The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop will this work, engine, trans and rear end?

can anybody tell me if a 1972 monte carlo engine, trans and rear end will fit in my 1950 truck? I am mostly wondering about the rear end. how do you measure to tell if it will work.is this a complicated swap? any info on this will be appreciated , thanks!

The rear axle may too wide depending on what rim sizes and tire sizes you want to run. The max width that seems to work well for AD trucks is 60-62 inches. I think the 72 monte is right at 62. Might was well use the front IFS also or just mount your truck sheetmetal onto that frame.

Measure the wheel mounting surface to the same on the other side & the original. It needs to be within an inch or so plus or minus. Swaping all this depends on your expertise & facilities. It is a complicated swap but has been done many times.

Chevy 50,
I installed the complete rear end, including sway bar out 72 Nova in my 51 pickup. It was many moons ago so the details aren't fresh, but with new brackets which I fabricated, it was an easy task. Look at the swap one piece at a time..it has been done a zillion times before and there is lots of info on it. Like Houston said, measure. You will see the spring width is very close..not a bolt in though.
The engine will fit...the tranny will fit. Let me tell you that the new rear end with it's car spring rates certainly doesn't do very well with the stock farm truck front suspension. I would definitely think "front clip".


Stuart.

according to Joe G:

http://www.quickperformance.com/SuspensionInfo.html
The monte carlo (uses metric studs (82 & up)) is 58'' wide. what you have now is 60''. I think you should talk to someone who has one to be sure but I don't think so. You only want to do this once, so be sure. measure and measure again.

In general ....... depending on the your rim width and the brake drum relationship, how it sits, brake shoe size, and using narrow vs. wide (modern) rims all ties in w/ engine size and torque specs.
For gearing see: smokemup
http://www.smokemup.com/auto_math/index.php

for gear ratios involving the tire size, tranny, rear end gearing ... it tells you the speed at what X?X?X? ratio you plug in and RPM. You calculate what is best for your situation.
yes to the engine and tranny.

I just put a 62" wide rear differential from an 85 Caprice under mine, it was a 10 bolt posi with 3.42 gearing and I was excited to have it. I spent several hours with a 4" angle grinder cutting off the coil spring mounts, spring mounts and the 'ears' on the pumpkin for the locator bars. Then I tack welded the new spring perches in place and put it under the truck with the rearched springs. It was an exciting day!

Unfortunately, when I bolted my the 235/60R15 mounted on 5 on 4 3/4" stock gm steel rims the inside of the tires rubbed against the frame. That's how I learned the backspacing on the older rims is different from the newer rims and really needs to be thought about before you go out and get that axel.

My story ends happily though... A friend traded me his 65" wide 12 bolt posi with 3.72 for my 10 Bolt straight across. The 65" axel should be okay with that extra 1 1/2" on either side.

If you are at the boneyard looking for axels, don't overlook the cadillacs, sedans and station wagons, there were lots of posi's in those and the width is in the range you might be looking for. The only diffence between the 10 bolt gm axels is the ring and pinion diameter. Some had smaller ring gears than others. The smaller ones might fail easier and were produced less so it might be harder to find parts if you need bearings/seals/shims/new gears.