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1957 Chevy rearend, How strong?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by The Young One, May 8, 2008.

  1. The Young One
    Joined: Mar 12, 2008
    Posts: 35

    The Young One
    Member

    Does anyone know how strong a 57 Chevy rearend is? Im going to be running about 400-450HP, will it hold up? Its not the posi center from a vette, but will that may be something ill have to look into?
     
  2. turdytoo
    Joined: May 14, 2007
    Posts: 1,568

    turdytoo
    Member

    How come people used to replace them with Pontiac & Olds rear ends and with Dana's & 9 inch Fords today?
     
  3. HotRodPaint.com
    Joined: Nov 24, 2007
    Posts: 422

    HotRodPaint.com
    Member

    Never known as a strong rear. I probably busted 25 of them in my 4-speed cars, in the '60s. The posi, and a set of race axles would help, but I would just swap it out.
     
  4. hemi coupe
    Joined: Dec 25, 2001
    Posts: 1,162

    hemi coupe
    Member
    from so-cal

    Not strong at all man!! I have blown up so many of those in my Model "A", that I lost count. You should find a stronger rear-end for that application.
    Jimmy White
     

  5. My dad say's he swears that Laura Scudders made that rearend because they're made out of pressed potato chips. I had a 56 nomad with a 550hp
    406 & Turbo 400 with 4.56 in a"P"case. The axle tubes starting collapsing over the spring purches. This was with spring clamps to control wheel hop and using
    M & H 275/60 "stickies". The Nomad did weigh 3950lbs. Buy a Dana 60 from Strange Engineering. You can get the whole assembly with all the goodies for what a 9" third member will cost, and contrary to popular belief they are only
    60 lbs. heavier than an 83/4.
     
  6. Snarl
    Joined: Feb 16, 2007
    Posts: 1,639

    Snarl
    Member

    They are generally good to 300hp. A little more if the car doesn't get any traction. Posi wasn't just used in the 'vettes...
     
  7. 1oldrat
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 1,884

    1oldrat
    Member

    I tore up the one in my 56 wagon.I'm running about the same hp and a m22 4 speed.I put a 10 bolt posi with 4:88's under it.It came out of a 67 442.My Dad has a 67 442 with a 10 bolt posi and it's been in the car since new and he hasn't been nice to it and never had a problem.That motor is pushing over 400 hp and is also a 4 speed.They are readily available and alot cheaper.If you are using it in a 55-57 you will get some more clearance.
     
  8. aerorocket
    Joined: Oct 25, 2007
    Posts: 488

    aerorocket
    Member
    from N.E. P.A.

    Same results here. 55 chevy, 389 pontiac, 4 speed hydro, headers, 7" recap cheaters, ran 14.0 at 96. Blew the spiders constantly. Never could afford a posi but this car always spun both wheels unless you were on a tar road. Boneyard rears were $10 if you removed them or $15 if they removed it.
     
  9. Fifty5C-Gas
    Joined: Sep 1, 2003
    Posts: 1,435

    Fifty5C-Gas
    Member

    I tore one up in my 55 with about 350hp...I replaced it with a 9" now that I have more power.
     
  10. Lugnut II
    Joined: Sep 25, 2007
    Posts: 615

    Lugnut II
    Member

    I race a1956 Belair Currently mine is set up with a 488 posi. This unit has been in the car for the past 6yrs. without any problems. I run goodyear 29x9x15 drag slicks. Small block chevy, 500 plus hp. Last weekend it turned 12.67's on an 18 year old engine build. The key to saving the rearend is skip the dry hops, it will break every time. As for a one legger, they will break. Hope this helps!!! :D
     
  11. Mutt
    Joined: Feb 6, 2003
    Posts: 3,219

    Mutt
    Member

    I've been running a 4.11 posi '57 in my 2200lb roadster for about 15 years now. Car runs 11.30s and hooks hard. No problems. They don't like a bunch of weight if you hook up good. A little wheel spin will help them last in a full body car. It would help if you said what kind of a car it was going in.


    Mutt
     
  12. the shadow
    Joined: Mar 5, 2005
    Posts: 1,105

    the shadow
    Member

    if you beef them up they are fine, those rears are prone to break on the rear main cap. honest charlie and alot of the old time speed shops used to sell a "main cap stiffiner" (girdle) kinda like the one speedway sells for beefing up the flat head 8 mains . I just had my rear guy weld a curved steel plate across the back of the right rear main cap (fitted to the curve of the cap). I also have stock GM gears with olds axels (from mosers), this is all in my restored dragster, that rear has over 200 1/4 mile clutch dumping tire smoking runs on it and has never been apar since I restored the rail in 1990. the one thing I will add is my rai only weighs 1300 lbs un-like a 3000 lb + car.
    * I added a rear saftey sheild on the back side of the rear after I took the one pic

    if you want to run that rear, put after market gears in it, after market axels and beef up the main caps
     

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