I know there are other "rear end" threads, currently, but, I'm planning my next coupe, and I want to do it early 60's drag inspired. I think a banjo looks great, but, I'm thinking they were about winding up their career, along with Flatheads, by then. I want durability, too, behind a reasonably strong Y block, or early Chevy...not sure which just yet, but one or the other. What was the hot setup, back then, if any real power was attempting to be put to the ground? Olds??? Chevy??? I've been a 9" guy forever...it came with being a Blue-Blood. Was it common to use radius rods, or ladder bars yet? I am not really wanting to trust stock bones and banjo's, but, I want it to look like it belongs under there... REMEMBER: DRAG inspired... I've seen some old drag cars with just solid-mounted channel for tracking, and a bunch with rigid rears, BUT, I need streetability/flexability, without it sticking out like a sore thumb. I don't like my hot rods too overly low, so it WILL be visible. Any thoughts would be appreciated... Thanks! Mark.
You can't go wrong with the 9 inch. That being said, many an Olds or Pontiac made it under hot shoebox chevys!
I concur. The Olds and Pontiac rears might be a tad more authentic, but are even more obsolete than the Ford rear, and not as well supported by the parts industry. Besides, nine out of ten of us couldn't tell the difference without crawling up under the car to get the close-up.
A local survivor near here, that was built in the 50s to run at Ct Dragway, ran a 283 with a 55/57 Chevy rear. It was not a high end race motor. It did have long homemade "bones" or bars running way up to the middle of the door area on the frame. Any higher HP drag car would have used an Olds around here. No comparison to the much weaker Chevy rear. The 57 up Olds has some aftermarket parts available like posi. the 56 and older looks the same but i don't think there is a posi available. The Olds "width to axle flanges" are same as 55/57 Chevy at 60". 57 to? Ford wagon 9" was narrower if you want a deep dish wheel or reversed wheel. The GM 60" would use a wheel with more backspace to get the tire closer to the body so it won't look too wide.
60's saw ford 9 inch with ladder bars at various lengths. A few diggers used the olds rear localy. The over all was the 9inch.
Seen a lot of the old altered pics running long square box tubing arms instead of the rear bones. Some drilled... The early 9" rears have the same smooth rear look as the olds or chevy rears.... and you know the ease of swapping gears. I think you need to come shopping soon, my friend !!!
I was leaning toward Old's, but, the obvious issues with cost and availability were a factor. I guess I'm more curious about locating/suspending it. Were a lot of these cars still buggy sprung by this time? I see a lot of old pics with those home-made square tube bars, that remind me of trailing-arm suspensions, and also the A.G. coupe, but is that how that car was done??? Would it be buggy-sprung still, then??? Coil Cups??? If so I need streetability, too, it will be driven a lot. I guess the P&J-type bars are a good bet, and discrete enough, and still allowing for the cross spring. I just wondered what was REALLY being done, suspension-wise, on these cars that I see in pics with the long, square bars, and what rears they were choosing ( though I kind of figured that part out already, I suppose...) Thanks for the responses! PAT!!! I DO need to come shopping, all right...At least have a beer, and get the hell outta N.J. for a minute... Sadly, all my extra $$$ is paying the painter right now!
you said, "I've been a 9" guy forever..." huh, huh. 9" Ford round back or '57 Olds if you are going for the race vibe, some fellas used '57 Chebby I think the olds punkin goes in there with a little help. Ladder bars or positrack traction bars to locate your rear. Everything that was dragged on the weekends by the fellas that had a couple of bucks to spend and were serious was over engineered by the early '60s.
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