i have this 49 chevy 3/4 ton- 3600 that i am thinking about changing into the long bed half ton that chevy never did. 6-lug front axle and 6 lug open rear end. will run 16" 6 lug wheels and original 1/2 ton hub caps. later i want to add a 283 that i have and automatic o.d. i use this truck as a daily driver, but would like to be able to get out to shows futher from home than the 4;56 REAR LETS ME. any thoughts and ideas would be great. _________________________ http://www.flickr.com/photos/11977495@N06/sets/
Alot of ratios available in the later chev trucks. they were 6 lug thru 71 IIRC. Pre 70 are about an inch narrower, but they are still going to be wider than the stock rear. jerry
GMC made a 1/2-ton long box back then even though Chevy did not. The 1/2-ton front axle can be swapped with not a lot of work. The '55 2nd through '59 rear are the easiest six-lug swap, but the 60's rears can be made to work also.
i have a 49 suburban that is missing enough parts that it probably will end up rodded, and i am going to use the axle and sway bar setup from it. how would the rear end from a 59 gmc 1/2 do?? it is a 6 cyl truck with 4 speed.
The 59 rear will still probably start out with lower gear ratio than you want . You can always swap gears or center sections though. The 283 swap is good with the exception of the steering box interfereance issue. You have to space the box out about an inch and a half off the frame to clear the exhaust with the stock steering box. If I were to do it again I think I would get a rear steer box and mount it in the manner that the guys mount the Vega boxes for cross steering. It would take a bit of work and you would have to setup the cross steering and add a panhard rod but you wouldn't have a steering wheel that sat crooked and the matching elongated hole in the floorboard where you had to move the column over. One of the rear steer boxes like a first generaton Camaro or Nova should work but someone else might have a better suggestion. One more thing, If you cut the center crossmember (the one that supports the bellhousing on the stock rig) out you have to do something to support/reinforce the frame or the weight of the cab will twist the frame rails when it pushes down on the body mounts causing the cab to settle down on the frame and knock everything on the truck's sheet metal out of alignment. It isn't a question of if it will settle but when if you don't cure it before it happens.
...you can offset the motor to the pass. side for extra (orig.)steering box clearance...as far as cross steering , you can use a front steer box, just flip the pitman arm 180 degrees. ...you'd have to come up with some steering arms that'd work tho; you'd need a double eye one for the pass. side ; (one for tie rod and one for the steering rod from the pitman arm.)
Parting that burb out to me and some other HAMBers would help fund your your current build. PM us if you change your mind.
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