I found a flywheel for my Lincoln 368.  The flywheel is from a Ford large truck and is pretty beefy.  It weighs 44.8 pounds.  This thing just seems like lifting an anvil when I picked it up.  The 368 will be going in a 1946 Mercury coupe that weighs about 3200 lbs, with a Mustang 5 speed  behind it.  First gear ratio is 3.35 and rear ratio is 3.70 with 28" tires.  The engine is stock. As I stated before the flywheel is really thick.  Is the flywheel too heavy, or should I have some metal removed to lighten it somewhat?  This will be a street driven car and I would like good manners, but would also like decent acceleration. I used the FE flywheel weight for reference and found weights were 28-36 lbs.  Any thoughts?  Thanks.


 

Butch Lawson

Manchester,  TN

I'd lighten it if it's feasible.  The heavy weight is probably to help get a heavy load moving in a truck which is absolutely not required for your application.

Around 30lbs would probably be good.  I think the one in my truck is 32lbs (Billet aftermarket).  My car's ('88 Firebird) is 24lbs (cast genuine GM).


Lawrenceville, GA

My bird with power everything and a/c is probably pretty close to your weight. I’m running a 15lb aluminum flywheel with a 2.95 IIRC first and 3.73 and a 26” tire. I’m sure you can’t get that light, but if you can make Charlie’s recommendation of 30lbs it should be fine.

With the 15lb wheel you’ve got to be careful starting (I don’t race the car), but they gain revs real nice.



miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Butch
Did you ever check out the LYB forum over at the HAMB website?  The guys who modify those engines can definetly help.  Do you have an FE flywheel so you can compare the bolt patterns?   I don't know if the ring gears  are the same tooth numbers.     Flywheels can be turned,  I wonder if a machine shop could mill off a good amount to lighten it up.  

I checked the HAMB.  Things are kinda slow with the Lincoln bunch over there.
  The centering hole in the FE flywheel is the same, bolt holes are different but there is enough room to redrill them to fit.  There is what looks like about 1/16" difference in the diameter of the two. The FE would work with a modified FE bellhousing, or probably with a starter having a larger gear with the right tooth count.  There is plenty of metal, so I think my best route is to have it milled to a more respectable weight.

Butch Lawson

Manchester,  TN

Thanks for everybody"s input and help.  Learning a lot about this beast.  Rounding up parts is a challenge, but it's fun and an interesting engine.

Butch Lawson

Manchester,  TN

The rule of thumb for standard trans flywheel weight for a street driver is 1% of the car weight.  If the car weight is 3200 lbs., then the flywheel would need to weigh  approximately 32 lbs.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

... hmm ...

32lbs ...

Rev that thing up to 10,000 RPM, side-step the clutch and hold on for dear life ...

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Thanks Ted.   I hope I can get enough metal off this thing to get it close to that weight.

Butch Lawson

Manchester,  TN

"...one thing about the FE bell-housing/stick parts in general, the FE flywheel has the same crank hub register diameter but the flange bolt pattern is different, a new billet FE flywheel could probably be easily enough custom ordered with the LYB flange. The FE and LYB do not share the same tooth count or pitch on the starter ring gear, your two options here are retain the FE ring gear and use an early FE starter drive or starter; or, switch to the LYB ring gear."

SOURCE - http://www.applecityfd.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20&Itemid=38

I also have tech describing adapting an FE bell to the engine, somewhere.

EDIT -

Here is a lengthy discussion reading the swap- https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/57-368-c-i-lincoln-motor-which-bell-housing-will-fit.328864/

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