Hi guys! I have been searching on the forum about "Open drive line". I found some good info, but much is just SBC + rear end swaps. I want to keep the stock inline six and trans. I want to put airride on it and Im looking for parts now. (Gambino notch and 4 link). What I understand, I cant use the stock rear end when running bags and 4 link? So what rear axle should I use, I think a Nova rear would work? So when the new rear axle is mounted and in place with the new Gambino 4 link, how about the stock trans and driveshaft?? Anyone here that have done this before in a Chevy with stock inlinesix engine and stock manual 3 speed transmission, and just swaping rear axle to open drive line? I have never done this operation before so tips & advice would be great!! Thanks!!
the original trans is made for the closed drive rear. if you change the rear end you also need to change the trans. you will also need a new driveshaft to go with it. I figure it is easier to have a new driveshaft made from scratch rather than try to find one that works.
As 49ratfink said, your trans is not set up for open drive. You can use almost any trans you want, such as a T-5 I will add as suggestion to get OD.
open drive transmissions do not use the same bolt pattern that your bellhousing has. You can either use an adapter plate, or switch to a '55-62 car or '48-59 truck bellhousing to solve this. If you switch bellhousings, your fork angle will be wrong and won't work properly with the stock linkage. If you are trying to keep the column shift, the clutch linkage will interfere with the shifter linkage. I make a part that solves the clutch linkage issue, but you would need to make some new ****er rods if you want to keep the column shift. If you go the adapter plate route, you can keep everything else as is, but if doing this with a later 3spd trans, you will want to use a longer pilot bushing to account for the thickness of the adapter plate. They sell 1/4" longer ones for SBC's, which is the same as all the inline sixes. Most people who go the adapter plate route use a T5 from an S10 which has a longer input shaft. Or, if you can weld cast iron, you could have the center hole of the bellhousing enlarged by a machine shop, and have some "ears" welded on to pick up the bolts for the newer transmission.
There is no reason to change it if you're not interested in going to an OD trans or a newer automatic, you actually can bag it on the stock rearend. In Sweden, what's common and easy here may not be so common for you - but the S10 was also sold by Isuzu as a rebadge clone, so that may be the best option. Only the 4-wheel drive rearends are wide enough to work.
Thanks for the info guys! But Im confused, can I bag it with stock rear end or not? Anyone who have done it here, maybe a build thread somewhere? Because im not intrested to change the trans, since it original to the car, like the engine and they have been restored and drives perfect. Im not intrested to drag bumpers and make sparks either. (Been there done that, but not in Chevy's too). How low can I go with stock rear axle? Because the closed driveline lubricates diffrent right? Not good if the axel are way up in the rear, or am I wrong? S10 arent to hard too find here in Sweden. But the question is, can I keep the stock rear axle? I want it low, but not crazy low. I can live with no or just a small notch in the stock frame and bag it from there. So it's not 4x4 and adjustable. Thanks for the replies guys!
Yes, you can bag the stock suspension and driveline. No, it won't be as low as it could be, not that you're interested in that. No, you do not want to drive it with the rearend higher than the transmission. The oil will gradually leak out past the pinion bearings. "low" is for show, not go.... There is a post somewhere on here about the modifications needed to bag the stock frontend.
Sounds like you just need to go to Chev's Of The 40's and order up a set of their lowering blocks, like 3" or 4" tops, and run that way.
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