Hey guys, I getting ready to pick up a 29 Model A Coupe Body, just bought a 331 Hemi from a guy on here ( Model A Mark) who was super cool, and I'm starting to collect all these parts and pieces here and there but my main question is what Rear end should I go with? I'm trying to keep the car 51-57 Period Correct and I know that kinda limits my choices, but what would be the most appropriate rear end for that era? Thanks Guys!! and Cheers!!
I know a quick change was something popular in the 40's but was it as popular in the 50's and whats the price difference between a quick change and a ford 9 inch??
Quick change rear ends look cool but the howling will drive you crazy - if you drive it much. 56 era ford cars are a good fit width wise. IMHO
Only 2 choices for a real hot rod in my mind, a banjo, maybe with a quickchange centre, or a 9 inch. Ford brought out the 9 inch in 57 and I think that early housing is by far the best looking housing they made.
This car will definatley not be sitting in the garage for show and tell!! Would a quick change be able to take the abuse of a HEMI?? One strong possibility I'm looking at is a 57 FORD 9 inch since they're pretty much bullet proof
A 331 HEMI looks cool but it's not going to abuse a rear end any more than a comparable SBC. Your choice of transmission, rear tires and how you drive it is where the abuse comes in.
You won't have to worry about breaking a properly setup quick change. Trans and cluth would be weak link.
I have a bunch of old 1957ish little books, and it seems the '49-'54 Ford rear axle was a fairly popular choice in early cars back then. You don't see it much today, though - probably because it's neither particularly handsome nor particularly strong compared with what came before and after. If it were me, I'd seek out a Maverick 8" for that car, not period but not glaringly out of time like a 10-bolt, and plenty handsome.
If it's not a drag racer where you need a bullet proof rear, there are a lot of rears that will work well. I used a 10 bolt out of a V8 Chevy II. All the tread under the rear fenders. No need to narrow it for my 27 T I'm a tight wad and never spend big money on a street car rear. I don't need a 9" or an Olds. If one falls in my lap then I go for the bullet proof rear. You can tie up a lot of money in a narrowed rear that can go toward a fancy interior or paint job. I'm what you call frugal
Appropriate? Olds (or Pontiac) '49-'54. Never even saw a 9-inch Ford under anything but '57 Fords until into the '60s. (likewise for Chevy rears...post 1960 before guys ran Chevy all the way back.) If you use a Quickie, make sure you use floating axle conversion. Flatheads and hemis hate axle keys. LOL
Before I got into Quick Changes, I used a lot of 55-64 Chevy rear ends. The axles are not the strongest but they look right and are fairly inexpensive to build. A Ford 9" is way overkill for what you are proposing to build, and weigh heavy. Same for the Olds and Pontiac's. '51-57 Period correct would be a Ford Banjo with or without a QC center section. If your worried about strength use a 3/4 ton unit instead of a V8. I wish people would stop saying that Quick Changes are so noisy that they will drive you nuts. There will always be some spur gear whine but nothing that a self respecting hot rodder would object to. If they're THAT loud, you have the set-up wrong or something else is amiss.
Thanks for all the help guys...thats why I love this forum....tons of knowlege and tons of help. I really appreciate it. All this help is pointing me in the right direction!!!
No WAY you will break a quick with any type of 50s "period correct" drive tires... They'll haze long before you hit the torque limit of anything inside the axle.
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