The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 53 pickup open drive questions

I want to put an open drive line rearend in my truck with the six lug bolt patern. I've been told that the 64 to 69 pickup rear end would fit, but after buying a 66, 12 bolt rear end without my tape I found it to be two inches wider (64 inches wide, where the wheels bolt up to the drum face, instead of 62 inches that is in the 53)

Has anybody had any problems with the difference of widths?

I also came up with a open drive line 55 1st series rear end, rust and all, found in the weeds in the back 40.

If I use it, can a guy find a higher gear set up out of another rear end and what would it be?

Boy was this a mouthful of questions. I hope you can weed through this.

Boardwalk

55 1st is a good rear to use , you can order a 3.3 : 1 gear set from Patricks for $$.

I used a 55-1 series rear end in my 53. It is a bolt up deal. I also used a pumpkin from a mid 60's truck with a 3.90 ratio. Works great with my 3 speed over drive transmission. I am currently getting around 21 mpg. on the highway.
Tom

I have a question that relates to this swap, can you just mount a later tailshaft on the earlier tranny? Is it just easier to swap in a tranny from an open driveshaft truck?
Bob

It is easier to swap the transmission from the open drive line. I don't think the intermediate shaft in the transmissions will be the same.

over the winter I did the same swap in my wife's '50 1/2 ton truck, I used a 12 bolt rearend from a '67 1/2 chevy truck, it was 62" wide, I also bought a 12 bolt 1/2 ton rearend from a '70 model chevy truck, it was 64" wide, but I just wanted the posi & gears out of it.

A tailshaft from a one ton transmission of the same year should fit and will have open drive.

Would a trans from a 53 Chevy car fit into a 40 chevy pickup and are they a good match?

one ich on each side will not make a difference if you run stock wheels no one will notice one inch. i will not tell anyone your wheel is sticking out one inch more if you dont.