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I am putting an open driveline in my 1952 1/2 ton. I just bought new springs from Benz springs and will be running original height and not lowered. The truck will look original but have modern running gear because I need to use this as a daily driver and need to be able to make long trips in the truck. I have a 283 and a TH350 trans to put in. The original motor has long been gone. Many people have said to use a 70's to 80's 4X4 rearend but everyone I have measured is too wide plus they are expensive where I live in Klamath Falls, Oregon. This truck will not haul very many loads. So I found a 3:43 rearend out of 70's something El Camino that is the perfect width for the right price. Yes I know it is 5 on 4 3/4 but I was going to change the front to disc brakes and can match that bolt pattern. Questions:
1) Because the El Camino was a pickup "of sorts" will this rearend haul some light loads when I need to use the 52 as a truck? I am going to run skinny radials on new 6" wide rims.
2) It seems a lot of guys are putting in 3:08 ratios for the gas mileage. If I put in 215/85/16 tires the 3:43 in effect becomes a 3:19 ratio. 2087 RPM at 55 mph and 2467 at 65 mph. Will this be a decent compromise between economy and power or should I look for a 3:08 and run regular height tires?
3)If I run regular height tires (28") will my mileage suffer much? 2234 RPM at 55 mph and 2640 at 65 MPH.
You guys are great and I apreciate any and all "opinions" and suggestions. Thanks, Wayne

I think the 3.43 gears with tall tires would be about right. The 283 with auto. is not a real high torquer. The el-camino rear end could handle the weight but the brakes arn,t very big.

Sounds like a pretty good and economical plan. Certainly the Elco rear will handle your light loads and there isn't a dimes worth of difference between the 3:19 and the 3:08, you'd probably not even notice it.

I used the 3.08 rear from under a '73 Chevelle wagon under my '55 1st Suburban. The GVW of the wagon was within a hundred pounds of the Suburban, so I figured the capacity and brakes would be okay.

At the same time I installed front disk brakes using a kit designed around 70's GM mid-size parts so I can ask for '73 Chevelle stuff at the parts counter.

I also swapped to a dual master, again using '73 Chevelle, and used the combination valve from that same car. I figured the weight distribution of the wagon compared to my suburban would be similar enough that it would work, and now almost four years later I'd say I was right. Not sure it would work as well on a pickup.