The correct Bell Housing for the most common AX-15 conversion is the C5TA-6394-A. This bell housing is native to the 66-77 Bronco with the V8. It is a 164 tooth, "small block Ford" engine pattern to "top-loader butterfly" transmission pattern. It is cast iron, and has a threaded boss with a 1/2-13 tapped hole just above the clutch release arm opening on the side for the clutch pivot z-bar bracket. Do NOT be fooled by anyone listing the D1TA-6394-AA bell, which is mistakenly identified as a Bronco bell. It is VERY similar, but the pivot bracket feature is not machined. There are two fundamental versions of the C5TA-6394-A bell. The ones made before mid-68, and the one's after. They appear identical, except for the release arm pivot type. The "early" one uses a wire spring for retention. The later one uses a leaf spring clip. The pivot is riveted to the bell. It IS replaceable, and can be swapped. But it's best to just use the right combination for your Bronco. I prefer the late leaf spring style, but as long as the arm matches the pivot...and the bell says C5TA-6394-A...that's a winner.
You need a flywheel. It is incomprehensible to me that Blueprint can deliver a High Performance 347 engine and not include a matched-balanced flywheel. But here we are. There are three different 28 oz, 164 tooth flywheels, and two different 11 inch ones. In 1968, the 164 tooth flywheel from the "truck" was introduced to the "car." This resulted in a "big flywheel-small clutch" configuration. Beware of that one, and you will be fine. In 1980, the truck flywheel was converted to a diaphragm clutch bolt pattern. Both 11 inch clutches have a 12-3/8 bolt circle, but the long clutch uses 3 groups of 2 (uneven) spacing, and the diaphragm uses even spacing. The aftermarket solved this by providing a "dual-pattern" replacement flywheel. BUT they also resolve it by providing a "dual pattern" clutch. So replacement parts get very confusing. Because things get listed as compatible, and they ARE...but the listings themselves are NOT compatible. (I hope that makes sense...but post a reply if it doesn't come thru...)
So if you want a diaphragm clutch like you claim in your Centerforce reference...then you want EITHER a centerforce clutch / flyweeel combination from a 1981 F100 with a 351W....OR you want the Centerforce retrofit for the 66-77 Bronco. Pick your poison, but pick a combination that works together. Keep that in mind that if you order the parts individually. When you open the Centerforce box, you will find an LUK branded pressure plate, and a 1-1/16 x 10 spline (FORD) input shaft spline. The transmission you selected is an AX-15 built to 1997 Jeep Wrangler 4.0 specifications. The Wrangler 4.0 was built to the Jeep shaft specifications. In 1967, Jeep installed the Buick 225 V6 into the Civilian Jeep, and configured the Borg-Warner T14 3 speed to fit it. The Buick used a GM standard 1-1/8-10 spline clutch hub. Then in 1972 the AMC 258 was configured with the same GM spline. That 1-1/8 spline persisted thru 2006. So the clutch DISC is a GM 11 inch disc. Unfortunately, the Factory never made a Ford 11 inch clutch cover with a GM 1-1/8 disc. So this is where the kit providers come to the rescue. I THINK that Centerforce even has that kit in their catalog now. But Advance Adapters peddles the disc separate.
"Is ANY SBF manual block plate compatible?" NO. Any 164 tooth manual block plate will work. (whether it came out of a car or not) And the truck block plate from a 6 cylinder 300 works too.
Tom's and Wild H have figured all of this out for you. They both did their homework, and made life easy. They both use the same "special parts" from the same sources, and then they package the "common parts" for you. The supply chain and distribution model is VERY robust, meaning it is difficult to bypass the channel and source directly from Advance Adapters. The cost will be similar, if not higher.
The Centerforce 2 clutch disc is a high performance piece, designed to provide additional grip to compensate for crappy factory design. Ford is in-famous for putting crap sized clutches in cars. It started in 1962, and it persists until at least 1995. They FINALLY put a decent sized clutch in a station wagon in the 1967 Bronco. An 11 inch clutch will transmit ~25% more torque than a 10 inch. A CF clutch will transmit ~20% more torque than a factory one. A Dual Friction disc (uses an typical organic surface on the pressure plate sice, and a much higher flywheel eating material on the flywheel side) gets another ~15%. So pick your poison. Your 347 will produce about 400 lb-ft of torque starting at about 3,000 RPM. So you want a clutch that can reliably transmit 400 lb-ft. The CF1 is a very good clutch to get there. But the CF2 is stiffer and more better. It's your money.
Gotta run...
due to the make shift setup that i currently have. my understanding is the hydraulic setup will engage and operate much smoother with the need to adjust over time. i've also been looking for an early bronco bellhousing for a some time now and nothing local pops up.
