Essex 6 and Terraplane bell housings

bob ward

Are Essex 6 and Terraplane bell housings pretty much the same, pretty much interchangable? 

I know the later Terraplane bell housings are a little different with their 2 'ears' on the throwout shaft and lack of gearbox interlocks.

StillOutThere

What year of Essex 6 are you referring to?   Don't think the 1925 is the same as the 1932.

bob ward

I have a few pre-stepdown bell housings that came from a guy who was into Essex and Terraplane, I'm trying to find out what years they fit. 

The bell housings themselves are all the same, the only differences I can see are in the fittings on the ends of the clutch fork shaft.

Some of those fittings have 'ears', I'm fairly certain those bell housings are 37 and on.

Some of those fittings have round pegs to drive the shaft, plus gearbox interconnects. I know those bell housings were used up to 36, I'm interested to know how far back they go.

ernie28

Bob, on the Essex 6 gearboxes of the 1920's there is a date stamp tag on the left hand side near the casting number. Not sure if that carried on to the 30's though.

Geoff

Essex 6 bell housing and transmission casings are all one part, made of alloy, up to 1931 incl..   The later bell housings are cast iron, and separate from the transmission case. 

bob ward

Thanks for that Geoff.

In a similar vein I also have a few axle shafts, some with spline drives and some with square drives and also a square drive diff centre, 5.5 ratio I think.

Presumably the square drive stuff is all Essex?

Geoff

Yes, square drive axles used from 1924-'29 inclusive, and then splines from then on.   Strangely, I have never known a square drive axle shaft to break, unlike the splined ones, which snap like carrots!