2L Starter, Ring Gear, and Bell Housing interchangability

[Jon Pike <jhpike@xxxxxxx>]

> Not all 2 liter cars had the same ring gear. 72 & 73 with the .7hp starter
> had a 130 tooth ring gear, 74 and up (1.1 hp starter) 131 tooth, and I
> believe the motronic cars had yet another (different ring gear).
>
> I've heard of people using the 1.1hp starter with the earlier cars/130 tooth
> ring gear and it seems to work without any problems.
I was just about to bring this up..

I have a 77 Spider, which needed an overhaul.  I found a decent deal on 
a basket case motor, which I deciced to build up and put in place of the 
original motor.

From serial number, I belive the second motor is a late 72 to 73. It's 
been apart for 10 years, and seems to be in better shape than the 77's.

As I now have the parts being worked on, it dawns on me that I might 
have a problem with the ring gear on the earlier flywheel, and my later
starter.  I'm hoping that there aren't bell housing "issues" as well...

Just to mix things up, I was given a starter from who knows what year 
car.. (dosent belong to either motor) and I have a bell housing that 
isn't from the basket motor.  Oh, and he handed me a loose ring gear as 
a spare, that when I finally held it next to the flywheel recently, 
found it nearly an inch less in diameter.. might be off his Austin Healy?

I tried the fit of the loose bell housing on the basket motor's block, 
holes and pins seemed slightly out of alignment.

So, I have a range of questions..

1. Is there an easy way to tell which ring gear you have, besides asking 
my engine machine guy to count them for me? (Doh!)

2. How do you tell the early/late styles of starter?  Which is the more 
desirable, all other things aside?

3. Are there bell housing differences in 2L motors?  Between other 
displacements?  How do you tell them apart? (the guy was restoring a 
Guiletta, and planned on putting in the 2L, this could be the 1600's bell)

Sorry to stack so many things together..  but since I now have parts at 
a machine shop that really works on your stuff, it won't be long till 
he's ready to balance the crank, flywheel, pressure plate, etc, and I 
need to know if I'm OK or needing to search for other parts..

Thanks,

Jon and Marcia

77 Spider,  actually being worked on now, and even by Marica!
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