300.

 

Actually, I just found this, is this what I need?

 

All AMC 6 and V8 engines built from 1972 use the same bellhousing pattern and crankshaft stickout. Your CJ had a longer bellhousing and had the T15 bolt pattern. The 76-86 bellhousing is shorter and was used with T150's, T176's (these 2 are identical to Ford truck patterns), the Jeep T18 has one hole located in a different spot - 3 of the holes are correct and match Ford truck patterns, SR4, T4 and T5 (this bellhousing is correct but will need to have holes drilled and tapped).

I got my '84 T4 bellhousing (read earlier appends to this thread) from ebay for $16. It included the clutch fork, ball and retainer spring. Although it required drilling and tapping, it was MUCH cheaper than what your link describes. I was trying to keep the cost to a minimum.

 

Iowa.

 

Well, the new bell posted above will work.
http://www.jeepdoc.com/catalog/partframe.asp?id=4049

Usually you can get used parts for less than half-new though. If noone from this forum responds, you can try the WTB forum here or on other boards like IFSJA, Pirate or JU. I've had good luck on my local 4WD board; you might try such for Iowa or surrounding states. They'd also have some suggestions about which yards will have your parts.