The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 57 trans work with 53 bellhousing??

Hi all, this is my first post so i figured make it an easy one. For starters I'm an avid hotroddder of all types including old bikes and I race at Bonneville. I had my own hotrod shop in Houston for years, but moved to Norway almost 2 years ago. Now hopefully i can find some time to work on my own. The project in question in a 53 chevy truck. I have a complete good driveline from a 57 panel truck that I'm swapping over. I know the '57 235 will bolt up to my 53 bellhousing so i can use the original trans mounts. Next I can drill the front mount to use the 53 style front pad mount. My main question is if <i can use the flywheel and bigger clutch from the 57...and will the 57 trans just bolt right up to the 53 bellhousing? As well can i just keep th 57 water pump and pully arrangment or must i change to the other pump and use the adapter plate. Thanks so much, hans

Hans,

Every thing is looking good for the transmission end. The 57 tranny will bolt to the 53 bellhousing, and will accomodate the larger 11 inch clutch setup.

I am not sure of the waterpump, but I would assume you need the short shaft pup and an adapter.

Good Luck and Welcome
John

Houston to Norway? Regardless welcome to the Bolt.

Excellent, thanks. From the 7 gazillion posts I have read on all manner of forums, I thought it would work. Hopefully we will have it together at the end of the week. I read somewhere it might be possable to swap the whole rearend with leaf springs from the 57 truck over to my 53 and avoid having to weld new spring perches on ? IF you can do this , will it center the rearend in the wheelwell corectly? I have ordered a plate for the water pump, hopefully all will line up with the 2 groove pully on the crank and teh alternator kit. thanks for the tips,

Hans

Well, not quite sure about your second question. Some people have changed out the dropout (pumpkin) on the axles and retained the stock braking. Either way you go I believe you are going to have to do some welding. The original torque tube rear end is pivot mounted. without the tube it will roll causing catastrophic failure.

What you may want to look at is centering the wheels in those advance design fenders. The factory didn't do a particularly good job of that.

John

John,
To get rid of the torquetube I can do it a few ways, all of which would center the axle in the wheelwells . it is the 3rd option i am not sure about.
Option one: Replace the pumpkin in my 53 rear housing using the existing axles and brakes...but I would still have to weld new perches on the axle housing to both relocate it further back and to get rid of the original hinged setup used with torqutube.
Option 2: Swap the entire axle assembly form the 57 into the 53 . Again having to weld on spring perches to both switch from under axles mounting (57) to over axle mounting(53)...and at teh same time move it back in teh wheelwells.
Option 3:using the springs AND rear axle from the 57. this is the one I'm not 100% on...IF the spring bolt is centered in teh wheelwell so I dont have to run the modified perches .

I think I will opt for option 2 , using spring perches that have the locating hole forward of centerline and welding to the 57 rear axle. Brakes aren't any better on the 57 than my 53, they use the same drums and shoes, just different wheel cylinders.

Hans, sounds like you got it under control. I'd imagine parts may be a little more scarce up in your corner of the world.

Good luck.

John