Projects 1951 Cadillac build... What type of rear end??

Hey guys,

I need some info. What type of rear end should I go with on a 1951 cadillac custom build? It's gonna have a 350 sbc, FatMan front end and it's going to be bagged. Should I rebuild my original or change it to something newer? I wouldn't mind something a little bit more narrow, since it's a pain in the butt to take of the rear wheels without rubbing the whitewalls. Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

I have a 52 with a 12 bolt rear in it out of an early 80s Chevy truck, kept the 5x5 wheel pattern that way and spring perch spacing was right on, but that wont matter much of your changing to a 3 or 4 link setup to bag it.

 

Hey Hubnut,
How did you decide on that rear end your using? What year and model is it out of?... How's the width?

 

I used a 91 chev caprise rear end from a state trooper Police Pursuit car with all its links and perches. It's 5 0n 5, has integral sway bar, E brake linked right up and the coil spring pockets matched up nearly perfectly on our 49 Buick Super. Then I switched to Monty Carlo springs as the Police Pursuit coils were too stiff to give a soft ride and low stance. The 3.08 posi with a 700R4 gives it the ability to run in the fast lane at a comfortable 80-85 MPH.
It was narrow enough that there were no issues with wheel fit and the Supers body isn't much different from you Caddy.
I Wonder if using parts from a trooper car will give me immunity from speeding tickets, so far so good!
Best Regards and good luck with all your endeavors, KB.

 

I have a Ford 9" in my '50 Buick. Like you, I am putting a SBC in it and bagging it. If you haven't already bought the fat man front end, have a look at JW Rod Garage's Mustang II IFS, fantastic quality. Have a look at my build thread on my car for some ideas.

Cheers

 

I used a '77 Cad Seville disc brake rear in my '49 Cad, mounted to the original springs, it is a little narrower than the stock rear...works great.

 

Honestly my buddy did the swap prior to me getting the car. It was one of those deals where he just happened to have one lying around, pulled some measurements off it and ran with it. It fits really well though, plenty of room for a decent tire size. Another guy I know is doing a 49 sedan and using an 83' truck rear.

 

I seem to remember the Cadillac rear end as being very rugged. I think I would leave it alone and spend my time on something else. If you need to rebuild it or change ratios it could get expensive (it would still probably be cheaper to rebuild it than replace it) and that might be a good time to replace it but if it is not giving problems leave it alone.

Charlie Stephens