open drive line conversion

i have a 1949 chevy deluxe styleline that i want to get rid of the torque tube drive line and convert it to open drive line. i am going to take the original 3 on the tree out and put in a t-5. my question to anyone who might know is what rear end can i use that is not going to break the bank but be reliable. i have heard that i can use the rear end out of a 56 or 57 chevy. is this true? if possible i would like to keep my rear end set up but just change out the third member. thanks to all that can help.

 

I think if you do a quick search you will find a stack of threads on the subject.

Guys have swapped the tri 5 rears into those cars for years and I think that the Camaro/Nova rear ends from the earlier years at least will fit.

I don't think that there is a viable way to keep the housing and swap pumpkins and if there was you would have to run some sort of traction bars as the stock rear end pivots on a bushing between the housing and the bracket that mounts to the spring.

By picking up a set of Moroso spring perches at your local purveyor of car goodies http://www.moroso.com/catalog/categorydisplay.asp?catcode=44011 you can clean off the housing of the rear end you swap into the car and have new perches to weld on the housing. You will have to drill new holes for the spring bolts to set in the same distance as from the center of the stock axle to the center of the hole in the bracket that mounts to the spring. It's 1-1/2 or 1-3/4 but I can't remember now.
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thank you very much for the info, i am going to start on doing the swap probably this winter when its just too damn cold and icy to drive it.

 

Also S10, Blazer or GMC Jimmy 4X4. Easy to find too.

 

so the 2wd S10, blazer or jimmy wont work?

 

No the 2wd is to narrow. The 4X4 is the same width as your original rear end. Todd

 

ok cool thank you guys very much for the info, this is helping me out a lot.

 

try www.chevytalk.com lots of info there.

 

I'm doing the T5 and open rear in my 49 Styleline right now.

first of all read all the links in this thread by Flat Ernie (I have used this as my instruction manual, thanks Ernie!)

HAMB-T5 Transmission links:

I'm using a 56 chevy rear. I have an S10 rear in the garage but decided on the 56 rear as I didn't have to change the spring perches. I am using lowering blocks so the locating pins have been repositioned to correctly center the rear end in the wheel openings.

You will have to cut out the stock cross member and transmission mount and put something else in it's place. Plenty of articles in the above post on doing that. I will eventually get a new drive shaft made once everything gets installed and I can get the measurements sent to the driveline place.

 

you were not kidding, just from what i have read so far in the threads from Flat Ernie i am learning a lot. thank you very much!!!

 

67-74 Nova rearends will work fine.

 

thanks alot for all the feed back from everyone, you all are being very helpfull and making this a lot easyer for me. i am very greatfull.

 

Hot Rod Works has a new conversion for the T-5 using the original bellhousing.