There is 3 length's in Th350's . A Long tail most where in a station wagon. Most all other where in Car / trucks short & mid tail .
With the factory panhard bracket, I'd say 58-64. I have a 64 Chevy rear in my 49 GMC pickup that I built in high school...and it uses that same panhard bar bracket.
So I have a dilemma. I have a 700R4 blown apart in my shop that I can obtain some hard parts and a kit to rebuild it. Issue I'm having is finding a TH350 that needs rebuilt in my area. I don't want a new (refurbished) one because I can do it myself. The 700 is a bit longer than the 350 but I can fab a new cross member no problem.I'm thinking I should use what I have and it will be a better driver with the OD. Also I know I need to confirm the rear gear before I get a cam and torque converter. Just looking for a mild mannered street rod that momma can enjoy but also show off.
The 700r4 has a lower 1st gear than the 350 and will give you better off the line power. The .69 final drive gear will tame the highway RPMs. I would definitely use the 700 rather than wasting time looking for a 350. The biggest challenge will be the TV cable routing and adjusting it.
55-6 no drain on the bottom. 57 started drain on the bottom. 57 a difference in axle bearing over 5-6.
The TV cable on the 4 bbl is not an issue. If we decide to run the tri-power I see an issue there with the TV cable.
Alot of progress today. Unfortunately the body is not coming off the frame. It's welded and bolted together. The clutch is fried hence it slipping. Looks like I will have to pull the rear end out and undo the antiquated rear suspension and install the new improved parts. Not a big deal.
If she ain’t leakin , she’s empty ! Better add some ! Loved the old primaries , flow trough design , no recirculating that oil
MCjim yes they are! I looked it over real good and if I do anything I will grind them down and MIG over the top. I will know more once I pull the floor out and see the rest of it. Tomorrow I hope to pull the floor, remove the T10 and yank all the wires out of it remove the dash to see what is hiding under it. Also hope to get the flywheel off the motor and on the stand. I'm curious of what is inside.
Tore the motor down today. Alot of copper showing on some of the rod and main bearings. Motor is .040 cast rotating assembly. The pistons have the normal wear on the skirts. The heads are the best part of the motor. 2.02 camel backs. It is an 010 block 2 bolt mains. Now the wife and I will toss around what we're going to build. The T10 is out as well. After lifting the floor out of the car I see someone installed an adjustable proportioning valve in the rear brake line. I was telling her last week we can add a line lock or trans brake to do some good burnouts. No longer needed as I can turn the knob and increase or decrease the rear brakes.
So after some thinking I have a plan. Instead of taking the block to the shop I'm going to build the block I had worked over for my Chevelle. It's an 010 block already bored out .040 and ready to be built. So time to find the right stroker kit, cam, lifters, rockers, pushrods and torque converter to work with the rear gear. I will run a trans cooler on the 700R4 as well. Also have to measure the radiator I removed and get a new one. I have looked at Champion radiators and will get their electric fan/shroud combo. After removing the floor I noticed the single bowl master cylinder. Who sells upgraded brake parts for the 32? Can the 57 rear drums be converted to disc? I will do the research but like to hear from ya'll who have already done what I wanna do.
Yes there are disk kits for the rear, but you don't need disks. That little roadster is so light it will be fine with drums. I have a 55 Chevy rear in my full fendered 32 coupe and it stops pretty good...and it even has '48 Ford front drum brakes.
Taking the time and effort to swap an automatic and using anything other than an overdrive is silly in my opinion if this car is going to get driven a lot. Too many pluses to not do it. 200R4 or 700R4 without electronic control would be my choice with your current engine. Looks like a cool car. Sounds like a cool wife.
All this work to the engine and transmission seems like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic if you don't address this chassis. IMHO that's the biggest issue this car has. You can find a decent running SBC that doesn't leak on Facebook marketplace for $500 and have it installed in an afternoon. That chassis is a bigger concern. That goes extra with the fact that you're telling us the body is welded to the chassis with plywood floors screwed down. If you're replacing the engine, transmission, and wiring harness, and also having to fix the brakes and rear suspension, you're halfway through rebuilding the entire car. You might as well address all of the issues at once and have a solid, safe, reliable car when you're done Especially for a common year and make like a 32 Ford, getting a new aftermarket chassis makes the most sense IMHO. Good rails with proper suspension, an actual sheetmetal floor, new running gear and wiring... will pay dividends and ensure another 60 years of use.
I have looked into a new chassis and it's out of our budget. We have been driving and enjoying the roadster for the past 2 years. I'm going to build the motor and trans as I already have both. The rear suspension is going to be all new. The front is going to get some new bushings and shocks. As for the body being welded and bolted to the frame. That is a can of worms that I'm not going to open. It's been that way since 1961 and it's going to stay that way. Even trust worthy friends that build cars agree. I will most likely be fabing a sheet metal floor instead of plywood. tjm73 she is the best wife!
Always easy to spend other people’s money. Enjoy what u have with minor fix up, just keep it safe. What’s wrong with plywood floors, anyway?
I would bet that the easiest rear suspension to install in this roadster, and it’s traditionalish too, would be a Pete & Jake ladder bar set with their transverse spring mounts too. Order a catalog from them and it will teach you all you need to know about hot rod suspension. It’s as much a technical manual as a catalog. This will be easier to set up than a four bar, will ride great, is tunable to a degree, and looks great if anyone was to poke their head under the back end.
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