Does anyone have any pics from swapping from the torque tube to an open rear? What rear did you use? I am going to stick a t5 behind the straight 8 and I would like something in a 3.50ish gear for the rear end. Not trying to build a super hot rod just a nice cruiser. The 8 thats in it runs so well I hate to swap it. Thanks in advance Clyde
I am doing this, using a 9" Ford with 5 x 5" wheel bolt pattern, though other rear axles will work just fine................LOTS of discussion and pics on prior threads....search "NASCAR Truck Arms"......... That method is, in my opinion, the most easily adapted method of controlling an open drive rear end in a Buick and can be combined with stock coil springs and track bar. There is a "how-to" on Webrodder that shows the installation of a 4 bar setup, which does work, but seems labor intensive to me, especially when compared to the '60-'72 GM light truck control arms. Ray
if you can find a maverick 8" v8 rear 5 lug and use chassis engineering leaf spring kit you'll be happy,i've done it many times on gm cars real easy set up
I have an explorer 8.8 under my 39 buick- fit right but gives you the smaller ford bolt pattern if that is a concern. The truck arms are very similar to the original setup, but heavier to replace the torque arm stiffness.
I used a Lincoln 9" with disc brakes and with Chev truck arms. It worked out well and fairly inexpensive.
Have to take issue with this recommendation. The Buick frame kickup at the rear axle area does not lend itself well to a parallel leaf spring conversion. They have been done, but are not usually well engineered. If you mount the springs under the frame rail, in typical fashion, the front of the spring is much lower than the rear and that is mot desirable. If you put the spring mounts inboard of the frame to solve that problem, the springs are too close to the chassis centerline to effectively control roll and the rear of the springs interfere with the gas tank. Just my $ .02........... Ray
Ok I am thinking that I am going with a truck arm style setup similar to the original only heavier. Can the original mounts be used that are on the frame and just some heavier arms be made or are the original factory mounts not satisfactory either? I am still a little way from tearing this thing apart but I would like to have all my stuff together when I start to help me keep from stalling out. Thanks
The Buick's original diagonal arms are attached to the torque tube, not the chassis. The torque tube pushes against the transmission/engine, which are attached to the chassis, and that moves the car. The original arms are 'braces' to keep the rear axle and torque tube 'square' with each other and resist bending motions due to uneven traction or pot holes etc. When the torque tube is eliminated, you are correct that the forward ends of the control arms must attach to the frame....the X member to be exact. It is fairly simple to design and fabricate some mounting brackets that will accomplish that. Stock length truck arms may require recessing the forward mounts into the X member as space gets kind of scarce at the convergence of the X. Regarding the arms themselves, it would be a good thing if you can find some good used GM pickup arms. DO NOT just use some square or rectangular tube to fabricate some. The stock arms are a back to back "C" channel design that is very strong in 'beam' strength but will twist along it's length. An upside "U" section, as found on '49/'51 Olds, would work similarly. The arms must be free to twist as the axle, body and chassis move/roll in relation to one another. If they cannot twist, it puts great strain on the arms themselves and the axle housing. Ray
Here is the post I have on replacing the rear suspension on my 55 Buick. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=669485 It has been fairly inexpensive and fairly smooth install. Cheers!
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