Posted by Charlie on February 22, 1999 at 20:27:01:
In Reply to: NP540/541 Reality Check posted by Henry Jacobs on February 22, 1999 at 10:25:57:
Peter Sprouse did it, or knows someone who did. VERY FEW NP540s were built with the flathead PW bolt pattern. If you find a NP540 with overdrive gears that is in good shape, the odds are 99.9% it will be a different bolt pattern. If so, make a cardboard template of the front with the boltholes and bearing retainer and try to fit it up to a PW bellhousing. If you can fit it up by have new bolt holes drilled in the bellhousing, having the center hole milled out and using a different clutch disk with bigger splines, do it. Good NP540s with overdrive gears are very rare. Mine has a GM pattern ("late", post '67). I used a Hercules-GM adapter plate made by Hercules and a GM cast iron truck bellhousing.
Charlie