[6T5 Cat]

Being as big a pain as they are, the explosion proof bell-housings are a blessing when compared to when I started drag racing in 1963. I ran Gassers and Modified Production classes which required flywheel shields which we called “scatter shields” that had to be fabricated out of 1/4 inch plate steel. They had to completely surround the bell housing on all sides and were required to be mounted to the frame and not the transmission. Stock pressure plates and flywheels were a no-no as well, as they had to be explosion proof aftermarket units. When Lakewood began manufacturing explosion proof bell-housings in the mid-1960s it was like a gift from the heavens above. I’m only running a Lakewood housing out of habit because it’s what I always run on my manual trans cars, even my completely stock vehicles.