Hot Rods Questions concerning a 41 Chevy

I currently have a running 41 Chevy business coupe that has the original drive train in it.
I have scored a nice complete 57 Chevy rear end (brake drum to brake drum) that I am thinking of putting in for converting over to a small block V8/auto ****** setup (I hear the rear end is a drop in replacement).
When I got the rear end, the guy also gave me the brake drums and backing plates from the front end of his 57 Chevy. Since my car currently has 6 lug wheels, when I switch out to the 57 rear end, I will need 5 lug rims on it.
My question is, will the 57 Chevy front backing plates and drums fit the 41 Chevy spindles to allow me to run 5 lug rims on the front too? That way I can running the same rims on the front and back.
Thanks...
RC

 

use 52-54 front hubs from a car, brakes, etc. it's a bolt on

 

When you install the 57 rear end, note that you will need to offset from the spring bolt about 3/4 inch (not totally sure on the measurement) to get the rear end to align with the wheel opening properly. I didn't do that when I put the same 57 rear end in my 38 Chevy, I did notice it when I bolted the fenders on

 

The distance on the rear spring pad offset is about 1 1/2". I did this several decades ago on a '40 Chevy Coupe. I seem to recall their is a small difference in the width of the axle spring pads and the springs, but I don't recall moving the pads. That may have been due to my inexperience at the time......or the width was 'close enough'. Something to look at though.

Ray

 

Thanks for the info. I guess I will see if anyone wants to trade some 52-54 hubs for a set of 57's.

 

How does one change the offset?

 

Bummer, I was told it was a straight change out affair. How did you resolve the difference?

 

The "offset" sounds more complicated than it is. Here's the deal. The Chevy has, as you know, a torque tube drive line. That requires a pivoting mount where the axle is clamped to the rear springs. The way that was designed, the center bolt in the spring, which holds the spring leaves in alignment with one another, is about an inch and a half forward of the centerline of the axle housing. The pivoting mount has a hole in it that locates on that center bolt.

Now, the non-torque tube vehicles have a simple spring pad welded to the axle housing. It too has a hole in it that locates on the spring center bolt, but that hole is in the center of the rear axle. The difference in the location of the center bolt is the "offset".

It is commonly dealt with by drilling a new hole in the spring pad on the replacement axle 1 1/2" AHEAD of the existing hole. That "offset"will place the axle center line in the same place, fore and aft, as the original axle was located.

Ray

 

Great information there Ray. That sounds pretty easy to resolve.
When I got the 57 rear end, I also got the 57 springs, shackles, and U-bolts. Would installing these on the 41 resolve the offset, or would I still need to drill the rear end?

 

Well now, that is a whole other issue. Starting with the original '41 springs, they have a certain length. The distance from the center of the front spring eye (where the bolt goes through the spring mount and spring) to the center bolt determines the placement of the axle, fore and aft, ***uming the axle mounts to the spring with the center bolt centered in the axle pad. Then, there is the distance from the center bolt to the rear eye of the spring.

I really doubt the '57 springs are a 'bolt on' for your '41. However, you probably could use the '57 stuff in it's entirety. It would require determining where, exactly, you want the center of the axle to be to keep the wheel correctly positioned in the wheel opening, then attach the front spring mount to the frame wherever it falls. Likewise, you then have to locate the rear shackle ***embly in similar fashion.

Caution, when the spring compresses under load, the spring center bolt will likely move rearward and take the axle along with it. So it may take some experimentation to get it right before permanently attaching it to the frame. Likewise, the rear shackle mount has to allow for the spring length changing under load and still have the shackles at the correct angle when loaded.

There are a few other considerations if you go this route but they will become apparent as you progress. Nothing major.

Ray

 

Hmmm....thanks for your thoughts on this issue. It seems like the easiest way out would be to drill the 2 holes in the spring pads and be done with it. But it does sound like I have options.