Converter / Flexplate Small Details

[63AzureAquaSS]

My nephew has an original 283 in his 64 mooredoor... the car performed OK but we decided to swap a TH350 behind it so we bought a good used one and the converter and put a shift kit in it.

1. Now the question is we have the original 153 tooth flex plate but doesn't have the raised mounting hole areas for the converter like all of the new ones seem to have. Is this going to affect the 350 converter spacing?

2. I also showed up and he had the converter on the flex plate ready to put the tranny on. Is here any drawback to doing it that way or should it go into the tranny first then mate it to the engine? He said that the lugs were straight vertical and all lined up.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[sbc1320]

The converter must be engaged into the transmission and the whole unit put up on the engine withe flexplate on the engine already.

[sbc1320]

You might have to shim the flexplate to torque converter.

[dealer-deuce]

question #2 it is critical to install the converter into the front pump of the
transmission you need install this correctly spin converter slowly so it
seats down into the pump!! flex plate should be attached the cranshaft
then trans can be bolted up

[63AzureAquaSS]

so the flexplate and converter are already on the engine. we test fit the tranny and it seemed to drop in and there is no gap between the block and bellhousing.

Any place to take some measurements to make sure we are where we want to be?

I have always had the converter in the tranny at the time of mating so didnt know if there was drawbacks to having it bolted to the flywheel on the engine at the time of mating.

[63AzureAquaSS]

we are going to take the converter off and seat it then join. Still not sure if using the stock flex plate is going to create any problems.

Any of you guys using an older factory flex plate with a T350?