Hot Rods 55 Buick rear axle upgrade

So I mistakenly thought BOP all used the same strong axles of the later cars and thought it would be a bolt in. I am now figuring out that in 55 the Buicks used a 17 spline axle and its not even worth throwing a posi in it. No use in building a 322 if the rear end will blow up.

But I am seeing a 31 spline Yukon posi, and 31 spline axles. And gearing in all the ranges. Assuming I would want 3.50's max so it would go down the highway good. Are the Dynaflows strong enough for a built 322? Or need some upgrades? Dont want to change things, want a 322 that appears to be a 264 and it to drive the same.

Looking at the Weiand 4x2 a member has up for grabs to put on it, Schneider will custom grind a cam and don't want to go solid if I don't have to. What carbs go on the Weiand? I dont want a pair of 600's as I assume that would be overkill. Also want the push gas pedal start to still function correctly.

T/A performance has a stud girdle for $200 for the pumpkin and I assume there is an axle truss to add strength to the rear axle....

Again sleeper vibe w whitewalls but some flowmaster 40's. Cant be too sleeper lol.....or the below pic and forget the whole sleeper look when the hood is up....lol

 

So, you apparently have missed some other details like the closed drive line (aka torque tube) that links the Dynaflow to the rear end and is also part of the rear suspension setup. IF you're going to change rear ends, you're going to have to change rear suspension, transmission and driveshaft, as well. More homework is in order. Buick didn't change to an open driveshaft until 1961.

 

Drive it, love it. Don't dismantle a very nice cruiser.

 

If I did my homework the posi and 31 axles are for the BOP stock rear axle so no swaps.

 

Bro, this is not my Aunt Martha's Buick. And wifey is good and I will not do the work. Guy that is helping sell the car is a "curator" for the place and works on old cars. They have a lift and he's $50 an hour. And it's gonna be 120 here before you know it and too hot at least for me to work on shit.

 

I wouldn't rule out any induction setup on a nailhead until I spoke to the good folks at https://www.nailheadbuick.com/

 

55 Buicks are HAMB friendly but the Buicks of that era are not “work on” friendly. BOP is more of a modern term as each GM division pretty much kept to themselves. I never trusted a car that needed full throttle to activate the starter button.

 

I went to the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute so I can do engines, I want roller lifters and rockers. Petronics makes a HEI that will drop in. But maybe a Mallory or MSD would be the way to go. I just can't to transmissions and rear ends. A little too specialized for me. Push start button would work. Sun tach on the column. And some wider "stock" wheels and wide whites for a semi sleeper look.

 

Do you know how the starter switch works, with it's vacuum thingy that tells it when the engine has started, so it stops cranking?

and did you find a parts listing for any "BOP" rear end that includes 1955 Buicks? The BOP rear end interchange started (mostly) on the compact A bodies in 1964, the full size cars didn't get the (mostly) same rears until 1971, iirc.

Just looking out for you....so you don't buy stuff that has no chance of working on your car.

 

Things are not as simple as you may think. A basically stock or mildly modified but stock looking 322 in a heavy 55 Buick isn't going to produce much performance....especially with a Dynaflow type transmission. Before you start paying someone to do this for you, you need to zero in on what may actually have to be done.......it can get very expensive. You would probably be better off if you find a newer Buick with a bad body but a complete drive train and rebuild and swap it. That way you have all the parts and they mate to each other. I'd start by measuring the width of the rear end from drum to drum to see whats pretty close........tho they can be narrowed. I'd look for something newer (and bigger) but made by Buick to keep the stock theme. Its one thing to try to match a lot of parts when doing your own work, and a completely different thing when you are paying someone to make them fit. Maybe a 401 or so

 

TA Performance (and maybe Tom Tedesco) are the only ones that make roller rockers for the nail. Pricey and not going to give you much, especially with the DynaFlow. I would call Matt Martin and go with his recommendations.

 

Listen to what these guys are saying. For one, you didn't give us enough information. Is it a stock 55 with a closed driveline? You will need to re-engineer the rear suspension to convert to open driveline and modern rear end.

I went through this with a 56. At the end of the day, I just had the Dynaflow rebuilt (by probably the last guy on earth who knows how) and drove it.

Do some more research.

 

The DynaFlow went thru quite a few changes over the years and was not a particularly good unit until the later ones (61-63) which will not fit the 264/322 block. A call to Yukon can confirm if their posi rear will fit, but I don't believe so. As Jim says, BOP terminology is confusing as to what will work. If you like the car and want a "sleeper", a 364 with the later DynaFlow and a rear axle of say a 60 LaSabre/Invicta would keep the torque tube set-up and be much stronger. Changing to an open rear is a real project, as I am doing with my 40 with a later 401/Turbo 400

 

Thanks for the replies when I stop running around I will go over the replies better. And yes there were a couple 8.2's, Chevy and BOP. So thought I found the right stuff.

And no, don't know how the starter works lol....I mean I can leave it alone and just go dual exhaust. But that just sucks, and I know Buick parts don't cost Chevy SBC prices. But nothing else costs Chevy prices and the vintage Hemi shit is also pricy...but yeah, was not going to buy stuff w/o more research. Which is what I am doing and listening to you guys that have done this. I will stop posting and just keep researching which is why what I thought was correct. I will edit and post the links to where I found the parts that say they are for a 55 Buick.

 

The more questions you ask, the more you'll learn.

 

Guessing that swapping this rearend is quite a bit more work than you are thinking. I know multiple folks have done it. But, it’s major surgery to put an open driveline and different rear suspension in the car as far as I know. It’s definitely not a bolt in deal. At $50/hr, guessing it could still get pretty dang expensive when the original rearend will likely hold up to about anything you might do to a mostly stock nailhead in front of it.

 

So I do listen, wife and I were talking. She does not want to mess with a perfectly nice Buick, so I get to get a "hot rod". Have already been chatting w winduptoy about his 31. She likes that more than the Topolino that she is afraid I will die in lol.....I just never talked numbers with him. So might be doable, and I like the 327 and 5 speed. Can actually cruise in it down the road.

 

Hey, you've got a smart wife and you're a smart guy for listening to her. Put on the mufflers, keep an eye out for a four barrel, a set of chrome wheels and cut a coil on the front and it's perfect.

 

And the beat goes on!

 

Just read through this thread and glad you are leaving it alone and getting a dedicated hot rod to tool around in. Having driven my old neighbors '55 Buick with the 322 engine, nothing could likely be done to make that motor shred up a stock driveline, it was just a nice gutless cruiser that still turned heads as it went down the road. He ended up selling the Buick and built a nice '30 Ford roadster. That's him and part of his Ford in my profile pic.

 

Someone on the aaca or whatever forum said the 2 barrel is great unless you want to go over 80mph. I am going to get the pertronix II as I hate messing with points and condensors and there is a company that converts the gen to an alt. So will do that and new coil that will work with the Pertronix.....

 

Wifey likes the white walls, William will paint the wheels a shade of red that matches the interior. The WW's have good tread on them as well.

 

windups is more that I want to finance so its the deathtrap. Had to wait for underwriting to get done before I mess with another loan, Am actually approved through another lender. But they are a hard money lender and had about $1500 in fees so I did not want to use them. The 489 has flat tappet cam w 600 lift. So will have to pull that and go with a roller. Bomber seats so I can actually sit in it...

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Spee...MI6sOyyu6MiwMVRNcWBR1nbgT-EAQYAyABEgInUPD_BwE

Get a shorter steering column and w tilt. And maybe a hand brake if the brake pedal position cannot be altered......

 

Before you replace the generator with an alternator, The generator is part of the gas pedal starting system. Here is the wiring diagram for a 54 Buick, as you can see it is integrated in the starting circuit.

 

Thanks for the heads up!!! Holy crap. That would have turned out fun. Break a car that's not broken. Then chasing a problem that you created.

Geez, what problems will I create switching to an electronic ignition lol...and with a set of points if we ever have a EMP go off you are back in business.

 

I put a Pertronics set up in my 54 Special. Worked great, make sure to buy their coil for problem free driving.

 

Yes on the coil. Well that's good now I know that will work. Did you get the I or II? Back when I had one on a old beetle almost 30 yrs ago they only had the one to pick from lol...

 

I don't have the car anymore, but I am sure it was the II.

 

For inspiration this is a 56 Super I had. All stock. Dropped spindles in the front and lowering springs in the back. The 4 barrel 322 nail had some torque! That car would flat move!

 

Nice looking ride!!