I'm sure everyone doesn't remember me, but I've just not been on here in a bit. Ray Gun, ie: Kevin from Hot Rod Chassis.

I need some information, and I'm not finding it, on the MEL transmission bellhousing bolt patterns. I know:

1958-62 became the FE bolt pattern.
1963-65 is the Lincoln only pattern.

I've been told that:

1966-68 was dual drilled. Some say Lincoln Only AND 460 C6. Some say Lincoln Only AND FE again.

Surely someone has a link to this information, or a photograph of the back of a block confirming it?????

scroll down to MEL paragraph

http://reviews.ebay.com/Ford-V-8-Engine ... 0004021551

No MEL engine trans bolt pattern on this sheet. But at least the C6 FE is listed.

Peter, it would be way cool if you or s.o. else could do us a bolt pattern drawing just like the ones you see in the above post. My goal is to have both, the FE and the MEL trans bolt pattern drawing next to each other.
It would be a great visual addition to what has been discussed so often.

Note: Old post copied from the archives by admin.

For some reason I have been getting a lot of email regarding this issue to I am reposting this.
Hawkrod

Stock 390/428 bell housing and block plate:
1959 Mercury 383 bellhousing with 390/428 block plate on it (all bolt holes line up perfectly!):
1966 462 block with 390/428 block plate on it. All holes line up except for the bottom right where Ford redesigned the block for a lower starter mounting location. Unless you cut the corner of the block off there is no way to put an early bellhousing on this due to the ear of the block sticking in where the starter would normally go:
Back of 462 block showing dual bolt pattern of 62-65 430 and 66-68 462:
Back of 462 block with stock plate on it:
Back of 462 block with stock plate on it and 390/428 plate overlapped:
Hawkrod

Simply Put (And Thanks To HAWKROD For The Photos)-

THE 58-60 MEL (383-410-430) used the FE bell pattern.

The pattern was modified in 1961 to fit the drive-train (relocated starter motor mounting position) into the new slabside LINC chassis. It was a modification of the FE. This pattern was used from 1961/1965.

The 462 introduced in 1966 used a dual mounting pattern, one the earlier modified FE and the second the newly introduced LINCOLN SPECIFIC C6. It was needed to clear the HVAC box on the LINC.
Confusion starts here as the new 462 C6 pattern was continued on the newly introduced 460 in the 1968 LINC (mid-year release).

462 BELL PATTERN- 460 BELL PATTERN- The LINC specific pattern was continued on the 460 so as LINC could use the trans on the 1968/1970 chassis due to it's unique HVAC housing.

The LINC MARK (released mid-year 1968 run) 460 used the corporate (429/460 385 Series) C6 pattern.

Have you check some of the dealers on the net and ask if what are the bolts you are needed?. actually this information above me are good...

Lisza Bailey
car parts dealer

KULTULZ wrote:
Simply Put (And Thanks To HAWKROD For The Photos)-

THE 58-60 MEL (383-410-430) used the FE bell pattern.

The pattern was modified in 1961 to fit the drive-train (relocated starter motor mounting position) into the new slabside LINC chassis. It was a modification of the FE. This pattern was used from 1961/1965.

The 462 introduced in 1966 used a dual mounting pattern, one the earlier modified FE and the second the newly introduced LINCOLN SPECIFIC C6. It was needed to clear the HVAC box on the LINC.

INFORMATION CORRECTED AND UPDATED- 30 JAN 2011

NOTICE!- The above should read the 462 block included the previous 61/65 LINC TWIN-TURBO bell pattern along with the new LINC specific C6 pattern.

FURTHER NOTE- The corporate C6 bell/main case would not fit into the 66/68 LINC chassis so it used a LINC SPECIFIC bell/main case.

462 C6_1.jpg

Confusion starts here as the new 462 C6 pattern was continued on the newly introduced 460 in the 1968 LINC (mid-year release).

462 BELL PATTERN-

Bell Pattern- 462_1 .jpg

460 BELL PATTERN-

Bell Pattern- 460 Dual.jpg

The LINC specific pattern was continued on the 460 so as LINC could use the trans on the 1968/1970 chassis due to it's unique HVAC housing.

The LINC MARK (released mid-year 1968 run) 460 used the corporate (FORD) (429/460 385 Series) C6 pattern.

To break it down-

58/60 MEL uses FE bell pattern.

61/65 LINC 430 uses a modified FE pattern (to allow engine fitment within new LINC frame rails).

66/68 LINC 462 uses the previous modified FE pattern and the newly released LINC SPECIFIC C6 pattern.

The 460 engine block (1968/ ) had both the previous 462 LINC SPECIFIC bell pattern AND the FORD CORPORATE C6 bell pattern.

The 460 engine block (1968/ ) had both the previous 462 LINC SPECIFIC bell pattern AND the FORD CORPORATE C6 bell pattern.

When I checked a dual pattern 460 to the 462 I found the 462 trans would not bolt to the dual pattern 460.

You can see this in the pics when you compare the dowel locations to the crank centerline as well as the adjacent bolt holes on the left side of the block.

Also starter locations.