The Gubblemobile- Series III from hell.

[Yorker]

Well- with the money you probably saved by using the Dana 18 instead of the Series Land Rover case you could probably afford 2-3 spare t cases anyway. They usually go for $50-$100 around here though they are getting a little rarer now that the price of scrap is way up and all the neat old cars and forgotten projects are being hauled to the crusher.

 

[Mercedesrover]

Steel is over $300 a ton right now. Crazy. I know guys that are going to old farm auctions and buying old junk for scrap value alone.

 

[Alaska Mike]

Last time I looked at them (mid-east and in Alaska), I couldn't find one for below $450. Since then I've run across a couple empty cases locally for free, but passed on them because they were the older versions (smaller intermediate). They certainly aren't as common or cheap as they once were, so I rebuilt mine with the intention of making it as long-lasting as possible. While certainly far from unsupportable, they are getting more rare in parts vehicles.

A lot of great potential project rigs are getting scrapped up here as well, put on barges and sent overseas if the owner or junkyard doesn't feel they are worth anything. Kinda kills me, since a lot of good parts are going away with all of that sheetmetal. Why can't they just take the econo boxes and other worthless rigs, and leave the good stuff for us?

 

[Alaska Mike]

Well, I contacted Novak and I'll be shipping my bearing retainer and the bellhousing back to them (on their dime). They'll machine both to fit and ship them (with the pilot bushing and throw-out bearing) back to me.

Slight side-story on this kit. Apparently they're discontinuing it because the bellhousings are becoming hard to get (GM no longer makes them). I doubt they were ever that big of a seller, since there are other options for Wrangler transmissions out there. Works for me, though.

I still need to compare the bore of the clutch slave cylinder to that of the stock Rover master cylinder and see if they will work together well. The connecting hose/lines should be easy enough to modify if required.

 

[Yorker]

Well, I contacted Novak and I'll be shipping my bearing retainer and the bellhousing back to them (on their dime). They'll machine both to fit and ship them (with the pilot bushing and throw-out bearing) back to me.

Slight side-story on this kit. Apparently they're discontinuing it because the bellhousings are becoming hard to get (GM no longer makes them). I doubt they were ever that big of a seller, since there are other options for Wrangler transmissions out there. Works for me, though.

I still need to compare the bore of the clutch slave cylinder to that of the stock Rover master cylinder and see if they will work together well. The connecting hose/lines should be easy enough to modify if required.

What is the bolt pattern on the block of your 4cylinder? Is thatthe same as the "60 degree "bolt pattern?

 

[Alaska Mike]

I don't think it's a similar bolt pattern to the 60 degree V6, but I'm not completely sure what it originally went to. Here's the link to the kit:
http://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/kit_b150gm.htm

We'll see how it all goes once it comes back.

 

[ntsqd]

Pic of the bellhousing looks like a GM 60* V6 bolt pattern to me. Could be wrong, been there before.......

 

[Yorker]

Hmmm I think it is- somewhere i had a list of all engines that use that pattern- there were some neat surprises like the Norstar V8. I was hunting for an S10 bellhousing a while ago to mate to a SM420 and another engine with that bolt pattern.

[edit]:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes, the CJ's with the Pontiac 2.5 have a V8 Chevy bolt pattern.
The AMC 2.5 has a 60 degree Chevy V6 bolt pattern. You can take a bellhousing from an S10 with a 2.8 and adapt several heavy transmission to the AMC 2.5

http://forums.off-road.com/jeep-short-wheelbase/122612-2-8l-replace-my-2-5l.html

 

[Alaska Mike]

Well, a little interweb research shows that it is in fact that bellhousing. I think the modifications they mention are to open up the input shaft bore a bit. Looks like I may have another engine option open, even if it's one that I don't particularly like.

 

[Yorker]

Well, a little interweb research shows that it is in fact that bellhousing. I think the modifications they mention are to open up the input shaft bore a bit. Looks like I may have another engine option open, even if it's one that I don't particularly like.

There are TONS of engines with that pattern- it is a cool bellhousing to get! I've been sort of looking for one on and off for a few years.

I'll see if I can dig up the list of engines that use that bolt pattern- there were a ton. e.g. Buick 3800 supercharged ...

[edit]

Used on Chevy 60 degree V6's, 4 cylinders and other FWD engines
2.0L (OHV I4), 2.2L (OHV I4), 2.5L (OHV "Iron Duke" I4), 2.8L (60* V6), 3.0L (90* V6), 3.1L & 3100 (60* V6), 3.3L & 3300 (90* V6), 3.4 & 3400 (60* V6), 3500 (60* V6), 3.6L (60* V6), 3800 (90*V6), 3.9L (60* V6), 4.1L V8, 4.5L V8, 4.9L V8

http://members.shaw.ca/betterthanyoutoo/bellhousing/gm_bellhousing_bolt_patterns.htm

 

[Yorker]

96-99 Dodge Dakota 2.5L bellhousing: Connects all to any Jeep 2.5L L4. Because of its GM inherited 60 degree bolt pattern, it also works with any Buick FWD V6 and supercharged V6, any Chevrolet 2.8/3.1/3.4 V6, any Cadillac 4.1/4.5/4.9 V8, any Isuzu 3.5/3.5 DOHC V6 and with a minor modification (moving a bolt hole), any Olds Aurora DOHC V8 and Cadillac DOHC Northstar V8.

http://www.4x4wire.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB86&Number=327122&Forum=All_Forums&Words=dakota%20bellhousing&Match=Entire%20Phrase&Searchpage=1&Limit=25&Old=6months&Main=327122&Search=true#Post327122

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=181361&highlight=ax15+bellhousing

http://jeep.off-road.com/jeep/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=261497

 

[Alaska Mike]

Good resources there. I'm not sure about the grinding they did to clear the stock starter though on one of those threads. Seems like it would expose the clutch to dirt and water unless you were really careful about fitting. I'll stick with the recommended Mean Green.

 

[Alaska Mike]

Well, I ordered the Mean Green starter the other day, just because I found a decent deal on one. They don't come cheap, but hopefully it will be the last starter I ever buy for the vehicle.

A guy dropped by and looked at the Rover carcass, and he'll be buying the engine, transmission, transfercase, and various odds and ends. Add that to the small parts I've sold so far, and I have back the initial purchase price. What I'll likely have left over is the old frame and bulkhead, and I may see if there's someone out there on Craigslist that wants them. The less I have to haul away, the better.

I started pulling the steering column out, a job made easier by the pre-lubricated bolts that seem to be common on this Rover. However, there is 35 years of grease and dirt hiding all sorts of attaching bolts, so I've used the "tug and search" method of finding them all. I'll get there.

 

[Mercedesrover]

Well, I ordered the Mean Green starter the other day, just because I found a decent deal on one. They don't come cheap, but hopefully it will be the last starter I ever buy for the vehicle.

Hard to go wrong with a Mean Green. I run one on both of my trucks and I'm a big fan. A big bite but worth it in the end.

jim

 

[Alaska Mike]

That's what I was thinking. They have a bit of a track record now, and I haven't heard much negative about them. I fire up the Jeep in gear all of the time when in low range (carb and rocks), and I bet this thing will work like gangbusters.