20 questions, condensed; I have been looking for the brackets to install a "modern" dual master cylinder under the floor of my '47 Chev P/U. I have found a lot of complete kits. Does anyone sell the hardware without brackets. I want to keep the original pedal. Not doing disks just yet. The truck is a 3/4 Ton. Going to use a newer rear. What are the options on changing the front hubs to either 5 or 6 bolt without the costly disk conversion? If I keep the 3/4 Ton 8 holes, who has the conversion from the ball bearings to rollers? Do I have to get new spindles to do that? For now the original 216 will stay. Heck, it runs great! Then I have a 235 on the sidelines.... Thanks John v L North Branch, MN
http://www.cl***icperform.com/ Go here. I have a '62 C10 SWB and I have checked them out and they have what you need, also: www.heavychevy.com
This is of absolutely no help to you, but I put a power booster & dual reservoir master cylinder on the firewall of my '54 3100 using the Cl***ic Performance Products kit and I love the **** out of it. Your mileage may vary. HTH, Ed
I have thought about that option. did you change your steering col. as well? How will a clutch set up work here?
I think you're SOL unless you want to fabricate and/or adapt your own clutch & brake swinging pedal setup. HTH, Ed PS- There would be no need to change the steering column
Not that I've ever seen. But the bracket kits do not require you to loose the stock pedal. I'm running one in my '55 1st with stock brake and clutch pedals. Easiest approach is to swap to a 1/2-ton front axle with 6-lug hubs. Then use early 50's car hubs and brakes to swap to 5-lug. I've never seen such a kit for a 3/4-ton. I haven't seen any disk kits for a 3/4-ton front either. If you swap to a 1/2-ton axle roller bearings and disk swap are both easy to buy.
Thanks for the great info. Now the hunt is on for a 1/2 ton front azle & car hubs. The ice is melting...rusty steel poking out of the long winter will be put to good use. JWVONL Minnesota freezing
The axle should be easy. Just find someone doing a subframe or Mustang II and offer to carry the refuse away. Actually I have one you can have, but I'm half the country away and you'll find a local one for less than shipping would cost.
THE HELL WITH DISK BRAKES. TO CONVERT YOUR FRONT BRAKES, TO FIVE OR SIX LUG IS YOU GOT TO FIND BACKING PLATES OFF OF A 1949-1954 CHEVY PICK UP. BUT YOU GOT TO USE THE BACK BOLT SPACERS THAT THEY COME WITH. YOU DONT HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR FRONT AXLE. THEN YOU FIND FIVE LUG DRUMS OFF OF A 1949-1954 CHEVY P***ENGER CAR, THEY FIT RIGHT ON THE BACKING PLATES AND BRAKE SHOES. YOUR SPINDLES ARE THE SAME, LIKE I SAID YOU DONT HAVE TO CHANGE YOU AXLE OR SPINDLES, BUT IF YOU WANT TO KEEP IT SIX LUG, YOU MUST KEEP THE SIX LUG DRUMS THAT COME OFF THE BACKING PLATES OF THE TRUCK. AND IF YOU WANTED TO RUN A REAR END THAT IS OPEN DRIVE LINE, THAT IS SIX LUG, WOULD BE A 1957-1959 CHEVY PICK UP. TEH IF YOU WANTED TO RUN A FIVE LUG REAR END, I SUGGEST YOU USE A 1974-1978 CHEVY CAMARO REAR END. I HAVE DONE THIS A HUNDRED TIMES. YOUR FRIEND THE WORDMAN
Thank you; I need a road trip, but the cost of diesel is keeping the big ford pretty much idled. Now that folks are getting out to their iron, finding will be easier... What have you done to your truck?? Have a great day. John
I have talked with others about this conversion and have been told the same thing Wordman is saying. My understandig is spindles same on 1/2ton& car and backing plates will both work. One is taper bearing and other is roller I think and not sure how it goes or which is better. they can be had at most any parts outlet but wow aint cheap. plenty of old servicable ones around though,and usually free. hope this helps
I've got a similar truck ('48 3/4 ton) and a somewhat similar question. Did GM ever made a decent gear ratio for this rear end, and if so what was it in? My '48 is all orig. and would like to keep it that way and to run the orig. 2 pc. wheels, but I really don't need 4.56:1 gears to cruise around with!
I did the disk swap on my truck if you (jwvonl) want my backing plates and old hubs I will be in Mason City Ia the 20 and 21 of March.
Never get in a hurry, and your needs will be filled at lower cost! I really appreciate what you have written. Recently, I went to my friendly NAPA store, while there I looked up the specs on the king pins, wheel bearings etc on the 1/2;3/4 and larger GM trucks. The part numbers stayed the same on these iems until you got to the 2 Ton. With this in mind, I was a bit concerned about the "tips" to change the entire axle, then finding the older chev car hubs & brakes to change to 5 bolt. If that is the final direction I wanted. What I am going to do now, is either find the 1/2 Ton 6 bolt frt end,(brakes & hub) or get the car hubs & brakes. What I do will be ruled by what I find first! Going to the 5 bolt gives me a much larger set of wheel & tire options. The next step is to find the crossover from ball to roller bearings. Once that is done, I will post all the part numbers. BTW, thanks to the gentlement from TEXAS, El Caballo and yourself. There is a great chance I will be driving to Dallas later this week. Y'all have any leads for me on patrs down there, please let me know. JWVONL Freezin up north
Hey Mercman; If you really want to keep the 8 hole wheels, measure your rear axle widths. Brake to brake & spring pad to spring pad. Then go to your friendly salvage yard and find a newer truck with higher gears. About the only "problem" I have noted in doing this may be the U joint at he new differential. The new axle also has shock mounts welded to it between the springs & differential. to use them you will just have to create a crossmemeber to hold the top o' shock in place, unless you already have shocks mounted to the bottom plate of the springs & a bolt to the frame. The "newer" rear were often 4:10. there were also a large number of 3:55's. Either a good GM parts or salvage guy can tell you what to look for if you want to get specifics, such as the ratio & limited slip. The "slit ring" whells will be a problem at most tire shops. Go woth the "newer tubeless for serviceability! JWVONL Minnesota
OUTSTANDING!! Thank you very much!! PLEASE DROP ME A LINE AT JWVONL@JUNO.COM We can then get to the details. & phone # etc John
thanks to jwvonl, this is probably my best bet. I've got a 1/2 ton 5 lug rear from a suburban that is the right width and wonder if an axle change/modification is poss?
Good morning; Now you are confusing me, If you want to keep the 8 hole wheels & look, then find a 3/4 Ton GM axle. Having the 5 hole Suburban set up, in the right ratio will make it a very easy choice to go to the "prettier" 5 hole wheels & tires. All you need to do now is find an old 49 -54 sedan and get the front hubs and complete brake ***embly. Or take the big $$$ leap to disks. Choices, choices! What are you doing for power?? BTW, It is all white out here, again!
If that works I want to see pictures. According to the Chevy do***entation I have the 3100 (1/2-ton) is unique. The 3600, 3800 and 4100 are the same. Trucks bigger than 4100, like the 4400 and 6000 series (2-ton) are a third size. I looked specifically at axle specs and bearing specs. I didn't double check kingping size but I have no doubt they are different also. I stand by what I said before. An axle swap is probably the easiest way to get your 3/4-ton to mount five or six lug wheels. I've never investigated using the hubs from an earlier 3/4-ton. In '45 and earlier the 3/4-ton was six-lug. You might look at those hubs if you can find any.
What you want is the pumpkin from a late '60s/early '70s 3/4-ton with an automatic. Run over to Stovebolt.com and you'll find the details of what to look for. I think 4.10 is common and 3.90 is out there. But I don't recall the exact details as I've never done this swap. If you swap the rear you either are looking for another 3/4-ton rear or you'll be facing the same front issue if you want to have the same wheels on both ends.
Lemme try to clear this up. This truck is now all orig. with 52000 actual miles (old farm truck) Everything is there, even the orig. hubcaps so I would like to keep the orig. 2 pc. wheels--even though they're a pain in the ***!--for the look, but I sure don't need the 4:56 gears. I'm sure that old 216 stovebolt 6 doesn't need to be spinning that fast either. I love street rods and customs and am building a Matranga style '39 merc right now, but this truck I want to be orig. but with a better gear ratio. Thanks for all the help 7 info.
4:10 would be a step in the right direction, but 3:90 would really be the answer! Thanks to oldsub I'll check stovebolt.com right now!
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