Gladiator Questions for T86 to T18 swap?

[Greg Taylor]

Hey guys,
Does anyone have pics of the T18 or T98 setup that was behind the 327's in Gladiators? Someone is interested in my FORD 6.5" input T18 for the Glad, but I am not so sure that there is a short 327 bell to mate it to. Thanks for the feedback.

[red mistress]

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/RedScrambler/underG5-1.jpg

Greg, only pic I got underneath truck, can take more if U need them tomorrow.

Just let me know.

[Greg Taylor]

Thanks for the pic link … it’s a start.

Does your Gladiator have an 8” or ~6.5” deep bell housing? And does it have a spacer between the bell and tranny, like on the later FSJ AMC V8’s with stick-trannies?

More pics would be great. Thanks!

[red mistress]

Bellhousing is 10" long with a 1" adaptor before tranny.

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/RedScrambler/DSC01668.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/RedScrambler/DSC01669.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/RedScrambler/DSC01670.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/RedScrambler/DSC01671.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd178/RedScrambler/DSC01672.jpg

funky inspection cover on bottom of bellhousing.

Greg, Now just gotta find a way to put a huffer on the old 327.

[Greg Taylor]

Thanks for the feedback, it definitely looks like the Ford T18 (6.5” input shaft) will not work on a Gladiator truck, since the Ford needs the short 6.5” deep AMC Bell to work and the Rambler V8’s don’t have a short bell with the Gen-I AMC (Rambler V8) bell housing bolt pattern.

[tgreese]

Depending on your machining skills, you may be able to use the input shaft from a 360 T-18. The 360 T-18 trucks used a very long input shaft and a spacer between the bell and the T-18. You'd have to make an adapter to go between the 327 bell and the T-18, but you'd have plenty of stickout available. The 360 adapter/spacer for the T-18 is about 5" in length, and the 360 bell is about 7.5" deep IIRC.

Also, check the baby Jeep sites for availability of the long input shaft. Sometimes these Jeep owners will use the 360 T-18 with the short Ford shaft for a T-18 conversion, and will have the long input shaft left-over. Should be cheap or free if you can find one.