need help with 1956 buick engine to 61-63 dinaflow.

[chuck70]

I am new to this site and hope I am useing it right. I was handed down a T roadster from my father-in-law after he past and not sure of a few things he did. He mated the 56 engine to 61-63 tranny. The bell housing bolts to both the engine and tranny. I guess my question is did he have to do anything else to make this conversion work? mechine work, different parts etc. I would be in someones debt for any help

[raycow]

The bellhousing bolt pattern changed between 56 and 57. Not sure what you would have in there for starter, flywheel, converter. Could be all 56 stuff or a mixture. Sorry I can't offer more help.

Ray

[chuck70]

Thanks Ray for your reply. I was afraid there were miss matched parts. All I need now is a good dinaflow transmisson man to get things strait. I had new seals put in and while the tranny was out of the car I told him to go through the tranny. To make a long story short, he replaced the converter and when I went to bolt things up there was pressure between the flywheel and converter. so... I couldn't tighten engine to bell housing. Just my luck.

[raycow]

What kind of car are you running this engine/trans combo in?

Are you saying that this setup was together and driving at some point since you have owned it? Then you took it apart for service and it wouldn't go back together again afterward?

Ray

[chuck70]

The car is a 1923 T roadster. We built the car in the mid 1960s. Yes the car ran and drove well till I had the tranny gone through. I suspected the converter may have been 1956 but it's only a quess. Maybe if I could find measurements between flywheel and tranny I could figure it out. I have an adapter to go from 1956 Buick to Chevy, which I can do but I like the 61-63 Buick tranny.

[raycow]

Chuck, thank you for explaining. Now the combination makes more sense. You had the 56 engine and you needed to mate it with an open drive trans.

Buick powered vintage rods aren't terribly common. I have seen only one and that was in a movie, also from the 60s I think, and that one sounded like it had a Dynaflow. I can't remember the name of the film, but I have the video here somewhere and when I find it again I will PM you with the title in case you want to look for it. If you would prefer it sent to your regular email, please let me know the address.

Ray