Another spin on oil filter question

[Jeffh]

Years ago, probably late 70's early 80's my Dad, if my memory serves me right, switched from a cannister type oil filter to the spin on type by just removing the two bolts and getting all the spin on type stuff out of a later block that came with it and exchanging it with all the cannister type stuff that was in his original 57 Chevy 283. Is that possible? All this time I just thought that was how it was done but now see where everybody is talking about conversion adapters...