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Diameter of A 1938 LaSalle Flywheel?

Started by tiger13, October 08, 2013, 08:48:55 PM

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tiger13

I was wondering if the membership here could help me out? I have a transmission an, bell housing, and flywheel setup that I was told was from a 38-48 Cadillac/LaSalle. It is a 3 speed trans mission, with the side shift, and I know the 1937 LaSalles used the top shift trannys. But my questions pertain more to the flywheel and bell housing, as this flywheel is 14 inches in diameter, and has 145 teeth, and the bell housing is much smaller, the flange (where it bolts to the engine) is approximately 15 inches across, give or take. Now, unless they did some magic that I am not aware of, I cannot for the life of me can see how, this flywheel is going to be able to be used inside this bell housing???

Am I correct in my assumption, that this is NOT the correct flywheel for the set up? And just what is the diameter of the correct flywheel? I do have pictures.
Thanks for any help.

R Smith
NC.

Steve Passmore

You will need to post some pictures before anyone can give you a good answer to that,
Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

Previous
1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe

markl

Steve is right in that some pictures would be helpful.  Also some dimensions.  For my part, I just left my engine (setting on a stand in Chico CA) yesterday so cannot give you any flywheel dimensions.  But remember, you cannot just pull the bellhousing off the engine w/ the flywheel in place.  It actually fits inside the bellhouseing, at least on the 37 engine.

I have a similar problem/conundrum in that when I went to check the fit of the clutch (from my 37) to the flywheel and discovered that the bolt circle on the flywheel was too small to fit the clutch!  Long story, but suffice it to say, this is not the flywheel that was on the engine when it went in for re-building.  The mounting holes on the clutch pressure plate (pairs) are about 3-1/8" oc.  By measurement and calculation, I get that this flywheel has a bolt circle of about 11.33"  Would you mind measuring the one you are looking at?  To calculate the bolt circle, I need the distance between two similarly placed bolt holes on two adjacent arms of the clutch cover.

I know, hard to describe in words, but if you give me an Email address, or a FAX, I can send you a sketch that clearly depicts what I am talking about.

Mark Lowery, CLC #25216

Brad Ipsen CLC #737

Don't have exact answers for you right off but keep in mine there is no bell housing that goes from 38 to 48.  One is from 41 to 48 and then another 40 and below.  Cadillac flywheels were different from LaSalle.  Cadillac had kind of a flex plate arrangement that would allow the flywheel to stay in the same plane as the crankshaft flexed.  There were different brands and diameters of clutches through the years.  These parts can be mixed and matched but you new to know what you got.
Brad Ipsen
1940 Cadillac 60S
1938 Cadillac 9039
1940 Cadillac 6267
1940 LaSalle 5227
1949 Cadillac 6237X
1940 Cadillac 60S Limo