Cobra lettered bellhousing

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by PDUB

Dan, which size toploader bearing retainers fit these? Is it the older small version? I imagine that these were for the T-10, originally, and then the toploader, later.

The five bolt Ford housings were manufactured for the size bearing retainers Borg-Warner T10 transmissions had. From my notes, most Ford "top loader" units were made to match up with bell housings for six bolt bell housing engines. Those transmissions had a larger diameter bearing retainer, too large for an unmodified five bolt bell housing.

I don't know about the special Sunbeam Tiger Ford top loader transmissions. Many people say that they are a direct bolt in swap into a five bolt engine. (More than a few Cobras got Tiger transmission transplants after their original transmissions were damaged or destroyed.)

The only COBRA part made for a five bolt engine that I have personally seen that would accept a standard "top loader" had been machined to enlarge its bearing retainer opening. Unfortunately, the machinist got the modification very off location so that housing became a piece of wall art.

A few companies produced cast steel housings in the 1960s that mounted to a five bolt Ford 221/260/289 c.i.d. V8 engines. At least two, and maybe a third counting the Cobra part family, would fit between the main tube frame rails for a Cobra. Most aftermarket housings cast or pressed steel would not just bolt in. I get a weak feeling when I come across some of the modifications owners did between the 1960s and the 1990s. Cutting sections out of these protective devices with a torch (sometimes it looks like during engine installation with the engine hanging in the engine bay) for frame clearance defeats the concept of ‘total containment’. Cutting a notch or notches in a Cobra’s not real strong in the first place frame is really scary. Beating bell housing clearance into a frame rail is not a good engineering practice either. Using all kinds of home grown ways to jack either the right side of the engine up or both sides up probably is not great for handling but seen that on several original Cobras with aftermarket bell housings.

During 1964 Shelby American started the 1965 MUSTANG GT350 project. That included a new COBRA lettered part for six bolt block 289 c.i.d. engines. (Buyer beware. At least two companies have made copies of the COBRA six bolt design. They advertised them as cast iron. The drawings for originals call out SAE 1030 steel.)