The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 1956 passenger rear end in pick up?

I have the chance to get a rear end out of a 1956 Chevy passenger car complete, cheap. It has a 308 gear ratio. If I put that in a stock 56 pick up, what can I expect? How much trouble to install? Will it be too high of a gear ratio for it to drive? The pick up has the stock 235 and a 3 speed manual trans.

won't be a great ratio for stop and go city driving - the fit is workable tho it's narrow and you have to move/replace the spring perch plates to fit the width of the truck spring mounting - I had one on a TF frame for awhile [57 car actually], found a proper stock one because I didn't want the 5 bolt wheels and the car rear isn't as strong - if the 5 bolt is what you want, go for a newer truck rear w/ slightly lower gears, if you want highway gears look for an original OD 3spd or a later OD 4spd

Bill

It will be OK if you never want to use it as a truck again, a lot of people don't. We have a customer with a 57 that has the 3.08 AND the Borgwarner overdrive---2.16 final in OD. I was amazed that the 235 didn't lug on the rolling hills between his place and mine. 1600 rpm was nearly 65 mph. His engine is stock but strong and I can't say what it would do bucking a strong headwind. Another thing is your clutch technique, if you have a history of clutch replacement then it's probably not the way to go.

3.08 were the gears gmc put in their trucks with a 3 speed. I had a 270 GMC 6 cylinder 3 speed with that ratio. The 270 did fine around the city, and I'm in San Francisco, a city not known to be flat. It did not do so well towing in the city. Didn't have the gears to really get started. Freeway speeds of 70- 80 mph were not a problem for my truck.

My '55 1st has a 270 and SM420, so I have the granny-gear first option when I need it. I also have 3.08 rear gears and would agree with those who say its drivable but no longer a good choice for towing heavy stuff.

I've pulled a loaded car trailer with it. Once. The brakes aren't up to the job, and the truck doesn't have a brake controller. It did the job but didn't seem real happy about it.

I find the long-stroke six deals real well with the low gears. I have a v-8 powered car with a 4-speed and 3.07 gears. When I get out of the truck and into the car I've stalled the car starting out a few times because it needs more throttle to get into motion.

Somehow its never occured to me to even try towing a trailer with the car.