The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Are pumkins interchangeable?

I have a dumb question. Considering putting a T5 in my 1954 3100, naturally need to convert to open driveline. Is it possible to use my current rearend housing, but install the "pumpkin" from a later 50s Chevy? My goal is to keep my 6 lug wheels. Thanks.

A third member out of a 1955 through 1962 Chev or GMC 1/2 ton will bolt into your housing. The torque tube was used as a torque arm and the axle housing is hinged at the springs. You will have to change spring seats, weld what you have tight or add a torque arm.

This is exactly what I did when installing my T5. We cut off the pivoting spring seats and welded on some solid spring seats from Classic Parts (~$20). The 3.90 ratio works well with my T5 and tire setup.

If you can find a 12 bolt rear out of a late 60s/early 70s Chevy pickup these are the right width and can be made to work with the AD springs without too much work. Plus you will get a large variety of gear ratios in the 12 bolts. I have a 3.07 and with the ratios in my T5 it works really well. The first 3 gears almost exactly the overall ratios GM engineers used with the 1/2 ton trucks and inline sixes and then 4th drops the rpms by 25% and fifth (.86) drops that another 14 percent which puts me just a little better than an overdrive 3 speed would have provided. The 12 bolt rear ends used in Chevy pickups (maybe also in GMC) were made for 6 lug wheels.