hemi box/scattershield questions

[neal zimmerman <neal.zimmerman@xxxxxxxxx>]

well i have given up on finding the correct pushbutton shifter for my
62 dart  project, so yesterday at a swap meet in Portland i picked up
an 18 spline Hemi 4 speed box for a decent price, and a big block
Lakewood scattershield.  also grabbed an A-body 4 speed and an A-body
overdrive unit as well.
  The Hemi box is in nice shape, i opened it up and it all looks very
nice. the scattershield has been used but it  obviously never had any
explosions in it as the inside looks great.
  BUT i have some questions, of course:
     1) Is it hard to find clutches /throwouts for the hemi boxes???
      2) are hard  parts available for the hemi boxes, such as gears, etc>>>
       3) do they take a standard hurst shifter and rods?
   As to the scattershield: do they typically make the input bearing
retainer hole in a generic size>???   The hole itself is a little
loose on the bearing retainer, seems to be cut for the larger 5.125
Overdrive bearing retainer, but it would make no sense to make a
scattershield for a big block with an overdrive so i am wondering if
they just made a generic hole and the owner is left to decide how to
shim it in tight, like the factory holes were. I already figured out
how you could do it, with the help of a machinist.
  I have heard horror stories of guys running overdrive bellhousings
(5.125 hole) with the smalller 4.80 bearing retainer and  wearing out
the front of their tranny, but somebody at the swap meet  said since
the bellhousing is steel and not aluminum its not an issue but i dont
know if i believe him as he seemed like an idiot.
  I want to do it right and make it tight as the factory holes were,
or am i just being a nervous nellie???
  I definitely dont want to destroy my Hemi box as its probably as
close as i will ever come to owning a Hemi.LOL
   neal zimmerman, eugene oregon