What complete rear axle will drop in a 37 fullsize Chevy sedan? Have an S10 54.5" (8.5") rear axle in my 33 Chevy fendered coupe and it has 3.125" backspace 15X8 wheels..pain trying to locate 3- 3.125" backspace 15x8 wheels Just wondering what axle swaps you guys with full size fendered Chevy's have used and which backspace, and tire width centered up in the fenders. The 37 will be more of a cruiser.. Thanks
IIRC from '36 to '54 you use the same rear axles, and the S10 2WD is too narrow, you need one from a 4x4, or any of the other axles that fit 49-54 cars will also work back to '36.
I used a 2000 Ford Explorer in my '40 Chevy sedan. It fits fine has disk brakes and cost $150 complete at a local salvage yard. I just welded in new spring perches.
Don't know how easy they'd be to find these days but we put a Maverick 8" in my mothers 37. 15x7 reversed Cragar S/S with 235/15's and no rubbing issues.
Better recheck that axle in the '33 Chevy. It's either not an S10 if it's 8.5", or it's not an 8.5" if it came from an S10. The S10 had 7.5", and no 8.5" 10 bolts used in S10's.
I used a tri 5 rear end in my old '37 cp.. that was back in '72 . It came out of a '56 2dr. the only thing I had to change was to make a spring pad relocator , had to move the rear end to the rear about 2" to center it in the wheel well. I ran the rear end for about 15 years and it worked fine long after I sold the car. ......................Jack
I bolted a 69 Camaro 12 bolt in mine (back when you could buy one in a wreaking yard---sigh) by moving the pads a hair. Any early (pre 80) Camaro/ Nova should work fine.
I had a 76 camaro 10 bolt in my 39 chevy for many years.It is a little too wide if you want to run decent sized tires.I started out with a 57 chevy rear,and the camaro was several inches wider than the 57. I am now running a 9" ford,out of a 76 bronco.The bronco rear is just about the right width.I redrilled the axles and drums to chevy bolt pattern.
Negative! I have (2) S10 Xtreme 8.5" 10 bolt rear axles. They put those 54.5" units in the 2WD trucks with 4.3 5sp and the wider 8.5" 10 bolt in the 4X4 ZR2 (had one of them also!) I have the drum brake S10 8.5" 10 bolt in my 33 Chevy coupe, the other 8.5 S10 unit is disc brake and is in my barn! FYI: One S10 8.5" 10 bolt with posi and disc brakes sold for $1200 on eBay recently...they aren't common but they did make them.
Ive got a Lincoln Versailles 9" in my 38 Chevy coupe. Had to trim the bottom flange on the inside of the frame some to clear the emergency brake hardware. Otherwise it was a perfect fit and I'm running some 8" wheels and tires fit under the fenders. Granada 8 or 9" would be a good fit also. Tri 5 Chevy is also a good fit. That's what was under the car when I bought it in '74.
I have the same Versailles 9-inch in my 38 Chevy and had to trim the frame clearance for the calipers. Run 8 inch wheels also, but I got special order backspace to make it fit exactly, running 255/70/15 tires. Versailles is same body as Granada and Monarch, and an 8-inch out of one of those would work fine for moderate power. Before the 9-inch swap I also had a tri-five rearend in the car and it seemed to be on the stock pads. The car had 15x7 rally wheels when i got it and they fit fine with the tri-five rearend. Any rearend around 59 inches wide will be a good fit. So early Camaro and Nova fit this, as well as some of the Mustang examples. Newer donors such as Explorer are good choice. I know many run the S-10 4x4 rearends, I don't like them as they are kind of small - unless you get one of the rare 8.5 versions. Most are the small 7.625 ring gear version.
Bruce, It's been many years ago I did the '37 Chev build,if my memory serves me well, I'm thinking the rear tires on the '37 were 7:60x15. Hope that helps, you should also factor the rearend gear ratio when trying to determining tire size along with transmission type. .............................. Jack
...don't think a 8x15 wheel/tire will fit in a stock 37 fender, too wide. 15x7's fit ok with a 68-74 Nova rear...
When I lost the inline in my '40 coupe and went small block back in about '70 or so I used the 10 bolt out of a wrecked '69 Nova, with stock wheels and wide ovals. it fit well as I recall.
Quick Change, built to whatever width you want. A 16 X 8 1/2" wheel with a 255 (10") tire will fit. When I get mine back together I'll take some pictures. I used Camaro steelies with the 4 3/4" B.C.
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