Hot Rods 1939 Chevrolet too slow

Are there taller gear sets for the rear axle? I think it's 4:11 now and would like to see 3.50 or so. This car has the torque tube drive.
Thanks

 

Had a 40 coupe-I used a Ford explorer rear, tons of gear options (look up code nos.). The tri five rears work perfect and are bolt in, but weak and now hard to find a good one. Explorer is +- an inch or so, have to move the mounting pads and it will offset the pinion, unless you use a passenger axle and shorten the tubes. Key thing--they are plentiful and cheap.

 

53-54 PowerGlide equipped rear

 

Get your checkbook out Note there are extra "pieces" needed for the pre 1940 differentials.
https://www.chevsofthe40s.com/shop/search.lasso?vehtype=All&year=All&Catalog=All&search=ring+&+pinion&SeachBtn=Search&dept=&cat=&new=&sale=&showcase=&searchtype=FT&method=KeywordSearch

 

The '37-'39 rears had some differences from the '40-'54s, although I'm not sure what. A few years back, a friend bought a pile of N.O.S. parts, and there were three sets of 3.73 ring and pinion gears for the early rears in it...they sold FAST.

 

If you were to ultimately decide that an open driveline is the way to go I would strongly recommend that you factor in replacement springs, eg Posies. Based on my experience with a '41 the stock springs simply aren't beefy enough to control axle wrap with the torque tube removed. 80+ years of use won't have helped them either! Obviously irrelevant if you're only replacing the diff gear.

Chris

 

That babbit dip 216 might struggle with a taller gear. Chevrolet used a 4.11 for a reason. Now, if you live somewhere flat with no mountains, it might be fine. Might also think about upgrading the 6 to a full pressure 235 or a 261.

 

Yeah, those factory 3.73 gears were for people in the "plains states".

 

kinda off the subject here, a little, but i seem to remember putting in a truck trans. with floor shift behind a 216 or 235. The big deal was it featured at open driveline yoke so an open Dshaft could be used with a later rear end-i.e. tri five. I think it was a bolt up, easy and really helped. But, the truck gears were just that, would pull down a house.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.
Did these models use a torque tube that would bolt up to the '39

 

Customer wants to stay with column shift. Any idea if the T/T trans can be converted to open drive like early Fords can?

 

It's been up graded to 235

 

I'm going to call them to see what difference in the '39 rear end

 

Go to a taller rear tire...... Easy as can be!

 

I've never heard of anyone who bothered trying. The '39 transmission is a one year design as well. '40-'48 are the same, as are the '49-'54 transmissions.

 

It is a torque tube rear. Direct swap? Some home work will need to be done. I only know that lots of guys have gone this direction is all.

 

^^^^^ A quick search indicates 53-54 rear is 1/4" wider, no big deal but wheel base is 2 3/4" longer. Like I said some home work is needed.

 

@panheadguy read the whole forum as it speaks of 2 ratio's for 39 and how to swap 53-54 gears into 39 rear > https://vccachat.org/ubbthreads.php/topics/29973.html

 

Check with The Filling Station in Lebanon, OR to see if 3.55:1 ring and pinion are in stock.

 

Will do and thanks