The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Camero rear end

What year Camero rear end has the right width for a 58 1/2 ton.

maybe 76-80 but they might fall a little short
according to Joe's tip... looks like the width is 60 1/2 and you need 62............unless I am reading it wrong..

Wrenchbender I'm glad you asked this question. I too want to add a modern Rear end in my 59 1/2 ton, maybe a ford 9inch or a Chevy 10 bolt but that list that's here on The website looks a little confusing. I know people on here have swapped out there rear end for a modern rear end but the question is what Vehicle did they get it from. I guess I could always have a differential shortened but that's money I don't have..I would Rather have a direct swap.

sort of hard to modify these trucks.................with a direct swap.......might be far and few between...

some will say if you are swapping out a truck rear end then you should try to use a truck rear end of some type.........a lot dont though.

I believe the late 70s early 80s Camaro rear is 62" wide back plate to back plate.

Does anybody else know if this is true about the late 70's early 80's Camaros? If its true I'm going hunting for a donor car.

My mistake JAWDY. The 62" is the width between the fenders on an AD. That means a Camaro rear with tires will fit an AD if the tires are not too wide.
The width of the actual rear is around 54". I have never heard of a Camaro in those model years fitting the '55/59s.
Do a search here and you should find a bunch of chatter on the subject.

Here is the information you need it is from Fla54Chevy3100's web shots.

The stock 54 1/2 ton rear axle is 62 inches, flange to flange. The late 80s Camero rear axle is 62 inches, flange to flange.

Well info for a Task Force Series at least.. But if The Task Force has a 62" rear end I guess some of the info was Helpful, cause now I know that late 80's Camaro's have a 62" rear end..

find lots here - the TF rears are 56" between backing plates, so with drums [3" each] about 62" .... and they have 42" spring centers

Bill

So, Red I should be looking for a Diff that's 56" between backing plates regardless if i want to run Drums or Discs? Or if i want to run Discs Should I compensate for the difference?

not sure discs make a difference in the stud position, but the 62" measure is where you want the inner face of the wheel centers to keep the tires at the right track width

Bill

Its always axle flange to axle flange when measuring, and thats the outer face of the axle flanges. Brake drums will add a little less then a 1/4" to the total width. Spring perches will have to be located off the old axle along with the pinion angle. Joe

This tech tip lists the TF rear axle as 62 inches.

I've never swapped an axle, but track width (center of tire tread to center of opposite tire tread) would seem to be a helpful measurement since it can be found in various documents and pertains directly to comparing the width of different stock axles and wheels.

If this measurement is not useful for axle swaps, please explain why. I would like to learn more about this.

1958 1/2 ton rear track width is 61".
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyresto/58t003.htm

Camaro rear track widths

67-69 (1st gen) 58.9"
http://www.oldride.com/library/1968_chevrolet_camaro.html

70-81 (2nd gen) 60.0"
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_itemId=26006

82-92 (3rd gen) 61.6"
http://www.thirdgen.org/rt_october1986_mustang_vs_camaro_irocz

93-02 (4th gen) 60.6"
http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2002/chevrolet/camaro/specifications/index.html

The track width is useful, but may not give the actual axle width. The wheels used do not always have the same back space as front space. This applies to most older rear wheel drive cars and light duty trucks as the wheels are close to having their center sections at the center of the wheel. This may not apply to a later model vehicle. Take a late model Chevy 1/2 ton truck for instance. These wheels have much greater back space than a comparable 1/2 ton of 30 years ago.

Try this.

http://www.chevytrucks.org/tech/rear_ends.htm

I have a 55 2nd and recently put a 10 bolt from a 70 el camino on mine. It is a nice fit. A bit tight between the bed sides and the tires, may have to put on a panhard bar to keep things from moving side to side. I have 17 x 8 rims on.

The one I bought was rebuilt and had a new posi put on. I had to do a lot of "cleaning up' to do (remove a lot of perches, etc,) but fits nice. (Drum brakes still, 3.73 gears)

I have some picts on my profile if you want to check it out.

FYI....the IROC 3rd generation Camaro diffs, posi/discs are Borg Australian-made and if you need the axle seals you'll run into some real problems. Local GM dealers couldn't even get them. I've found it tough to find the Camaro diffs in 3.73 R&P's. The 3.42 works okay with the AD chassis and .72 T5 and I'm running 15x8" rims with 4" of backspacing in the 5 on 4-3/4" bolt pattern with 255/70/15's on the rear. Would opt for 235/70/15's all the way around on 15x7 rims with 3-5/8" BS if I had to do it again.

On the front with the disc conversion, the 15x8 will work....with 3/4" clearance from the upgraded tie rod ends.....I'm running a 15X7 with 4" BS w/235/70/15 on the front with good centering in the wheel well and plenty of clearance from the upgraded tie rod end.

My rationale for running the Camaro drum diffs is that they are newer with lower mileage and I've yet to find one that needed any "fixing." Most can be had for $100.00 with the emergency brake cables, sway bar, as well as the driveshaft.

Dave

My '57 Suburban has the rear end from a '75 Camaro, according to the seller. I have not absolutely confirmed that, but I do know that brake parts from that year fit. I do not know if the springs are original '57 or Camaro, but the spring hangers are original '57.

Ain't this a great site? Anyone needing information on old trucks can get a bucket full of information that they need and the rest of us needing the same get to ride along on the adventure called rodding!

I agree with you Big Chevy. If you cant get the info your looking for here about an old project truck, than you won't get it anywhere else. Wrenchbender originally started this post about the Camaro rear end and I kind of jumped in on his question and asked my own question's. Hope you don't mind Wrenchbender. Didn't mean to take over your question.

That's OK. The more info the better. None of the listings seem to show the dementions of the early 70's Monte's. I have some of them available. I assume they are the same as a Chevelle.