Long time reader... Just purchased a 54 Chevy hardtop and have a few questions. I'll be doing a Gambino suspension kit and was wondering what is the preferred rear end to use during this project? And, what would be the best gear ratio in the diff for better highway cruzin? I plan on running a 200r4 Thanks in advance!!
what motor/trans are you running? if you go S10 route need to find one still in vehicle & check the information shown in glove box door to confirm what gear ratio rear is.
Motor is still up in the air. I'm going to pick up another frame and build it out with the kit, then do the swap. Think I might stay with the 6 and run a 200r4. Will the s10 be too wide once bagged ?
Impossible to recommend a rear end ratio, without more information on engine and intended usage. ( I think I'll create a file for answers like this, for later use)
Hmmmm..... 6 with 200r4.. intended usage???? Bag it, slam it and drive it... what else would I do with it?
You said the motor was up in the air, in your second post. Then you said you might use the 6 cyl. So we might know what gear ratio to recommend..Might.
I set these up with a 3.73, with a V8 or an L6, with stock height, or very near stock height tires, especially with the L6. The stock tire for this was a 6.70-15, which is right about 27-1/2" tall. The modern equivalent would be a 205/75-15, which is on or about 27" tall. An alternate, which is a little wider, would be a 215/75-15 (7.10-15), which is right about 27-5/8". If you are out of that range of those tire diameters, my recommendations would likely vary. The 2004R has an overdrive ratio of 0.67:1. That is the numerical combined equivalent of a (0.67 x 3.73) 2.50:1, with a non-overdrive transmission. That is about as steep as you'd want to go, even with a V8. For reference, a 3.42:1 gear would be the numerical combined equivalent of a (0.67 x 3.42) 2.29:1, with a non-overdrive transmission. Unless that V8 is a torque monster, the overdrive would put it too far below the torque peak, and would be really hard on a poor L6. You absolutely do not want to lug the L6 in overdrive. It makes them very unhappy, and short-lived. As a rule, when faced with a fixed set of gear ratio options, none of which are quite exactly the right one, I always opt for the one that spins the engine a little faster, with better mechanical advantage, rather than one that spins it a little too slowly, with poorer mechanical advantage. No customer complaints yet. You need to remember that airflow through the venturi is what meters out the fuel that goes into the engine. The lower that velocity, the poorer the metering is. The only vehicles that can handle running super steep gears are modern ones, with fuel injection, where the fuel is literally sprayed in, rather than ****ed in. My daily driver Falcon has a 200-inch L6, and a transmission with two overdrives (5th and 6th). It's final drive ratio is the numerical combined equivalent of (0.50 x 5.13) 2.57:1. The engine turns quite slowly on the freeway. The way that works is, you guessed it, fuel injection, but we cannot discuss that on this board. If you have questions about that you will need to contact me directly.
As has been mentioned, if you are pulling from a donor vehicle, there is a sticker inside the glovebox door. You will find one of these codes: GU4=3.08 GU5=3.23 GU6=3.42 GT4=3.73 GT5=4.10 HC4=4.56 If you are lucky: G80=locking differential
Anytime. Just throwing it all out there. Better that you have far more information than you will even need, than not enough.
When I got my '54, it had a late model Camaro rear end in it. I don't remember what year though, I'm sure someone here knows, but I'm surprised nobody has mentioned it yet, I normally see it get mentioned on this topic.
I think 1976-ish works, if I remember correctly. No idea on spring perches, though. The last one I worked on was bagged, and had a triangulated 4-link. They are getting harder to find in the yards.
Mine had leaves when I bought it, but I don't remember what the deal was there either. I've since moved to bags.
No problemo. What I was getting is some guys' idea of cruising is burger joint to cruise night and back..Others plan to do Rt 66 from one end to the other. A six popper is basically a torque engine. I believe you could run it pretty low in o/d if you were to modify it accordingly. Gimpy is right in the ballpark , without much more to go on..Carry on..
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