Starter & Flywhee match up.l, cubic inch chevrolet,

Mike,
 I am rebuilding a 1964, 283 cubic inch Chevrolet motor back to basically stock configuration. Block casting # 3849852. Eventually the engine will be installed in a 1964 Chevy II. The engine has a stock cast bell housing, # 3779562, for a manual transmission. I will be using the original cast crankshaft # 3849847. Can you tell me what size flywheel to install & the number of teeth & what starter will fit the flywheel. The bell housing is drilled for the starter. The starters used are specific to the size of the flywheel, is that correct??? I read that there are two basic factory flywheels---a 12 & 3/4", with 153 teetth & a larger second is 14", with 198 teeth. Is this correct? Would I use one of these? Thank you.
Al

Answer
    Passenger cars from this era used a starter that bolted to the engine block.  You could use a modern starter, and would be better off, as this would give you the option of a high-torque starter.  They perform better in both hot and cold weather, and spin the motor faster and longer.  With modern fuel injection, an engine starts immediately, but an old carbureted engine needs a little leeway sometimes, and this will give it to you.  Basically, if you use a 153 tooth flywheel, you use the starter with the bolts directly across from each other; if you use the larger flywheel, you use the one with the bolts situated diagonally on the nose of the starter.  The starter that bolts to the bell housing is generally only used on M/T pickups and Corvettes.  I have one on my '65 Panel.  You could use this starter, but it is hard to find, has a cast iron nose (easy to break), and is harder to install and remove.
     As to the recommended flywheel size, it really doesn't matter.  I would try to get the components that are original to whichever transmission you choose.  Mixing up components will make buying replacement parts later difficult, unless you keep a meticulous record of each part that you use, and keep that record with the car, just in case.  I can't tell you how many times I had Chevy owners running back and forth trying to find a combination of throwout bearing and pressure plate that would work in their old rods, just 'cause they didn't really know what they had.
    I don't want to be obvious, but you do have a Chevy II oil pan, don't you?  They are different from all other Chevy oil pans, because of the unusual arrangement of the steering components behind the axle centerline.  They also require a special oil pump pickup tube.

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