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Hot Rods 1928 Buick drive train ideas needed

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by barnbikes, Oct 3, 2015.

  1. barnbikes
    Joined: Oct 28, 2009
    Posts: 96

    barnbikes
    Member
    from MN

    Have a '28 Buick chassis I plan on installing a 300 - 6 Ford engine with 3 speed tranny. Want to keep the original rear end (enclosed drive shaft) in it.

    My options are:
    Convert rear end to open drive shaft.
    Make an adapter plate for 300-6 to original tranny.
    ??????

    Has anybody done this or have any other ideas?

    Thanks
     
  2. That will be interesting
     
  3. volvobrynk
    Joined: Jan 30, 2011
    Posts: 3,587

    volvobrynk
    Member
    from Denmark

    Don't think this would be a good ideer!
    But you could do something to make the torquetube fit on the gear box you got for the 300.

    Or maybe go thinking a little different. Chevy AD 1949 has a three speed with a torquetube, a 235 or 265 and an descent rearend.
    Does your car run 6 lug wheels too?
    Do you have some pics?
    How compleat is your car?
    Is it because you have a 300 in stock?
     
  4. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    Do you have the original transmission? It would be easier to adapt the engine to the trans. It would also be possible for a good machinist to adapt the Ford trans to the Buick drive shaft, for a price. It would be quite expensive.

    On the whole, the easiest cheapest and best move would be to use a different rear axle. The Buick has an extremely low geared rear diff, and higher gears are not available.
     

  5. You have a parallel rear, so easy to adapt any diff into it to match your transmission. Most early diffs are too low a ratio to use for highway travel.
    I would just fit a 67 to 70 Mustang diff into it.
    The only reason you would try a keep a closed driveline is on a Ford where it's a major part of the rear suspension, on a Buick or any GM it's not.
    Does the front and rear section of that Buick diff centre unbolt, if so that diff makes a Ford 9" seem light
     
    volvobrynk likes this.
  6. volvobrynk
    Joined: Jan 30, 2011
    Posts: 3,587

    volvobrynk
    Member
    from Denmark

    Or maybe ft the look!!
    I'm still thinking about converting my open prop shaft gear box and my open rear to a Torque Tube, just to make it look right. And because that I can drop my floor pans and seat, and sit beside the tube. Would make the car look like an early indy roadster or dry lake car.
     

    Attached Files:

  7. Are you intending to retain original wood wheels and the external contracting brakes?
     
  8. Yes I also forgot to include the look too when it comes to ford, but a Buick diff does not look much different than a later drop out centre diff when you are looking from the back
     
  9. chessterd5
    Joined: May 26, 2013
    Posts: 902

    chessterd5
    Member
    from u.s.a.

    That 300 is gonna turn your original driveline into a pretzel. Top 3 trans choises : C4, C6, Aluminum Powerglide. The first two are direct bolt up 3 speeds for the street. The powerglide will need an adapter plate & suggest it only for racing. I would use a 9in Ford rearend for strength, reliability, & easily abundant parts but, an 8in. ford or a mopar 8&3/4 would work too.thanks
     
  10. Torana68
    Joined: Jan 28, 2008
    Posts: 1,415

    Torana68
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Australia

    best idea? don't do it...... the rear springs make a rear swap more than difficult, the drive shaft wont take the torque (the front uni is probably worn out as well and parts are not easy to find) brake swap will mean rear change anyway. Gearbox is reasonably stout but there is a multi plate clutch in there that wont fit up to anything but a Buick, may be difficult to get clutch arm to work on a modern clutch. If the Buick engine runs use it, or sell the whole thing to a restorer..... Chassis are very HD compared to same year Ford so you could do something with it, just not with the running gear it has.
     
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  11. barnbikes
    Joined: Oct 28, 2009
    Posts: 96

    barnbikes
    Member
    from MN

    Motor is a rusty boat anchor.

    Wood spoked rims are all rotted. Have a set of 1929 Chevy 20" disk wheel I planned to adapt.

    Wanted to keep it as original as possible but will see what happens as I go along.

    Was told the car would do 80+mph new so I figured the drive train could handle the engine.
     
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  12. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    How is the body? Usually it is easier to find a good engine, chassis and drive train than a good body when we are talking about the old wood framed Fisher bodies.

    If the body is really good it might be easier, cheaper and better to find a good chassis and engine with no body.
     
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  13. barnbikes
    Joined: Oct 28, 2009
    Posts: 96

    barnbikes
    Member
    from MN

    Dash forward is all I have.
     
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  14. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    Sounds like a speedster project. 28 Buick chassis, cowl, hood and radiator. Ford engine trans and rear axle. Chev wheels. Home built body. Possibly later hydraulic drum brakes adapted to the Buick front axle.

    Some examples of speedster projects on the AACA forums

    http://forums.aaca.org/forum/122-speedsters/
     
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  15. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    I'd put either a late Ford open drive banjo rear out of a truck, or the rear out of a F1/F100 in there (probably the cheaper option). What's the measurement between the springs?
     
  16. Don't put a weak link in your driveline by trying to use the old parts.

    Charlie Stephens
     
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  17. Jimmy2car
    Joined: Nov 26, 2003
    Posts: 1,707

    Jimmy2car
    Member
    from No. Cal

    I would keep it all Buick. Early Buicks had closed drive shafts and strong transmissions
     
  18. I like Rusty's speedster idea above, if the engine is toast then how would the remainder of the driveline be, sitting for 50 + years all the gears sitting out of oil all will be rusty, same for the diff. Now is the time to go for another driveline.
    If you really want a torque tube setup for looks, use a torque tube setup made in the 50s on other GMs including newer Buicks adapted to your early chassis?
     
  19. barnbikes
    Joined: Oct 28, 2009
    Posts: 96

    barnbikes
    Member
    from MN

    Hood and radiator are in the garage.
    whole.jpg
    Had the kids scraping grease last weekend. had visions of drilling out rivets and replacing tube with insert with bearing in it and having a shaft with universal joint for open drive shaft but I think the housing will not take the stress.

    rear.jpg

    20" Chevy wheels.
    wheel.jpg
    Kind of my goal.
    race1.jpg
     
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