My 53 belair has an open rear end in it, GM 10 bolt of some sort...its still running the stock 1&3/4" leaf springs...the u-bolt/perch mount is kinda shady...looks like they used flat stock 1/4" plates and drilled the holes for center pic and u-bolts. The shock mount ear on it is not connected to the plate, its held by one of the u bolt nuts and it moves from where you set it once tight and driven. Is there a u-bolt/perch mount available out there that lets you use your stock leaf springs and open rear axle with 3" tube diameter? I cant get a straight answer! Fatman sent me a pic of a plate they offer but the centering pin is not even close to aligned with where it needs to be at to use it.
I made my spring perches from 3/16ths plate about 3"-4" tall [built-in lowering block] to help get the back end down a little. Had to drill the spring center bolt hole in the perch offset to center the axle in the wheelwell. I THINK I used lower shock mount/u-bolt plate from a 55-57 chevy car. Not sure but I remember it was from a production car.
one of the plates they drilled forward on is right at the front of the plate and there is really no "eyelet" for the centering pin to stay locked in. basically a "U" notch that half the pin sits in and the u-bolts keep in kind of sandwiched in there though it has shifted a bit when i have checked it after long drives...pretty scary. only good thing is the leaf springs are fairly new which is the reason behind not buying an expensive aftermarket modern leaf spring conversion kit
this kit looks like the answer to all my issues but it doesnt state if it is made to run the stock width leaf springs or not. it does look like it has the forward drilled in the plate though? http://www.ebay.com/itm/151066145214?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
I used 1990 S-10 spring plates on my '53. I just drilled two new holes on each one for the u-bolt (closer together than with the stock S-10 springs) and the center hole drilled forward an inch or two. (Maybe 1.5"? It's been years and I don't remember.) The S-10 plates had a lower shock mount attached already, although the shock mount would not work with stock '53 Chevy shocks in the original location. I'm using shorty shocks with upper mounts I fabricated myself (a simple plate and bolt, really). That way they mount to the frame not the body, AND they are parallel to the car rather than cocked in toward the center of the car. Handles really nicely. I just picked them up off the ground at the junkyard as they were removing the rear axle for me. It's not as complicated as you might think: the holes for the u-bolts have to be just far enough apart to allow the u-bolt to sit on either side of the spring, and the "center" hole must be relocated just enough to move the rear axle back enough to center your wheels in the fender openings. If you don't own a drill press just find someone who does. All the drilling will only take about 20-30 minutes.
Not sure but you may be able to buy individual pieces from the kit in the Link. Jeff http://www.butchscoolstuff.com/40-54-chev-car-rear-mount-kit-with-shocks-2381-269/
on my 50 poncho the guy welded the narrow axle saddle to the axle after cutting the old saddle away , then modded the 50's old lower plates ( uses the stock mounting position for the shocks ) the axle is a fbody /nova axle , there is a 50 poncho for parts in Rockdale ( Bills Speedshop ) if you want to do it this way .
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