Hi All, I am sticking a Buick 350/350 into the '53 Buick special and I now need to change the rear axle, after a couple of axle attempts I am finding it difficult to get the correct width (59.5"). Is there someone who converts the open drive axle to closed? Bearing in mind I am in the UK (hence why getting the right axle is a pain). so shipping costs and size is an issue... Cheers, Spence
Spence, Use the stock axle, it's got a pinion seal in the 3rd member. Keep it in place with a triangulated 4-bar, 4-link or ladder bars. Do a search for an old posting I did on my conversion or PM me and I'll shoot you some pics of how I converted my '55 Special, which is the same set-up as your '53. -Bob
Hi TagMan, In my posting I meant convert from stock Closed drive to Open to connect to my TH350, is that what you did ? I will PM you. Cheers, Spence
Hey Spence, I dealt with the same dilemma when swapping the straight 8 from my '51 Buick. I'm now running a 1968 Chevy 307 mated to a TH350. For the rear end I've got a 4-link setup with a 1968 Ford Mustang 9" rear end. It was the only rear end I could find that was short and beefy enough. It's about and inch too short on either side, but that can be compensated using wheel spacers and/or offset wheels. I've heard early 90's Chevy Caprice rear ends are about the right size too. If you can find any late 60's Mustang rear ends, I'd look at those first. They're about the right size.
Spence. A 1977- 1990 Chevy Caprice/Impala sedan 10-bolt axle is 60.8 between the wheel mounting surface and will be a nice fit. I have one myself on my 41. The Caprice wagon is a different story with its 64.1 wms.
great info guys.... I am waiting for info on a 64 buick riviera axle but not sure on the width, american axles are not easy to come across over here, specially nice ones like mk1 mustangs!
check out a toyota truck. they are pretty narrow,tough and have a 5on 4.5" bolt pattern. don't know about any other mini trucks. good luck.
I don't know if your buick has the same as my 59 but I used the o.e.m. housing and a 62 Lesabre 3rd member. I also used a 4 link on it. It works great. P.M. me your email address and I'll try and get you a few pictures of mine. TP
I have had quite a few pm me about the open drive conversion. Let me try and explain how I did it. I thought I had some pictures but they went to the delete bin and I can't find them. It is really very simple. I used all the factory brackets and left them in place. I never removed the housing from the car. . I was replacing 364 motor with a 65-66 401 and s/p 400. I bought a 4 link set up like any street rod would use.It had the bars and brackets to weld to frame.Next I figured where they would muont on my existing axle housing. I then used 3/8 plate and built a mount to weld the frame front bracket to. That took a little trial and error to get to where I wanted it. Once I figured all my brackets out I welded one side at a time in place. [4 link and frame bracket} By doing this it kept my pinion angle correct. Once I got both sides tacked in place I removed motor,trans and driveline with 3rd member. I bought a 62 Lesabre 3rd member from fellow HAMBER "in da shop". Once I installed the 3rd member[replacing all seals and bearings as I went]all I had to do was open up the front cross member mount on the top and have a driveshaft built. While I was doing all of this I took out the huge rear springs and went to wrecking yard and got some 6" shorter. I have drove the car around the area. All seems to be fine. I've had it up to highway speeds and seems like The pinion angle stayed correct. I'm sure this is confusing . If anyone wants to call me I might can answer your questions better on the phone. I appolgize for not having pictures. I'll have the car at the Roundup if anyone wants to look. We'll jack it up for a look.PM me if you want my phone number. TP
I used a early 80's Olds 88 rear end in a 53 Buick years ago. Actually used about 3" of the frame too, from just in front of the trailing arms to just behind the coil c/m. Notched the top of the buick frame to take the olds, welded it in and cut out the remainder of buick. ended up with about a 4" z, car sat great, nice and low, with full travel and super ride.
On my 53 we put a Trans Am rear end and in my 50 we put Cadillac a 77 vintage. The Cadillac was tight but did work well, the Trans Am fit even tighter. Right rear rubbed but off-set rims fixed that problem. You do need to build spring perches, we did it with angle iron and boxing. Good luck, Rags
the trick TP used, only works on buicks of 57 up... 56 down used a different housing, and I have yet to find an open drive center that will bolt in to the early housing.
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