I have a 1950 chevy 3100 and would like to put a different gear in the rear end for better highway ability. What gear should i put in it? Also is there a car gear than i can swap in?? Any help woube be great. Where can I get the gear from?
If you are still running the torque tube rear end your only option is the 3.55:1 Ring and pinion from Patricks. I've read that you can put in the rearend from a powerglide chevy car from the same era; however it would have a five lug wheel pattern. you could also retain your six lug pattern by uses some combination of parts from the powerglide rearend and your stock rearend...I think there is a write up on stovebolt .com. http://www.patricksantiquecars.com/ http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/
How do you plan on using this truck? Hauling? Towing? What engine are you going to use? Original? Updated? What ******? All these factors come into play. If you want to retain that original look, but want to update it's drivability, then you might think about a T-5 and an open rear end. (many options available for the rear ) You might also think about updating the braking ability at the same time. Steel wheels hide four wheel discs. I'm using an '87 TransAm disc rear end ('93 would be better, slightly wider) with a 3:27 posi gear. T-5 up front with an original 235. Nice combo, but then my truck is a work truck. The front has a 4" dropped axle with discs. The T-5 is practically bolt in. Do a search. If you want to retain the 6-lug wheels, you can use a rear end out of a Chevy truck. I know there are plenty with the 6-lug bolt pattern. You could also use the discs from the front and keep 6-lug all the way around, if you like. I opted for 5-lug and converted everything. Many options. r
Yours is a common complaint. Something I've thought about: Patricks makes a "kit" to use a Saginaw 4-speed and convert it to be used with the torquetube driveline. Why not take it one step further? You can convert a Saginaw 4-speed by using the Saginaw 3-speed with overdrive, to a 4-speed with overdrive. Then adapt it to the torquetube and leave the 4.11 rear end gears alone. Because of the similarities between the 3 and 4 speed Saginaws, you could probably just adapt the 3-speed to the torquetube also, or the 3 speed with overdrive. I wonder why Patricks has'nt conscidered this approach? The Saginaw 4-speed come with several different gear ration spreads, select the one that best fits your driving style and need. Butch/56sedandelivery.
The OD is in the tailhousing. Patricks kit replaces the tailhousing. He would need to design a tailhousing and tailshaft just for the OD transmissions.
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