Farmall M repower

DeltaRed

Well-known Member
I have an MD with a bad engine. Started repowering it with a 1960 GMC 305 V6. Haveing trouble figureing out how to adapt the M flywheel to the V6.Everything else will be easy. I know there hundreds of Ms with 350 chevys,diesel engines,engines of all kinds.A V6 shouldn't be any different.I need some advise. Thanks,Steve
 
Typically people use the stock SBC flywheel and redrill the bolt pattern to use the M pressure plate and clutch disk. You might have to machine the input shaft to the desired length and pilot bearing o.d. or make an adapter for the original pilot bearing. Using the stock SBC flywheel alleviates any starter issues as well.
 
I have a 560 with a GMC 478 magnum V6. I can't help you out as my neighbor built it in the mid 60's to farm with. He told me that they used both the 560 and GMC flywheel and cut them apart and welded them together to make one. Now that doesn't very good to me, but it's still together and never been apart in the last 50 years. We only turn it 2200 rams.
You might be better off and safer to have steel flywheel made at a local machine shop. Probably wouldn't cost as much as you think and be a lot better.
 
Pretty simple really. Mount the M flywheel to the engine back plate while on the original crank. Lay that assembly on the back of the replacement engine. Measure what you will need to make an adapter from replacement engine to M flywheel. Make adapter and redrill back plate to bolt on replacement engine. Starter and clutch will then work as original
 
You sure you want to use the M flywheel with the RPM the V6 will turn. The few I have seen they used a steel flywheel and adapted the clutch to the steel flywheel.
 
I wouldn't use the M flywheel. A good clutch manufacturer should be able to make a clutch to fit the SBC flywheel with a spline count and size so the clutch disk will with the shaft.
 
M flywheel probably wouldn't be 'balanced' to the 305. use the 305 flywheel and use clutch plate hub from the M and have a machine shop build you a disc to match a pressure plate that will fit in the bellhousing. Just my $0.02 worth.
 

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