What differentials swap into a stock 53 Plymouth?

I need some help finding a higher ratio differential for a 53 plymouth belvedere. It has the hydrive with 3.73 gears and I would like to be able to cruise at 60 to 65 with lower rpms. I thought about swapping to the 700r4 or 3 speed with OD conversion, but going to taller gears in the axle will be the quickest and cheapest solution at this point. Since I went through the work of putting disk brakes on the rear axle I am hoping to keep the axle housing and just swap in some higher gears.

Here is my question, what years of differentials will swap into the 1953 Belvedere axle housing? I believe this is the year they went to 16 splined axles. I am hoping to go with around a 3.23 ratio if I can find it, and am curious what cars came with those gears? I've done some searches, but haven't come up with much. Any help is appreciated. If you have one laying around that will work please let me know as well.
Chuck
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Welcome to the HAMB from South Texas. The r/e question? Find someone that has some Hollander interchange manuals & start reading. Wish I could be of more help!

Lucky667

 

If you end up swapping housings, have you measured yours yet? There are threads here that list the width of popular rear axle ***emblies - go measure yours, then do a search of the threads!

Most of the stock late '40s and early '50s rears were fairly steep - 3.70 up to 4.56 - and were used behind overdrive trannies, for the most part. It's unlikely you'll find a stock 3.23, but there is bound to be one out there, somewhere.

 

maverick or granada,same bolt pattern and about the same width.may need to move perches.

 

One thing to keep in mind about swapping transmissions: the hydrive operates on oil supplied by the motor. You'd need to block off the oil supply p***ages, ***uming this doesn't prevent flow through the whole oiling system; this you'd have to find out on your own. It may be worth your while to find a non-hydrive flathead... or to say **** it and throw something else (with more balls) in there.

 

54 dodges came with a 3.54 rear end. I know cause I have one.

 

If you decide to change housings, measure a '60-'64 Ford 9 inch. A friend had a '51 Plymouth with a 9 inch from a '64 Galaxie under it. He said that he didn't even have to move the spring perches, just had to use longer u-bolts.