1952-59 Ford maverick rear end swap

hi recently i put a maverick rear end in my 53 vicky. now i need help with the drive shaft, my u joint that i have does not fit the maverick rear. i am running a c4 trans. anyone know the parts numbers for the rear end or a ahop in los angeles that works on drive shafts?? here are a few pictures of my work. put new brake lines, stainless fuel line ( free from work). cleaned and coated the gas tank. new shocks and lowering blocks

 

This might be a cheap way out,I have a 5.0 and AOD in my '54. The AOD and C4's both have the same output splines so the front yokes interchange by using a drive shaft from a 1982-86 Crown Vic and a conversion U-joint it bolted right up to the stock '54 rear,there is a good chance that same drive shaft without the conversion joint might bolt up to your 8",might take a trip to the Pull-A-Part The 52-56 Fords use the same length shafts so it works on all those years.

 

try Wenco Industries in burbank (818 785 0643 ) good guys

 

Make sure you post your solution because I have the same setup but have not begun working on the drive shaft.
Your progress is looking great!

 

If I understand you correctly, the driveshaft you have is the correct length but just won't mate to the Maverick rear end?? If so the easy solution is the conversion ujoint that Jeff mentioned. The best part is, any well stocked parts house should be able to fix you up. I got mine at O'Reilly's. I'd call them and ask if their computer has the listing for the Maverick ujoint(their computers may not list them that old). If they do, that's half the puzzle, if they don't you will have to determine the size and type the Maverick uses. You can measure and determine the type the ujoint on the end of the driveshaft now for the second half of the puzzle. You'll need overall length of the leg, the diameter and type of cap. You'd be surprised how many combination u-joints they carry. One thing to keep in mine with the caps.....most ujoints are of just a few sizes/universal size (maybe that's why they call them universal joints) on the leg lengths and roller bearing diameters. It is the outside diameter and type of retaining mechanism utilized on the caps that creates many variations.
When I got mine, to avoid waiting for a special order to come in, I bought an additional ujoint just so I could swap the caps and get what I needed.
The driveshaft I used was the aluminum shaft from my Mark VIII donor car. It's actually about 3/4" shy of having ideal spline engagement, but I'll make that up when I redo my rear end. Longer/taller pinion yokes are available.

 

BTW, do you have the metal rigid fuel line going all the way to the tank?

 

ok thanks guys ill look into those options.
texas57 yes you are correct everything is good it just wont mate to the maverick rear end. i was hoping i could just cut it off and weld another one on. but ill have to find it first. yes i do have rigid fuel line all the way to the tank. the person who had it before me ran a rubber line all the way back from the fuel pump if you can believe that hahaha here are some picture of my fuel line.

 

I would try NAPA for the u-joint, they may even have an old catalog you can borrow. Just a lot of measuring up to do, best if you have a dial caliper.

 

I see the rubber lines run all too often. Just a safety thing..you might want to keep a close eye on the lines near the ends. The advise I got was to run rigid lines for most the length, but to attach to the tank and carb/fuel log, etc. with a flexible hose. I used aerquip flex line oin the engine bay, and a special "new fuels resistant" rubber-type hose on the underside at the tank. Hope no offense was taken..I just wanted to p*** on what I considered good advise, and for sure others may feel differently. You did a great job on forming those ss lines, btw....I know how difficult it is doing those long ones that wind around everything.
Back to the u-joint....I'm not sure what you were addressing when you said "just cut it off and weld another on"?? if we're just talking replacing a u-joint.

 

The universal joint is often called a ******* U-joint,,check with NAPA. HRP

 

Texas57 no offense taken I appreciate any advice or help i can get. I am new to cars. This is my 1st build and I did not grow up with anyone teaching me anything about cars. So with that being said I was confused on the ***embly of the U joint. I didn't know all I had to do was change the U joint. I thought I was going to have to cut off the yolk off the drive shaft and get the appropriate size but I was completely wrong until I found a picture of how a maverick rear end bolts up. I had a old Dana rear end before and the bolt up set up is completely different. It did not use U bolts like the maverick so I was confused. I have the parts to change it out and I'll post pictures tonight when I do it. Thanks for the help

 

Here is a picture of what I have now.

 

The '53 drive shaft has a co**** spline front yoke,the C4 & AOD is fine spline.

 

Those u-bolt type u-joints nest in the yoke between 2 stops cast/machined into the yoke. The overall length of that leg of the u-joint is determined by the distance between the two stops. Make sure when you check/install the u-joint it is nested in there and not sitting on top of one or both stops.
LOL...this is my first build too...that's why I keep saying stuff like "others may have a different opinion". Of course, it could be my 20th build and others are still going to have a different opinion.

 

Funny story...last year when I replaced the u-joint I was working outside and trying to get the spring retainers off the driveshaft. One went flying...I thought on the ground. Looked around for a while..finally remembered my new joint came with new retainers, so I stopped looking.
This past spring I was reroofing my garage...guess what I found....way up on top in the back.

 

Hahaha that is hilarious. Cool that it is also your first build. Sometimes I feel like an idiot asking certain questions but I rather look dumb then to do the job wrong

 

The only dumb questions are the ones not asked. I not only ask alot of questions...there are certain guys I'll tell to talk to me like they're explaining it to a twelve year old. I love the internet....I worked on my car for a few years before I discovered the wealth of information and the guys willing to share information. I have no idea where I'd be on my car now or what direction I would have gone in if it were not for the help I got. One of the reasons I post so much is to encourage first timers like myself. "WELDER"Dave...I had to learn how to weld when I found out how much it was gonna cost me to have someone else do it. (not real welding, just mig).

 

About that picture of the rigid fuel line from the frame to the fuel pump. There should be a flexible hose from the frame to the pump to allow for engine movement. If that line is solid, it will fracture over time and you could have a roaring fire under the hood while going down the freeway. Any holes in the firewall and you will have fire inside. I would change that ASAP. Just a word of caution.

 

Well this is the U joint I need. I only found one on eBay and he didn't put up the part number but it says it is for a 64-66 mustang. Anyone know of a part number?
Flyboy89 thanks I will definitely change that out and into the gas thank. Thanks i appreciate the heads up.

 

Texas57 I got kinda lucky. Welding is what I do for a living. I have been welding for 13 years now & it has really saved me a lot of $$ in my projects. It's a good skill to have. That is for sure

 

Try here, if you are confused by their chart they have a "ask questions" line.http://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/c130_universal_joints_all.html

 

You also have to watch out for the line rubbing against the ch***is or other parts, it will eventually wear through. The rubber hose acts as a shock absorber too.

 

Dave...double check that 1" dia on your sketch...Ford I believe used mainly 1 1/16 and 1 1/8 dia. caps. That's an awesome website Jeff posted.

 

Ok guys so the drive shaft I have came out of a mustang 66 I believe. The cap on that side was 1" and the cap the bolts on to the rear end is 1 1/8" or 1.125. The width of the U joint is 3.220. I found mine at autozone for 14$ and orileys wanted 25$. I included the picture with the part number on the box. I will definitely look into changing up my fuel line. Thanks I really appreciate all the help.

 

The part number for orileys is #498 by precision universal joint

 

Good deal, got it done & you learned something.

 

Cross your fingers,this has shown up on several forums:https://www.google.com/#q=chinese+made+u-joint+failures

 

Shoot.. I had a high-buck Lakewood joint "soil" the bed on me, made in the USA too. I had it on my Nova stock car with the Lincoln rear, It was the Chevy-Ford joint. It blew and took the rear yoke with it... on a home grown drive shaft too. I had to make another one. Put in a cheapo from Carquest and probably put 3000 laps on it.