Engine and Transmission Tech

79 MGB. Anyone have a recommendation on who's small block ford remote filter adapter to get? There are just a few out there but is one better than the others for some particular reason?
Also, I've noticed looking at the photo's here that some guys have the frame rail modified at the remote adapter location for clearance. Do you cut the rail and then weld a new piece in, or do you heat the rail and massage it with a hammer?

Steve Melfi

Steve,
There are a couple of choices.Transdapt #1413 (Summit Racing TRD-1413) is inexpensive but won't allow re-indexing of the ports if a leak develops over time - it is about 1-1/4" thick which is the thinnest available and is quite compact in size. You might get away with very little hammer messaging of the framerail.
Canton products has a unit #22-595 (Summit Racing CTR-22-595) which is more money but allows indexing of the oil ports. It uses a central large hex nut to tighten. I believe this is the same unit that Ford Racing sells (Ford # M-6880-C50). This unit is quite a bit thicker and will need some drastic frame cutting and welding. Ted at FastCars Inc sells a machined version of this adapter (to about 1-1/4" thick) but since it is larger than the Transdapt, it still requires about 3/8" removed from the rail and a piece of metal welded back in.
I ran the Transdapt for 4 years before it started to leak and of course it cannot be tightened without losing port orientation - the only recourse is to remove the engine and replace the gasket.
This year I am using one of Ted's reworked units.
Reading Ryan's post below, I should add that my engine is exactly on centreline (I have this "thing" about symmetry)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/2009 04:41PM by ex-tyke.

Steve, I built my mounts so the engine is shifted to the passenger side 5/8" or so. It's enough that the transdapt adapter fits without any change to the framerail. It DOES make things a little closer in the driveshaft tunnel on the passenger side, but I've got my driveshaft installed and it doesn't interfere. THere are always compromises. In retrospect I don't see any reason to fear mods to the framerail to clear the oil filter adapter, and if I did it over again I'm not sure how I'd do it. A slight shift to the passenger side gives more room for steering and for an external slave cylinder on the tranny.

Graham and Ryan,
Thanks for the great info.
My frame rail will be notched, an adapter that allows indexing of the ports will be used, and I might move the engine to the passenger side a bit.

Steve