This winter I plan on starting the transplant of a 292 GMC into my bone-ass stock 32 Chev coupe. For starters it's going to be a "Budget Build" a good engine and tranny have been secured, now it's time to find a rear end and swap out the brakes... still has the old mechanical brakes! Is there anyone out there that has saved the original front end on a 32 chev and adapted juice brakes to it? Looking for some tips on that.... and any other advice while I am in the parts gathering mode.
Contact member 28 chevy. He installed a disc brake kit on his original axle. And there is also a 54 chevy drum conversion out there that you could search for. hope this helps.
I think even Chassis Engineering could help there. http://www.chassisengineeringinc.com/ I know my 33 has 37 Chevy brakes on it, based on the master cylinder. I think they are pretty much the same spindles and such up through 39.
On dads '32 Sedan he used '54 spindles and brakes on the stock axle. He had to flip them side to side, so the Ackerman angle is off, but we've driven it for over 60,000 miles with no problems. This was LOOOONG before conversion kits were out there.
I am putting '54 Chevy spindles and Juice Brakes on a '41+ axle. I took that info from a drop axle site. It's all going under a '31 Chevy coupe. I also have the '54 Chevy rear end which I plan on using as long as it fits under the ass with fenders and looks good. I will of coarse have to get the torque tube and drive shaft shortened but hopefully I will have a matching set of brakes so that if anything needs to be fixed there is not a big problem getting parts. We'll see how it goes though.
Got the engine for the 32 today... already found an S-10 rear end... just need to find the spindles...Thanks for the advice!
Wow, never thought I'd see billet on a six! May be a dumb question, but do any of the early six parts (valve cover, side covers, etc) fit a later six like yours?
Clean Engine, Clean Car, Clean Kids....your living the dream!!! I am hoping to get a straight 6 for my '31 Chevy soon. Hope it's half as nice.
The early six stuff is a little different, 292 side covers are their own animal. The engine was a Craigslist find.... I can't be responsible for the billet... I shoulda pulled it and dropped it in the recycle bin prior to the photos.....
That little one is an "Associated" there are 15 more that can't be found in the pictures..... I just sold a nice one to fund the 32 Chev project.....
Cool score on the 292. I picked up a 250 for my 29 Chevy roadster from CL for $25 a few weeks ago. Now, on your 32, do you want to keep the 6 lug or convert to the GM 5 x 4.75" bolt pattern? It can be done either way. My roadster has 6 lug juice brakes on the front from a later GM car(done decades ago, not sure of the parts) and I will be running a (don't laugh) Mazda pickup rear as it shares the same 6 lug pattern and is almost identical in width to the S10 rear. There are a ton of threads on swapping to 5 lug on them... Seems fairly easy.
HRK, What diameter are the axle tubes on the Mazda rear? I've looked at Toyotas, which are nice and light, but the tubes are 3" plus a little.
not sure how many like the way my 32 chevy is coming out . I document most of my progress . so if you need anything let me know
Mink, I getting ready to start on a '33 Chevy pickup and am thinking about keeping the original suspension. What disk brakes did you use on the front?
Bkap I'm using a bolt on kit from a company called ECI it was 600 . The kit is for a straight axle from 1928-1935 that have the heavy duty axle. One year chevy made a lighter duty axle which this kit wont work with, im not sure on what year it was. If you measure the spindle shaft closest tothe backing plate with a caliper you can tell weither the axle is heave duty or not. Any how the kit come is an adapter which slide in place on the spindle and from there you use the included disc brake setup from a late 70's gm car. Its all new stuff. Check ECi out . GOogle it. YOu can also adapt 50's chevy backing splates and drums to fit on the original spindles. Good luck finding those If you decide to use a non stock steering system then you will need to remove the steering ball and drill and ream a whole for the standard ford ball joint. just finish doing that today
If you guys are interested in keeping the six lug pattern, the 67-68 chev pickup I believe bolts right in. I know that it does in the sedan, because I put one in my sedan, but when I tried to get it lower to the ground, I ended up having to go to a four link and coil overs. I also used 48-54 chev pickup spindles and I chose to use stock drums for the old look, but you can get the six lug conversion from an early 70's chev pickup. Here is a couple of pics of how the front end looks, and how the rearend fits.
It's been a while since I dug into a mini truck but I believe they are all approximately 3" axle tubes and width wise very close(around 57-58"). Some of the early Toyota's I believe have smaller tubes on them... Geez.... I don't know why I didn't think about them... Especially since I used to eat, sleep & breathe 67-72's. Do me a favor and measure backing plate to backing plate for me on that rear...
For starters... the billet is gone, the manifold has been removed and Dick from www.Dickshotrodplace.com is building me a set of 3 Rochester "B's" to go on the 3X1 manifold I bought from Exeter Automotive... also got a set of cast headers coming from stovebolt6. I't going to be a bit before it comes together but the parts gathering is going quite well......
Geez.... I don't know why I didn't think about them... Especially since I used to eat, sleep & breathe 67-72's. Do me a favor and measure backing plate to backing plate for me on that rear... [/QUOTE] The outer rim of the backing plate to the outer rim of otherside is 54 and 3/8s, I will update my other post with the pics of the steering box.
No good updates, except that I have been collecting parts, the front end parts are all there now to convert to 54 brakes. Work on the shop, my real job and and the latest acquisition have slowed me down.... The latest: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=10100
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