Removing flywheel on Kirkham SC with 427 FE and Tremec TKO600

[MLI]

I have Kirkham 393 and put over 3000 miles on it since April. The starter has removed teeth on the ring gear. Need advice on pulling flywheel. If we remove the trans will we have enough room to remove Lakewood bell housing which is said to have been dialed in to minimize runout and get at the clutch and then flywheel????? Or would it make more sense to pull engine and trans. Any advice would be very much appreciated. About to order a 2 post lift. I’m located near Wilmington, Delaware. Thanks, Jerry

[patrickt]

In David K.'s assembly thread, he has several posts and pics, starting on page seven, of them dropping the drive train in. Unlike my ERA, where you drop the engine in without the transmission, and then put the transmission in after the fact, David's thread has them dropping the complete engine and transmission in as a package. What I would do is call David K. up and just ask him if it would be easier to take the "pull trans only" method or do you really have to pull the whole package just to get to the flywheel. If no one answers the phone, then shoot Morris a PM. I guarantee he knows the answer. And here's a direct link to the motor/trans drop in: Kirkham Motorsports Assembly Manual

[MLI]

Thanks so much Patrickt. I had looked at David K’s site earlier today and my son Joe suggested I ask the question. Morris on the other site said if the firewall breaks back 90 deg at the bottom It’s an engine pull and if it turns 45 deg. the job can be accomplished from the cockpit. Will let you know what I fincd in the morning and again thank you!!. Best. Jerry

[ERA 626]

no need to pull the motor, if you have a lift no problem. Pull the seats, the tunnel, drive shaft and back out the tranny (you will need to support the rear of the motor a floor jack under the car works). Then remove bellhousing, then you can access the clutch and flywheel no problem.

[MLI]

It looks like I can remove flywheel for through the cockpit. David Kirkham said “Yes—-but it’s a b**ch to wiggle the bellhousing out. Make sure your depth of engagement is correct!!
The bendix gear should be 0.100 inches away from the flywheel.” Thanks for your help.
Jerry

[MLI]

We pulled seats, center console, removed trans and shaft, removed right side headers, pipes and muffler, unbolted left side header & muffler, raised rear of engine and loosened Kirkham motor mounts, drained cooling system and removed coolant pipes to raise engine and were able to cock the bell housing enough to reach behind and unbolt clutch and flywheel. At my advanced age I’m not smart enough to post photos. I dropped Mcleod flywheel of at a friends machine shop for a new Ring Gear install. New gear coming from McLeod and shop will either use (3) clips cut off damaged
Ring Gear or make new ones to be welded to gear and attached to flywheel. David Kirkham thought we could slide bell housing out into the cockpit but we didn’t want to remove heater and controls if not necessary. I left out throttle linkage, halon lines and some other items. Thanks for everyone’s past advice. 393 will be back on the road shortly. Jerry