The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1977 Z-28 rear end

I have been given a 1977 z-28 rear end with 3:42 gears from a camaro f-body.

Will this work as a rear swap on my 55.1? If I understand the conversion chart right it can work.

Thanks,
Chris

wont work,,, send it to me,,,

Nice try. The only conflict I can see is the 5 lugs on the rear and 6 lugs on the front.

why would that conflict,,drive it like that,,heck, I have seen em with lug nuts missing,,,serious,,good luck with your project,no one ever gives me anything except a hard time,,,why is that,,,Fred

Yeah I think I am going to go that route. I eventually would like to put a front clip in the truck so at some point it will switch over to all 5 lug.

Thanks Joker and have a great weekend.

-Chris

That should be an easy one to find a front clip to match lug bolt patterns. Lots of Camaro/Nova/Monte Carlo front clips find their way into AD trucks.

Chris,

How bout one of those disc conversion kits....you get discs on the front of your truck, keep the stock front end and get 5 bolt too? I think there is a GM 5 bolt kit.

I am using a 77 Camaro Z-28 limited slip rear end in our truck. Front brakes have been converted to use Camaro disks. Here's a pix of the rear end:
web page

Fran and Gord,

With that rear end did you have to modify the drive shaft at all?

I currently am running a 283 from a 68 camaro with the 4 speed saginaw transmission from the same car.

Thanks,
Chris

68 Camaro came with 327.

Fran/Gord - looks like your springs are also from the Camaro? What did you do for the front spring perches? Got any close ups of those?

I used an '79? (can't remember) Firebird with 3.42 posi - worked great, make sure you get the right offset on the rims or they will rub on the inside against the box. I had the wrong backset on the first set of rims and they would let out a little puff of smoke on hard cornering.

There are a lot of disk brake kits for your a stock front axle that will give you the same lug pattern as the camaro rear.

MG: Those are S10 springs. This truck will be Fran's and she won't be hauling anything too heavy. The front spring perches were made from 3.5 inch square steel tubing. They are kinda ugly, but I don't think they will break! (Nobody will see them once the box and running boards are on).

Chris: the driveshaft was a bit of a challenge. Originally the truck was torque tube. The transmission I have is a SM420, which is a short tranny so a long one piece or a two piece driveshaft was needed. Long 1 piece shafts with a slip yoke are hard to find! I ended up installing a steady bearing with a two piece shaft from a 70's 4x4.

Tony,

I took the numbers of the engine block and did a search on the net and it came up a 68 Camaro. I don't think I am wrong.

Also discovered the rear end is a posi.

Chris, don't believe everything you read on the net. A lot of morons with keyboards out there.
I thought '67 was the last year for the 283. It was replaced in '68 with the 307.

My guess would be that the motor is from a 67. Or is there site or process to identify the motor?

Thanks,
Chris

Here is one that was recommended to me.

http://www.mortec.com/

As to the 5 to 6 lug problem, I grew up hearing that '53 car front drums will fit right on the truck spindles. Never tried it, so don't know if it is true. If so, it would be a cheap and easy way to avoid hauling two spares.
Steve O

Well tomorrow I am picking up the rear end. I can't wait. I am also going to go the route of a front disc conversion. I am going to sell my 1951 Allis Chalmes WD tractor to help fund the project, hate to do it but $ doesn't grow on trees where I come from. Once the rear end in and the disc conversion is done I think Cragar SS rims are in order. Of course that is a perfect world.

-Chris

The engine in The Ox is a 283, I got it out of a 69 camaro... (it was transplanted from a 63 chevy)

I don't recall the exact years, but the pre-55 front drums can easily be swapped to the front of a truck at least starting in '41 and through maybe '59.

I put '51 car drums on a '41 pickup once. It took a combination of the car and pickup bearings, and some modifications to get the backing plates to fit. Wasn't a big deal.

Its about the same work to put a disk conversion kit on instead. And the disk brake parts are a lot easier to find these days too. But if you do the disk conversion you really need to convert to dual master and replumb the brakes at the same time.

Does that mean I have to relocate the mastercylinder? I would like to keep my current brake pedal.

thanks,
Chris

Is that question to me, regarding my dual-master suggestion?

When I installed a dual master on my '55 1st I used a kit from ChevyDuty that moves the new master back a bit, and toward the center of the truck an inch or two. No change to the pedal.

So does it move? Yes. Do you need to move it to the firewall? No.

If I were doing it again I would order the kit from Classic Performance Products and save $15 or so. I believe the parts are identical.