can some one tell me iff a 64 riviera bear end will fit in a 57 buick pat thanks john my email is jgoode@sympatico.ca
The pumpkin may fit, but the overall rear end would need to be fitted with bracketry that the 57 housing has if you intend to keep the torque tube driveline. If not you will have to adapt to a 4 link or a Chevy truck trailing arm suspension. Either way it will be a "bear".
Agreed with D2 on this one. There is no easy out with Buicks and rear ends, since they used torque tubes through 1962. If you want to change the rear, you will need to go to an open drive set up, which will require fitting an entirely new suspension in the rear to locate the new rear, and a new transmission for open drive, as well as a new driveshaft to connect the two. There is no easy out here, just varying degrees of hard.
What is the purpose of the question? Is the 57 rear bad or do you just want to swap gears to a different ratio?
Since you're replacing the entire drivetrain, you might as well tackle the rear suspension as well. There are several options as far as a rear suspension set up. Chevy truck arms, 4 link with a panhard bar or watts link, leaf springs, even a Jag rear as has been done here on the HAMB, all options you have. Then you can add whatever rear you decide works for your needs, not just what fits under there.
If you are going to change motor and transmission you might as well go with truck trailing arms with panhard bar or 4 link. Might check out the 61-63 Buick rear suspensions, they might be easier to graph onto the frame than others. And Buick quit using the torque tube driveline after 1960.
I did a truck arm and camaro swap into my 54. Works fine. Added upper shock mount and panhard bar. F body rear in is just a little narrow. But I had it, price was right. Other gm may have the same dimension. Still makes it easy to bag later and rides like a dream. Build a cross member or buy the truck arm kit. Factory truck gross member takes to much modification, trust me
the reason im writing is I live in Oklahoma city an am looking for a 216 with a close driveshaft tranny or maybe you could send me pooches number in Oklahoma youkon or maybe you know if somebody makes a conversion from open driveshaft to close on on chevy
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