Ford starter on t444e?

[xalv36963]

See title, fried starter and was shocked at price difference between Ford vs International starters.

I looked really close at pics of both and it looks like everything is the same EXCEPT 2 things

1st the plate where the starter bolts on is milled down to a different shape on IH ones, presumably for this very reason as the bolt pattern looks exactly the same. I have a grinder and vice, and am only 1/4 dumb@$$ so I think I could handle grinding a Ford one down to fit. (1/4 is an approximation btw)

2nd on the IH version, there's a metal housing that covers 50% (the back half) of the starter teeth. What are tthe odds there's something there to protect from those spinning bad boys? $200 bucks is decent savings but not worth mucking up a trans fluid line or whatever is run inside the block back there... I wish I couuld post links but oreilys website has both.

Thanks in advance