Alright Fella's, A few questions....I have a 49 Chevy truck which i'm wanting to put a small block in, now I know changing the rear end is going to be the easiest option but.... Is there any way of mating the original chevy rear end up with a small block and 700r4 box? Also changing the gearing in the rear end to something more highway friendly? Would it be do-able? Thanks Seb
The ONLY thing I've seen/heard about, is Langdon's kit to install a Saginaw 4-speed onto a torque tube rear end. You have to send the mainshaft in to Langdon's for machine work. But, that's a manual shift setup and you want automatic. As far as the rear end gearing goes, I "think" Langdon's also has steeper gears (3.55:1 ???). Maybe find an old hydramatic for the torque tube truck, but that may be difficult where you're located. Butch/56sedandelivery.
When the Powerglide went f0o0o0ked on my 53 Chevy car i considered an engine and ****** swap but general consensus seemed to be that the torque tube & rear end would need to be swapped out too. It has the ball and socket seal at the gearbox end of the tube would need sealing somehow. In the end I found another cast iron Powerglide over here and managed. I'm not sure if this is the case for pickups though.
49 chevy, a 700r4 is a long transmission comparatively, you are already changing out most of the drive line. Finding a decent rearend and newer style drive shaft should be easy and cheap. Even if you have to get the drive shaft adjusted for length just get one thats is a bit too long and cutting it down should be cheap. Fyi- these old trucks are loud when driven at modern highway speeds! I would look at a rearend with 3.73 gears, they match well to the 700r4 and still allow some decent acceleration and torque!
I have got a rear end already just need it rebuilding it's getting 3.70 gears....got the 700r4 too. I was just wondering IF it could be done....?
Yes it CAN be done. You CAN travel from London to New York City in a row boat. Just because you can don't mean that you should. The later rear end is easier, cheaper, and yeilds a better result.
The Saginaw 4-speed mainshaft/kit and the 3:55 gears originated with Patrick ****s, not Langdons... Really no way to do what you ask without lots of custom machine work. And the end result will probably be unsatisfactory. Good luck.
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