Projects TRI 5 Chevy GURUS

got to start planning the wife's 56 Townsman build
I have a couple of questions
I need to replace the rockers, some internet research talks about how some fit better than others. Which supplier have any you had the best fitment and overall shape?

what power steering would you recommend

 

thinking on keeping the original rear
not building a drag car, just a nice cruiser with a mild SBC
the wife says it has to be lowered (she's cool)
which drop spindles?
not used to building a car where I can actually buy parts instead of building everything

 

Maybe ccp still has some dropped spindles. Can't help with the rockers, except I would think Danchuk probably has good ones.

 

You about to order soon? If you can wait until the TRI 5 nats in bowling green, You can get some really good deals on stuff then. Just saying

 

Do some research on CCP spindles, they had problems with some of their cast parts. Not sure if they got it straight yet. The set I wanted to buy recently was on indefinite back order.

 

Thanks. Will look into that

 

If you don't mind, can you tell us the dates? Thanks

 

Afraid you would ask that... give me a min........

 

The stock rear ends are pretty tough unless you are wailing on it. Traction bars are recommended.

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August 10-11th. the week after the NSRA Nats in L"ville.
Bowling Green is a great town for car shows. BUT IT DOES GET HOT

 

Sure, got more time than money! Lol

 

We ain't drag racing
Just don't see the need to swap one just to say I did it. Haven't checked the gears yet. The info search said the normal gears for a PG car are usually 355 or 370. Those would be perfect for an OD trans

 

That is right 3.55 or 3.70 gear for a PG car. I run a 3.70 gear with a 28.5inch tall tire and a four speed (no overdrive) 2200-2400rpm on the highway.

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GM 605 power steering is what I used.

 

Any leak issues. I was looking at those and some complained about bad leak issues.
Will the stock pitman arm bolt up
I know I will have to cut the column. Was thinking about shortening it a little anyway

 

I got my power steering from Borgeson Universal in Connecticut and I used a Flaming River steering column. Borgeson has a great tech support bunch, too.

http://www.borgeson.com/xcart/home.php?cat=50 is probably what you are looking for. It is some cheaper through Summit and others.

 

The stock rear axels are a lot stronger than what they are credited for. After all, the same basic design was used behind 425 HP 409 cars. As long as the original axel is in good condition, there's no reason to change it. Actually, if it needs gone through, it still would be worth keeping.....Unless the plans are for a all out drag car.

As far as rockers and other sheetmetal parts, check out C.A.R.S. http://carsinc.com/ I've used a lot of their parts. Their high quality stuff is MUCH better than the cheaper priced parts and is well worth the extra cost. The fit of their sheetmetal parts is very, very good.

 

I'd say go with the 3.55 gears; the reason is, if you compare the 3.55 ring gear along side a 3.70 gear set, you'll see the 3.55's are much thicker, and deflect less. You're not "drag racing", but you will get on it, and someone will challenge you at a traffic light. The side/spider gears are usually the weakest part of these rear ends, followed by the ring and pinion. Wheel hop really kills them too (see wheeldog57's pics/pretty typical, but I've never broken one that bad!). Just stepping up to a Positraction doubles the spider gears to four, unless you go with Eaton, then it's still two spiders. If the car is an automatic transmission car, then it'll already have 3.55's. As far as the sheet metal goes, virtually all of it comes from one or two sources (China or Taiwan), and then gets a label stuck on for whatever vendor they're destined for. Almost all of it requires some tweeking to fit. The newest power steering setups are the 500 boxes; even the guys that converted to the 605 boxes many years ago are going with them. The 605 boxes did't come back to center very well; you had to somewhat "steer" them. Not a big fan of lowered cars, of any kind, but I'd start with softer springs and lowering blocks; maybe a smaller diameter tire. You do realize you have the best year car Chevrolet ever made? Course I'm only on my tenth 56 Chevrolet, so I'm a little biased.
I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

This is my first to own but not the first to work on
The thing I'm most excited about is parts are available and I don't have to chop or shave anything. These bodies need nothing to look good

 

A 410 posi unit came up recently. May check into it

 

55-56 Chevies came with 15" wheels where 57s had 14" wheels to make it look lower. I'm with Butch, I don't like em lowered but your wife does. . . 14x5 fronts, 15x7 rear

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This is the stance she liked. ( I know it's a 55) I'm stoked She specified painted steel wheels with 56 dog dish caps Yee Haa

 

^^^^^Where did the old style chrome reverse wheels come from?^^^^^ Stick some 55-56 hubcaps on them, and they'll change the whole personality of it. JMO. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

if you are going with the dropped spindles, look into something with more caster built into them... +3-5 degrees if memory serves me correctly. I'm to understand the tri-fives can get... twitchy... at highway speeds with power steering upgrades. Congrats on the townsman build, and the even cooler wife!

I wasn't paying close attention above, but if you are looking for a different gear set, try to get the gear ratio of your choice from a '58-'64 Chev (not Chevy II). The make-up of the parts (gears, housing, etc) received some strength improvements starting in '57.

 

I have done dozens of tri fives over the years and the only source I use for sheet metal is C A R S out of Berkley Mich. Best fitting and highest quality parts I have ever found. Been using them for almost 30 years. Check them out. Good luck with the wagon . Happy wife happy life! Larry

 

A friend of mine has 3 1959 impala parts cars. One is a 6 with a 3 spd
May could check these if I don't like the current gearing

 

Don't go with the GM605 box as these require a bracket on the frame. There is now a 500 series box that is a direct bolt in replacement [except for column mods for a rag joint] and is a 14:1 ratio. Even the pitman arm swaps over so there is no bump steer issues.

If you did the power steer, also add some upper A-arms that give another 5 degrees caster.
combine this with front and rear sway bars, STOCK springs, and radial tyres and it'll ride like a 90's era daily driver
Wheel alignment should be 5-6deg pos caster , 0.5deg neg camber and 0 to 1/2deg toe in.
you'll want a 1-3/8" front sway bar and 7/8" rear sway bar.

Keep the rear-end stock 3.7 [if it was manual] and use a 3rd gen Camaro T5 Gearbox with an S10 tailhousing [with bench seat]
The Camaro T5 has the same 1st gear ratio as the old Muncie sm318 3speed

 

I was looking at the 500 box. It cost more than a 605 but is bolt in and has very good reviews. The wife wants an auto so I guess I will listen this one time

 

Use a 3.36 drop-out diff head from a 61-64 chevy and a 200R4 [or a or 3.08 diff head with 700R4 ] to get the overdrive.
The 700r4 has a lower 1st gear so it can stand a higher diff ratio

You will need to fabricate a rear cross-member and side mounts with this Engine / Trans combo