Quick question for everyone here... I'm asking because I've gotten conflicting information from various resources. I'm converting my 54' Chevy truck from a 3-speed Torque Tube drive, to a 4-speed Open Drive line. I've already gotten the 4-speed transmission in, but I'm wondering if I can just simply remove the pumpkin and put the open drive pumpkin in the the old housing? Thanks fellas
I have always heard the 55 up pumpkin will bolt in a 54 back truck rear axle, but have never found any info anywhere about it.
saw in an old hot rod mag an article where they put a 55-7 chevy rear in the truck. put 53-54 car brakes on the front axle and you are done. This was a 60's mag I read 10-12 years ago. My memory is good, but don't quote me on anything. Hope this gives you a direction to search.
Okay, finally got to the bottom of it. Yes I (or anyone) CAN put an open drive pumpkin in the rear axle housing. its a direct fit. BUT, the leaf spring perches would have to be welded, because they were designed with the Torque Tube to pivot instead of hold steady. They'd either need to be welded solid, or cut off and new ones welded on. And I would... but this is a budget build, and I'm just trying to see if I can use what I have on hand in the barn.
Okay- so here's a question... is this also true of the CAR rear ends? This would have been very interesting to know before hand. Again, first I've ever heard of it, would be really cool to see pics of it being done. Welding on new perches would probably be the cheapest way for you to go - if you've got everything else you already need to do this swap. If you decide to do this, YOU NEED TO POST PICS OF IT. Very cool!
You cannot swap the pumpkin from a open driveline to the closed driveline. the 55 rear end is similar in dimensions but it is a different rear all together. If someone said it could be done their very confused.
Two closed-to-open drive line swaps on the same page! One's a car, the other's a truck. There is a way a 1949-1954 Chevrolet passenger car enclosed drive line can be converted to open. It involves the use of a 1953-1955 Corvette third member. The axle pivots have to be locked or replaced with solid ones also. Finding a 1953-1955 Corvette third member, and it's cost, will be the limiting factor; the third member would probably cost more than the entire car it's going into is worth. There is an E-Bay vendor that has a BARE 1953-1955 Corvette third member case for sale at $695.00; the other parts cost even more. The 1956 Corvette went with the drop out third member most of us are now familiar with (used in 56-62 Corvettes, 55-64 passenger cars, and 62-64 Chevy II/Novas). That's the only I know of to convert a 1949-1954 Chevrolet passenger car to an open drive line. Butch/56sedandelivery.
I'm not sure I follow... I went ahead and put the 55 pumpkin and gears in the 54 housing (before I found out about the perches), and everything fit and bolted in just fine. I know you cant use the same driveshaft/transmission, those would have to be switched as well. Not sure about a car rear end, I'll leave that to someone else (sounds like that was answered in another post). Since I dont want to weld the 54's perches, I'm just going to swap out the whole rear end since I already have the whole 55 rear end
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