My 1971 500L's transmission recently has a crack and now becomes a hole. Transmission still run but need to change the housing asap. Does anyone know has the old transmission or know where I can get it? Try Everything Fiat and Mr. Fiat. with no luck.

It might be difficult to lay your hands on a 500 bell-housing as when converting a 500 to 650 (utilising a 126 engine/gearbox assembly), the 500 bell-housing has to be transfered over. Have you thought of seeing if a local welder can effect a repair? With the gear-box out (which you would have to do if you fitted a different bell-housing anyway), the bell-housing is a very simple remove/refit job. Done by a good proffessional, and with the weld cleaned-up, there would not be a lot showing that a repair had been done---have a think about it

You would be best to buy a used bellhousing off of ebay Italy, Germany, or UK.

John

There should be a good supply of 500 bell housings since they are no use in the common 650 swap - I've got one but it's in the UK so postage would be prohibitive.

I wouldn't run the car with the box in that state. The differential shares the oil with the box so by the looks of it the diff and box are dry so will self destruct in a few miles.

dunnah01 said:

There should be a good supply of 500 bell housings since they are no use in the common 650 swap - I've got one but it's in the UK so postage would be prohibitive.

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How much it will cost me including shipping to New York 11374? I might be interested. Not feel secure about welding the housing. If it breaks again, then I have to spend double the money.

Out of interest, what happened to it ?

Chris

I fitted a new gearbox to my 500L last year so I have a spare . In the UK of course and still on the gearbox. I could remove & ship it to the US. I reckon if I charged £85 all in I might get a beer or two out of it & help a fellow owner as well. If the shipping cost more I would just go without the beer

Toshi, you are a gent, take a bow.

I also have one that I'm considering swapping for the 126 bellhousing currently on the car so I can use my original starter motor.

I don't know how much it would cost to post/freight from Oz to the US, but it might be prohibitive.

You'd reckon that there would be one available in North America somewhere.

Chris

PS: Toshi is a good bloke

I'm considering swapping for the 126 bellhousing currently on the car

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I'm not sure if that's possible - the engine block castings are different 500/650 and the starter motor may clash?

I don't think that you can fit a '500' gearbox bell-housing onto the rear of a '126' as the rear of the crank-case castings are different---the '500' has the starter at the top of the engine/gearbox whilst the '126' has it on the o/s (right side) of vehicle. My 500L has a 126 engine /gear-box unit and the starter still is pull-cable operated. The advantage of retaining the '126' starter is that it is much more securely mounted, with a support bracket at the rear of the starter onto the gear-box---the '500' is only held in place by the bolts that go through the starter housing--it can break off, and when it does it usually takes the top of the bell-housing with it! I can vouch for this from personal experience! (and if you want to know the whole story, you'll have to ask nicely) Take my advice--if you have a '126' engine/gear-box assembly, stick to the '126' bell-housing and starter.

I was only thinking about it - then again I think about flying to the moon as well

I did like the quirky pull start thing but I could do that with an early 126 starter as well. You guys are right and upon revision of my own experiences, I've now stopped thinking about it

Chris

Why not think about 100 other 007 Bond things the little pull start lever could be used for instead :chin:

Ejector seat
Nitrous Button
Machine gun
Rocket Launcher

Inflatable Bond girl ???

Now you have got me thinking

Chris