I started a build on a 57 150 and the stock rear is not going to cut it.I have a 57 Ford rear but it is 2.5 inches narrower than the chevy.Probably ok but i am not a fan of reversed wheels on anything,so what is a good rear for the 57 that i can drop the pumpkin out of to change gears when necessary?I want a strong rear,but not a big old Olds or Pontiac.The stock rear 57 is 60.5 inches wide at the outside to outside of the brakedrum.I could run longer studs and a spacer to get closer to desired length if i have to. I just thought i would throw this out to some one that went this route already.
57/58 Pontiac. I'm a gigantic fan and use Olds/Pont stuff in all my cars. The biggest complaint is parts availability, its out there you just have to do a little digging. Pat
Might not look old but an 8.5" 10 bolt from a 70s Nova should be about the same length, same bolt pattern and is plenty stout.
Did a lot of research myself for my '57 wagon .....everyone says a 12 bolt wont fit, but I ended up using a stock length 12 bolt from a '68 chevelle. I'm running a 15x7 in. Wheel on a 28 1/8 x 8" Hurst cheater slick. Just a little massaging to the fenderwell lip and they fit perfect.
They have a 5 on 5 1/2" bolt pattern. As far as dropout styles go, there's some Mopar 8 3/4 rears and most likely a 9" car rear or two (Fairlane/Torino?) that measure about 60".
70-81 Firebird/Camaro 10 bolt will bolt into the '57 on the stock spring pads, but apparently that's not what you're after.
That Ford rear will work if you move the springs uner the frame or inboard and then split the wheel house and add about a 3" section. Did that with a '55 and fit 10" wide rims.
They do bolt in but they're 1 inch wider per side. 67-69 are the right length but then you have to move the perches. I'm still trying to find one for my 55..Also the Firebird would have a taller gear and I think most of them were posi.
E body (Cuda/Challenger) Mopar is a bolt in 60" drum to drum and 46" spring pads. There are other 8 3/4's and Danas that will work drum to drum but you will need to either move the springs in the car or the perches on the axle.
Many questions like this over on the trifive board , one member even came up with a spread sheet so you can calc. the tire size, wheel width and back spacing and you wms-wms measurement. I have a big bearing bronco for mine and had Currie redrill the axles and drums. You may have issues with the E-brake cables and clearence problems with a wagon/nomad/ sedan delivery fuel tank .BTW , if you do redrill , the stock stud holes need to be welded shut , faced on both sides as the access hole for the bearing retainer bolts doesn't allow enough room.
Since the spring perches will probably have to be moved to dial in the pinion angle, it's the easiest method. I have a Mopar 8.75 in my '58 truck but if I had to do it again I'd go with a 9" Ford. The aftermarket support is much better in regards to carriers, gears, brake options, etc...
Why not a 57 - 64 Pontiac or Olds? The 57 Pontiac housing will bolt right in. The brake line bracket will need to be moved to the passenger side of the housing, though. The driveshaft will need to be modified, but this would have to be done, when using a 9" Ford. Parts are available for the Pontiac / Olds, too. Fabcraft is a good source. http://www.fabcraftmetalworks.com/ Moser sells new axel shafts, and housing ends, (listed as 12 bolt / big Ford bearing ends), to adapt the 57 Chevy brakes to the Pontiac / Olds housings. http://www.moserengineering.com/ These are very strong rear axels.
have a large bearing 9 inch ford cut down to fit your car with the right size tire wheel combo your going to run. mosier has new housings ready to go. spend the money once and get what ya need.
'67-70 Mustang rear is about an inch wider per side than the '57-'59 rear. Spring pad spacing is just about the same.
Ford Outside Width Year Model 56.50 1969-1977 Maverick 8" 57.00 1974-1978 Mustang II 8" 57.25 1957-1959 Ford, Ranchero, Station Wagon 57.25 1965-1966 Mustang 58.00 1966-1977 Bronco 58.00 1964-1965 Falcon 58.00 1977-1981 Granada/Versailles 58.50 1977-1981 Versailles 59.25 1967-1970 Mustang, Fairlane, Comet, Cougar 60.00 1967 Cougar 60.00 1958-1960 Edsel 61.00 1964-1971 Ford Full Size 61.00 1949-1951 Mercury 61.25 1957-1972 Ford F-100 Pickup 61.25 1960-1964 Ford Full Size 61.25 1971-1973 Mustang 61.25 1967-1973 Torino, Ranchero, Fairlane 63.00 1970-1979 Ranchero & Torino 63.00 1972-1979 Ford Full Size & Intermediate 63.50 1967 Fairlane (Coil Springs) 65.25 1973-1986 Ford F-150 Pickup 65.25 1978-1986 Bronco 65.25 1973-1986 Ford Van 3/4 Ton 68.00 1972 Ford Van 3/4 Ton 69.25 1977-1986 Ford E-150 Van Chevy Outside Width Year Model 54.25 1983-2004 Chevy S10 2WD, GMC S15 2WD 57.75 1962-1964 Chevy II/Nova 57.75 1965-1967 Chevy II/Nova 58.00 1978-1988 Chevy Malibu, Monte Carlo 59.50 1968-1982 Corvette 60.00 1955-1964 Chevy Car 60.00 1967-1969 Camaro 60.25 1968-1979 Chevy II/Nova 60.50 1984-1995 Corvette 60.50 1964-1967 Chevelle 62.00 1955-1959 Chevy Pickup 62.50 1968-1972 Chevelle 62.50 1970-1981 Camaro/Firebird Mopar Outside Width Year Model 55.60 1960-1976 7 1/4 A-body 55.60 1973-1976 8 1/4 A-body 55.60 1966-1972 8 3/4 A-body 55.60 All 8 3/4 A-body 56.00 1932-1934 All Mopars 57.40 1963-1972 7 1/4 A-body 58.54 All 8 1/4 F-body 58.54 All 8 1/4 M-body 58.54 All 8 1/4 J-body 59.00 1935-1936 All Mopars 59.14 1966-1970 9 3/4 B-body 59.20 1962-1970 8 3/4 B-body 60.00 1937-1948 All Mopars 60.70 All 8 3/4 E-body 60.70 All 9 3/4 E-body 62.00 All 8 1/4 B-body 62.00 1971-1974 8 3/4 B-body 62.00 All 9 1/4 B-body 63.40 All 8 1/4 C-body 63.40 1971-1974 8 3/4 B-body S.W. 63.40 All 9 1/4 C-body
A friend of mine who runs a salvage yard pulled the rear out of a 65 Ford full size wagon and it measured 64 inches outside of drum to outside of drum.What gives? According to the charts listed it should have been 61.I dont think it was a switchearoo,he wouldnt do that.So is a wagon wider than a sedan?I want a rear close to a 57 Chevy which is 60-60.5
On this last '57BelAir I am doing as a project here -I did a complete floor/frame swap and the rear axle is a good fit to the stock body panels..... It was from a 1978-'82 Chevy Caprice/Impala.....It has a fourlink /coils setup would require some trimming of those brackets to fit your leafspring setup though....
That's not even as good as a 10-bolt, I don't think. Or maybe it is a 10-bolt and the later (82-up) aren't.
Chevy half ton trucks got a 10-bolt, I've had several. So far as I know the downsized GM big cars did not get the 10-bolt, they certainly didn't in the mid-80s. I suppose it's possible the early ones had it. But if he wants that, it's already been mentioned (Camaro) and dismissed as not good enough. I guess this car is going to get raced and beat on.
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