Hey everyone, what rear ends have you swapped into your 55/56 fords? I am looking to swap it out with something more modern but not sure which way to go.
The info you need is here:http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/group.php?do=discuss&discussionid=18186&pp=20&page=2 Since 1952-56 Fords have a shallow rear wheel well less than 58" is best,however your present rear is about the same as the 8" but most 8" rears have smaller brakes(55-56 Fords actually are the same as used in some Ford Trucks)so they have a lot of surface area, in the "sticky FAQ" it shows how to upgrade to self adjusting drum brakes however both rears are non-posi.The pre 1990 8.8 Ranger rears may be worth a look as they are narrow and many are already posi equipped.The website The Ranger Station has a listing how to read the Vin tag to determine the ratio and if posi equipped when you do your boneyard search.
Explorer rears have disk brakes 96 01 and some are posi! Jeff do you know if Edsel is the same as full sized Ford in 59?
yblocker, I have a 59 Edsal (big brg.) rear under my 56, it's the same width as Ford, and I can get the wheels off without too much trouble. Rear end is at stock height, so that may make a difference. Paul Selfe
The Jalopy Journal
