Technical What rearend to use on a 53 Coronet

I just installed a 318/904 in a 53 Dodge Coronet I'm building and was wondering what everyone else is using for a rearend. I'm looking at more of a cruiser that can hit 85. So I'm thinking gears around 2.47. What year cars should I be looking for for a rearend.

 

what tire size

 

21575r15

 

You may have to hit the junkyards with a tape measure and start measuring. Look for one the same width as the old one with the same 5 on 4 1/2 bolt pattern. I would start with Jeep Cherokee and small Ford pickups. Not that many rear drive solid axle vehicles left.

 

3:08/2:75 ish

 

Here is a possibly helpful guide for sizes....

 

I think that chart terminology is misleading. It says dimension “A is flange to flange”, which when looking at the numbers seems to be either axle housing flange to flange or backing plate to backing plate. Those dimensions are not as useful as ‘WMS (wheel mounting surface) to WMS, when trying to fit a wheel/tire combo into a mostly enclosed wheel housing.

I have a ‘53 Dodge Coronet Diplomat (2 dr Hardtop), but sorry to say, I do not know it’s WMS to WMS dimension. I do know that I fitted 15x6 ‘60s/‘70s Dodge pickup wheels to it with 205/70-15 tires and they look good in the small wheel openings common to those cars. A 215 would also work well enough, I think. At the time I just happened to have the 205s.

All that said, I would suggest you pull the wheels on the rear and get an accurate measurement of the WMS/WMS and then you’ll know more about what you need.

Please post what your axle width measures, if you don’t mind. That will help quite a bit in making a useful recommendations for your purposes. And, please post a pic of your Dodge.

 

I believe you are at 60 inches wms to wms so you need to look for that rear end size carnut.com has a chart of the stuff to look for.

 

Yup 60. Thanks

 

Thanks for the reply. Rear is 60 wide.

 

I think early Camaro (67,68,69) and Nova rears in those years. My 69 Camaro rear is 60" would have to measure , and my 76 Camaro rear is 61".

 

Is this the chart ?

http://carnut.com/specs/rear.html

Assuming;
Outside
Width
(1st colum)
= WMS to WMS, right ?

 

Yes outside width. Thanks this is very helpful.

 

Ford 8.8 and from a Ranger or an EXPLODER, cheap, strong and 96 and up disc brakes. 60 inches outside to outside and 5 on 4.5 bolt circle. Many gear ratios to choose from. Search is your friend.

 

Jeep Cherokee (not Grand Cherokee), especially from about ‘91 through 2001 are MOPAR corporate 8.25” and are 60” wide WMS to WMS. Manual shift 6cyl Cherokees have 3.07 ratio. Automatic 6 cyl are 3.55. 4 cylinder models are 4.10.

Explorer 8.8 range from 3.27, 3.55, 3,73 and 4.10. Width is 59.75”. Ranger pickups, after ‘92 are about 58.5”, which could work with the right wheel offset. I also would consider the 7.5” axle if you find one with the right gearing.

All things considered, I would look for an 8” Ford in the width range you need. Since those axles have drop out center sections, you can easily change ratio if need be. However, the most common of those are 2.79 and 3.00, so you stand an excellent chance of finding one with that gearing. Also, they are among the lighter weight models of the various choices.

 

Mopar B bodies, early dakota pickup

 

How much weight? Stock camshaft?
Doesn't seem like you need to go higher than 3.08.

 

Cherokee

 

This can help ya pick a gear
The tire size you suggested should be around 27.5 inches tall

 

I have a 87 Dakota 8 1/4" rear under my 41 Plymouth, if I remember correctly. I think only the first 2 years had 5 lugs. There also is a 7" but you wouldn't want to use that one.

 

Thanks everyone. This is good info. I'll have to hit up the yards and see what I can find.

 

Helps me too, Martin. For my '53 Chrysler Newport. Good luck.

 

I have a question, why not regear the differential that's in it? What gears does it have? Some of the 1940's Chrysler's and DeSoto's came with taller gears. I know at some point, I will look for some to put into my 1938 Plymouth.

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Good advice, measure everything as you going to war!

 

Is it possible that you are mostly just looking to accommodate a parking brake? I have thought about using a later 8 3/4" ,so I can have a good parking brake in my 1938. After I find a way to convert to a 4 speed, I will need a parking brake.....

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Circumstances have changed for the better since my post #7, in that I now have convenient access to my ‘53 Dodge if anyone is still interested in an accurate WMS to WMS dimension.

 

Ok everyone. Thanks for the help. I found a 91 explorer rearend with 3.08 gears that works good. But hopefully my last question is are there certain u joints I use to connect the Mopar driveshaft to the rearend flange. The explorer ujoints have outside clips and while the Dodge ujoint clips are on the inside.

 

https://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/c130_universal_joints_.html