Random 10.5"/11" belhousing babbling...

I just bought a 1968 Dodge Coronet with a 440 H.P. engine & 4-speed transmission.
The clutch was shot so we pulled the 4-speed out and the clutch springs and such actually wore into the Hayes flywheel that was in the car. It looks like a bad brake rotor. It destroyed the flywheel.
This looked like a sweet flywheel though as it was drilled for 2 (I think even 3) different clutch bolt configurations.

OK here is my problem (well with the trans/belhousing/clutch anyways).
The car has/had the large 11" H.P. style big block belhousing.
Now that the flywheel is shot I have Two options: I have one original 11" 143T flywheel and a new C.A.T. 130T billet flywheel which I was planning on using.
I have a new Perfection 11" 23-spline clutch that will not fit the 11" H.P. 143T flywheel.
The clutch will fit the C.A.T. flywheel, but then the flywheel will be too small (starter wont reach) for the bigger belhousing.
Looks like I either need to find/buy a smaller 383 style belhousing/scattershield or another Hayes (or other good quality brand with multiple bolt patterns) flywheel.
I think a belhousing will be the cheapest/best solution...

So what I taught myself is that the 440 H.P. 18-spline 4-speeds must have used an 11" clutch that bolts to the wide pattern on the outer edge of the flywheel.
It seems the standard duty 440 used the same flywheels as the other big blocks with the 23-spline transmissions. These seemed to use an 11-inch clutch that bolts with a slightly smaller bolt pattern on the flywheel.
Is this how things were or am I way off base?
Then there is the 10.5 clutch set-up.


I guess I forgot or didn't realize there were so many different small changes to things.
You would think an 11" clutch would be an 11" clutch! Sheesh.

I don't exactly understand what you are talking about but there are 3.9 Dakota flywheels out there that are 143 tooth and use the 10.95 scalloped/ 10.5 pressure plate pattern. I think any flywheel pattern the is triangular got to be an aftermarket wheel for a Long style pressure plate.

The confusion arises from the fact that everybody but Mopar calls the 10.95" used with the 130-tooth flywheel what it actually is, Mopar often calls it 11" and at the same time also calls the one for the 143-tooth flywheel 11".

Yeah, that had me baffled.
Once I really thought about it I saw the differences, but what a mess.
It didn't help that I have a parts to everything all mixed up.

Quote:

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So what I taught myself is that the 440 H.P. 18-spline 4-speeds must have used an 11" clutch that bolts to the wide pattern on the outer edge of the flywheel.
It seems the standard duty 440 used the same flywheels as the other big blocks with the 23-spline transmissions. These seemed to use an 11-inch clutch that bolts with a slightly smaller bolt pattern on the flywheel.
Is this how things were or am I way off base?

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My factory stock '70 440 Sixpack Roadrunner used the 10.9/ 11" small pattern clutch--and was the same bolt pattern as a 10.5, I believe. I think this was done in '70 to try and trim down the floor. My 69 383 RR had a big pattern 11"

I hated that thing, had a lot of trouble with it, the clutch disc would "fur up" on the outside and rub on the mounting ears, and would not release cleanly all the time. I later swapped a 340 into that car, and in fact, later swapped a 'Vette diaphram into the car with the 340.

If at all possible, I'd prefer a big pattern, 11" clutch. Since that already is what belongs in there, I'd replace the flywheel