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#1078397 01/10/2015 4:08 PM
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All,
I have been driving my old 52 thanks to my grandpa. When we (grandkids) were young, he would take us to coffee/ cokes and let us shift. I have always loved the sound the truck made in first gear and in reverse. Now that he has passed I love the sound when my truck makes it because I remember those days with him. My question is this, I am thinking of going to the closed drive line. If I change the rear end, will I lose that sound?

Thanks all,
Steven


Take care,
Steven
No one can drive us crazy unless we give them the keys.
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 29,270
Bubba - Curmudgeon
Bubba - Curmudgeon
Joined: Sep 2001
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Originally Posted by 52Stove
.
.
My question is this, I am thinking of going to the closed drive line. If I change the rear end, will I lose that sound?

Thanks all,
Steven
What size/model 1952 Chevrolet truck do you have?

What transmission and rear end do you have?
What transmission will you change-to?

An original 1952 Chevrolet 1/2 ton truck would have had a closed drive line (torque-tube, enclosed drive-shaft) and a 4.11 ratio rear end.

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'Bolter
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I've always loved that sound too. I replaced my three speed with a T5 and the torque-tube rear with an open rear and still have that sound. It never realy did it in first, nor does it now, but reverse still has the sound.

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Thanks for the reply guys....

Size: 3100 short bed
Transmission: SM420 Muncie
Transmission change: I have been told there is an adaptor for the back of the trans to convert it for open drive line use?

twotone - did you change the motor in your truck?

If the rear end does not aid in the sound I may try and go to an open drive line. That would solve some of my oil leakage....


Take care,
Steven
No one can drive us crazy unless we give them the keys.
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It's a property of the transmission.
first and revers use the same gear.
SM420 is a good trans they used it quite a while

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well,
maybe i should start looking for a 55 56 chevy truck rolling chassy w engine and tranny...

513600 - I was hoping it was something like that!
Thanks guys..


Take care,
Steven
No one can drive us crazy unless we give them the keys.
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'Bolter
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Originally Posted by 52Stove
twotone - did you change the motor in your truck?
Nope, just the transmission, drive shaft, and the rear end center section (out with the 4.11, in with the 3.90). Still running the 216.

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Did you notice a change going to the 3.90?
I'm going for the 3.38....but, one thing at a time...


Take care,
Steven
No one can drive us crazy unless we give them the keys.
Joined: Feb 2002
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F
Cruising in the Passing Lane
Cruising in the Passing Lane
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Stove, the 3.38 is for the TF series, so you'd need a 55.2-59 rear, the AD rears take the 3.55

Bill


Moved over to the Passing Lane

"When we tug a single thing in nature, we find it attached to the rest of the world" ~ John Muir
"When we tug a single thing on an old truck, we find it falls off" ~ me
Some TF series details & TF heater pics
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Bill,

I read at the below post that you can take a 55 pumkin/guts and put them in my 52...

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=860391

So the rears are the same 55 to 59? That will help.....


Take care,
Steven
No one can drive us crazy unless we give them the keys.
Joined: Feb 2002
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Cruising in the Passing Lane
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yes and yes, although 59 introduced some different ratios and a posi style you don't want

Bill


Moved over to the Passing Lane

"When we tug a single thing in nature, we find it attached to the rest of the world" ~ John Muir
"When we tug a single thing on an old truck, we find it falls off" ~ me
Some TF series details & TF heater pics
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 107
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Thanks for that Bill!
I will adjust my search to 55-58. I have my Dad looking back home. Don't want to get robbed on eBay.....


Take care,
Steven
No one can drive us crazy unless we give them the keys.
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 639
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'Bolter
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Originally Posted by 52Stove
Did you notice a change going to the 3.90?
I'm going for the 3.38....but, one thing at a time...

I noticed a huge difference but I changed to the 3.90 the same time I changed to the T5 Trans. I do know that if I'd run a 3.38 instead of the 3.90 I would never get out of third gear. You'll have to pair your rear end to whatever transmission you will use, also taking tire size into account.

The center section or "guts" will work from '55 up to '61 or '62, just make sure of what you're getting. I'm using one from a '61 1/2 ton that had a 350.

Last edited by twotone; 01/30/2015 5:03 PM. Reason: I spell like a second grader :(

Moderated by  Dusty53, SWEET 

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