Reply to "Starter Motor for 351 C with C6 transmission"

Guys,

Ford didn't build different starters for different transmissions....OTHER than manual trans vs automagic....!!!! You're making this way more confusing than it really is!

On manual trans bellhousings, Ford put a casting wedge near where the nose of the starter went. If you tried to put an automagic starter in, it wouldn't fit.

DeTomaso bellhousings lack this feature.

Just from the pictures, it looks like the original starter was an automatic version (but I reserve the right to be wrong....) and perhaps there was damage on the ring gear prior....or perhaps the starter..... or perhaps the starter gear was for some odd reason not getting full engagement.....

Maybe someone put a manual trans starter in years ago....tore up the teeth....someone else comes along puts in the right starter....and it lasts until Walt tries to start his car one day.....with ugly happening.

You need to keep in mind that DeTomaso was a scrooge and the parts he used were picked for the cheapest price! If he ordered "automatic crate motors" that came with flywheels that were supposed to mate properly with the FORD transmissions that he bought......

It's not rocket science!

Fast forward to about 1983, then FOrd fired all the rocket scientists and made one starter and moved the ring gears around on the manual trans flywheels.....no more confusion!!!! One starter fits all!

I think new flywheel and new automatic bendix gear will work fine!

Ciao!
Steve