Fluid drive
A 55 Dodge passenger car uses that long fluid drive bellhousing with a regular manual trans. The trans has an extra long input shaft, and the throwout bearing has a really long body. What they were thinking, I don't know - maybe just trying to save money not tooling up an all new bellhousing (but why not use the Plymouth bellhousing??). Here's a comparison of the 49 and 55 Dodge manual trans (my 49 Wayfarer had fluid drive with a conventional three speed transmission; more expensive Dodges and DeSotos and Chryslers had what effectively was a four speed trans, albeit not one that could be shifted quickly). 49 up top, 55 below. The trans main case and the gears are the same. The input shaft of the 55 is longer, as is the tailshaft. I used the input shaft from the 55 in my 49 trans, with the 55-style long throwout bearing and a regular clutch and pressure plate. It all fit perfectly in my original 49 fluid drive bellhousing. So now I have a conventional three speed manual w/o the fluid coupling.
A 55 Dodge passenger car uses that long fluid drive bellhousing with a regular manual trans. The trans has an extra long input shaft, and the throwout bearing has a really long body. What they were thinking, I don't know - maybe just trying to save money not tooling up an all new bellhousing (but why not use the Plymouth bellhousing??). Here's a comparison of the 49 and 55 Dodge manual trans (my 49 Wayfarer had fluid drive with a conventional three speed transmission; more expensive Dodges and DeSotos and Chryslers had what effectively was a four speed trans, albeit not one that could be shifted quickly). 49 up top, 55 below. The trans main case and the gears are the same. The input shaft of the 55 is longer, as is the tailshaft. I used the input shaft from the 55 in my 49 trans, with the 55-style long throwout bearing and a regular clutch and pressure plate. It all fit perfectly in my original 49 fluid drive bellhousing. So now I have a conventional three speed manual w/o the fluid coupling.
