On Saturday, April 24, 1999 12:00:00 AM UTC-7, bmckee wrote:
I just bought a rebuilt for my 351W, same engine. I went to the new style,
that is based on the late model car type. $135 without exchange from San
Jose Generator and Starter. They said the earlier starters have a roll pin
in the front plate, sealer around the solenoid area, and a hose clamp around
the solenoid cover to make it a marine starter. The new style will turn
over a 460 CID ford all day with out effort. Unfortunately the problem was
a bad ring gear.
Bill

Bill that is right. there's noting much to making thee Autolite -designed "Positive engagement" starter from automotive to marine with the exception of the bell housing and lever cover and front band gaskets. I never did figure out why the OE put a large hose clamp around the starter to help hold down the lever cover. Seeing it's held in place with the brush cover on the earlier designs, and bolted solid to the starter housing on the later "Mod II" units.

Thee later "permanent magnet" starters made the earlier ones far obsolete though. Superior cranking performance with half battery draw as well as half the weight.

I imagine why you had the flywheel problem was because the internal switch on your earlier marine unit wasn't set correctly, causing the pinion gear (bendix) to not fully engage the flywheel before the motor started to attempt to crank the engine thus wearing away at the face of the flywheel's ring gear.