So I got a 78 Chev 2wd Truck Rearend. I was contemplating my installation in my lovely 54 Buick. I think I could use the factory leafs if I were to flipp the spring pads. Does anyone have any advice to prevent me from doing something I will regret or a way that is easier?
Well, the car came with coils and with the addition of proper control arms to replace the torque tube it could still use the coils. Whether or not to change to leaf springs would, in my opinion, depend heavily on how well the leaves can be adapted. Meaning, spring mounts inside or outside the frame rails, angle of the springs (level or tilted up or down on either end?). The inside/outside of rails thing can make a difference in body roll control because of the distance apart they will be. You could use an anti-roll bar to counteract that. I am currently changing the rear axle in my '40 Buick Super and, after lots o thought and research about type of control arms, have decided on the so-called 'truck arms', that is similar to the coil sprung GM pickups of '63 to '72. That system, by the way, is common to Nascar and other racing associations because of the many benefits of axle control it offers. It would permit using the existing springs setup, the panhard or track bar, take up no more space than the original angled braces of the torque tube setup. I bought new arms and bushings from Stock Car Products in VA. Not really cheap, but very, very nicely made. The only mounts you have to fabricate is anchor points/pivots at the forward ends of the control arms. Whatever you decide, best wishes with your project. I really like Buicks of all periods. Ray
So I decided that I'm dumb. I thought i had the coorect measurements for the rearend. I was way off. So here I stand four rearend rejects behind me. I need expert help here. What rearend can I use and not have to worry about the width. God damn this is frustrating. I have a 56 olds rear but its two inches wider than the factory buick. I am at a level of pissed (at myself) that I just need a good directions
<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%; mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt" class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellPadding=0 width="100%" cols=3><TBODY><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes"><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt" colSpan=3>Approximate rear end widths measured from backing plate to backing plate. Add Width to compensate for drums as follows:<O 4" - 5" for small cars 5" - 6" for intermediate cars 6" - 8" for large cars<O </TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 1"><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt">48" - 49" <O </TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt">50" - 51" <O </TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt">52" - 53"<O </TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 2"><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt" vAlign=top>'71 Colt '72 Cricket '72-75 Datsun Pickup '72-73 Mazda <O </TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt" vAlign=top>'65 Ram American '74 Valiant <O </TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt" vAlign=top>'28-40 Ford , '57 - 59 Ford '62 Buick Skylark, '67 Chevrolet Six '67 Mustang Six , '68 AMX '69 Javelin Six , '70 dodge '70 Duster , '71-77 Maverick '71 Comet , '71- 72 Pinto <O </TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 3"><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt">54" -55"<O></O </TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt">56" -57"<O </TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt">58" - 59"<O </TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 4; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes"><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt">'39 -48 Chevrolet, '68 GTO '41 -48 Ford, '68-72 Chevelle '55 -57 Chevrolet, 68-69 Fair lane 6 or 8 '66 Falcon, '69 Chevrolet '67 Mustang V-8, '69 Firebird '69 Cougar, '71 -73 Nova '73 Ventura, '73 Mustang<O </TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt" vAlign=top>'36 Plymouth, '54-56 Ford Pickup '67 Lincoln, '69 Dodge '69 Dodge Van, '71 Torino '72 Cougar, '74 Pontiac<O </TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 0.75pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0.75pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 0.75pt; PADDING-TOP: 0.75pt">'49 Plymouth, '61 Chevrolet Impala '65 Cadillac, '66 Buick Wildcat '66-67 Chevrolet Big Car, '72 Charger '69 Oldsmobile 88, '72 Chrysler '72-73 Torino<O </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
'56 Olds aught to work if it's from the right series (Olds 88, Buick Special, Century, Olds 98 for Super and Roadmaster). Otherwise, a tad narrow is probably better than a tad wide. Look at the fullsize 80s GM cars, the Electra 225, Olds 98, Caddy Sedan DeVille, even the Chev and Pontiac station wagons. They ran coils, have the right wheel bolt pattern, and I know one with the stock wheels will fit under a '51 Chevy, so it might be about right for your Buick. Plus they're probably the same GM 10-bolt as a dozen other cars, so if you're not happy with the gear you can change it no problem.
thanks yall. shit is just frustrating. I have seriously been 8+ months trying to decide what to do without being a rich boy, since I am sans money ( as they say in california). tonight just bummed me out. I will be back on the hunt again. if you happen to run into something that will work and a good set up idea. PM me. it not like I havent already wasted enough money on this issue. haha. thanks for the help. I'll try and stay cheery.
We had a '54 someone had cut the arch out of the frame and did a shitty job welding in some late model rear. It didn't even have the same bolt pattern on the axle, could have been out of a Cutlass or Chevelle. And it had rotted out in the usual place. It wasn't a bad idea, but I would think it much better to fab up something to mount the crossmember the trailing arms mount on, to the stock frame.
I like that idea of a trailing arms with a crossmember. Leafs just seems like an easier route to go. I'll back at square one again so anything is goin on the list
I might have missed it, what's wrong with the original torque tube with coils? I had a '56, similar, and I loved the ride..........
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