The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Newbie here, Need advice on my 53

Hey guyz, Great site! I just bought a 53 3100 for $800. I have a 450 hp small block chevy on a stand waiting to go in. I have my old car from high school (84 monte carlo ss) sitting waiting to get parted out or sold as a roller. I have several questions here. First the car has a 8.5 10 bolt out of a GN I built with 4.10s and a new eaton posi. I can sell this rearend for good money and put a 150 dollar junkyard rear under the truck or should I keep the Gn. I would like to put a 6 speed in the truck for highway use an still have the low gears for playing. Will a 6 speed out of a late model vette or 97-03 Z28 fit? Also I plan on trying to put the truck on air ride, Which suspension is the best bang for the buck for the front end. Any opinions or input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Aaron

The 'vette transmissions are hard to adapt, I'd suggest looking for something from a Camaro or Firebird instead. The earliest 'vette 6-speeds do not have a conventional rear mount and the later ones are transaxles.

Measure the width of your GN rear. If it is stock width for the Monte it will be narrow enough you'll need wheel spacers or will need to tub the truck to use it.

What rearend has the best fit on the truck. how big of spacers would I need, how will this effect the truck? I have never ran spacers.

The standard Monte rear is narrow enough that a wheel that covered the backing plate is likely to allow the tire to touch the bed. However, you really need to choose your tires and think through how they will fit in the wheel wells before choosing wheels, and only then would you be able to decide how much spacer it would really take.

I am not a fan of spacers because of the way they add leverage working against the bearings. I'd work to figure out the ideal width of the rear before using spacers.

I don't recall the width of the Monte rear but it is pretty narrow. I have a '73 Chevelle rear under my Suburban, which is about 62 inches wide. That is close to the stock measure and works real well under my truck. The Monte is closer to 58 or 56 inches and with most wheels is going to crowd the inner fender.

A junk yard rear shouldn't cost more than $50, and you can find any ratio you want.

I would like to fit wide tires on big wheels with good tuck for the the air ride. I wonder what width rear would work the best. I dont think I would want spacers If I didnt have to go that rout.

What do you guys think about a ford explorer rearend. 8.8 you can get them with 373s, posi and with disc brakes on 95 and up. suppose to be 59.5" wide. I could get the mustang II in the 4.5" bolt pattern to match the explorer rear.

What I used on my '53 and am using on my '54 is a rear end from a '70 Ford F100. It's 61 3/4" from brake drum mounting surface to the other side. I have a 3.5 gear ratio with positraction or whatever Ford calls it. Anyway, a good place to have your differential gone through is Randy's Ring & Pinion in Everett, Washington. The do work internationally and have one humoungous facility. So you know what happens beyond this is I'm using 17" wheels with a 4 1/2 inch backspace from Billet Specialties. It leaves me with about 3/4" clearance between the tire and bed sides.

The 8.8 is considered a good rear. If you start with something that narrow you may be limiting your wheel choices unless you tub the bed. Until you decide on wheels and tires making an axle choice may be premature.

I'm in the mood to think about how I am going to redirect cables and wires so as not to run them through the firewall. I want to keep the firewall clean on my '54 truck. One thing I will do is not install the front fenders & inner fenders which will remove the temptation of mounting on those surfaces. Anyone know of sites that suggests hardware for channeling wires through the lower firewall or frame area?

Sorry, I accidently published the above topic as a "Reply" in this section and not as a new topic. Too many Tecate's..........

Sorry about the above posting. I posted it as a "Reply" rather than a "New Topic". Hopefully the moderator will delete it as it has been reposted as a "New Topic".

I am, fortunate to live fairly close to the Summit Speed Shop.They carry many wheels with just about any backspacing you need. Ya might wanna get one of their catalogs and order what you need.Just a sugestion.

I think I am going to go with the explorer 8.8. I guess I will find out how it works and post it. What is some of the better price venders for these trucks.
Thanks

Aaron