I would first like to say that i have been a big fan of this site for about a year, and gracias (thanks) to all of for your very helpful threads, i am a car and truck guy through and through. My rides are a 1954 chevy belair,a 1950 chevy fleetline delux and my newest addition is a1964 chevy fleetside c20. So thanks again. Know to my question, i am putting a 350 small block in my 1964 chevy c20 pick up and i would like to know what would be my best option as far as ****** and rear end. Do i keep what i have? It has a 4 speed manuel and the stock rear (all is stock) i want to keep it a manuel but dont know if there is a better trans. And rear that would go with my 350 so please help and again thanks to all.
Well, the "farmer four" will fit the 350. It all depends on what you want to do with the truck. If it's gonna be a parts chaser and generally a "real" truck, the four speed will work great. If you are going cruising, a car-type four or five speed might suit you better.
If the truck is a go and bring 'em back truck then the stock ****** and rear is fine. The 3/4 ton should be a ****er rear but it may be a dana both are pretty stout. Its going to be a pretty low gear but you should still be able to cruise in the 60 to 70 MPH range. I'm going to guess that if you go the custom route with it then you will want to convert to 5 or 6 lug. its an easy conversion. But it won't happen easily on that rear so you'll want to look for a 12 bolt from a half ton. I had a 3.08 geared rear in my '65. It cruised real well and I consistantly got 20+ MPG with a turbo 400. On the custom route if I were staying stick I'd still want to keep it a 4 gear. Someone is going to tell you 5 speed but I'm not an overdrive type that's street rod stuff there. Maybe a Muncie or a Sag. Most of the fellas don't like the saginaw 4 speed but I've had pretty good luck with them myself. They are the cheaper of the 2. If you're going hell for stout small block you might consider a top loader for a Ford FE. Its not a difficult swap but you'll need an adapter. Anyway it depends completely on what your plans are for the truck.
I want to be able to jump on the freeway and do 70 with out winding all the way, some one told me about a trans. Called a 445 or 435 not sure what the number was, that it would bolt right in. Looking for something thats kinda easy to switch to and will give me better performance then the farmers 4 thanks
Ya, i was thinking of swithing to a 5lug (just cause its easyer to find rims in size 15) and lowering it with air bags but thats going to be later im ready to do the engine change right now, but thats the plan in the future.
60-70 mph cruising won't go with that stock rear, unless you use an overdrive trans. you likely have 4:10 or 4:56. Ok, if you want to keep your trans, go to a yard and look for a somewhat rare 3.21 , 8 lug rear. That rear is likely found in a loaded 3/4 ton Suburban from late 70s to late 80s right before the suburbans got the new body style like the pickups got in 1988. The old style continued on suburbans for a couple years after 88. You will need to weld on your mounting perches, etc. Not a hard job at all. I have done 2 of those 3:21 swaps; one donor was a suburban, one was a 3/4 T pickup from 79. Hard to find, but worth it. I can tow a car trailer at 75+
sorry should have said that i do want to convert it to 5 lug in the future, so any rear end would have to be 5 lug thank you
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