Technical What rearends would have been found on a B/R in '59?

I'm building my 32 roadster to be a version of what you would have found on a dragstrip in '58 or '59. I may make some passes on the dragstrip with about 400 HP, so it has to be strong and needs to have a good selection of gear ratios.

I have a PU banjo rear with open drive, a "too late model to be correct" 9", an early Olds (50-56), an 8 3/4 mopar with a 489 case. The PU rear looks correct, but won't have enough strength, even with little 7" slicks. The olds looks right, too, but parts are either non-existent or expensive, and strength is questionable, too. the 57 and later olds would be nice, but I don't have one and they are pretty pricey. The 9" meets the requirements, but is not an early round back. I also question whether there where many of these under rods and racers by '59.

So.... my question is, what else is correct for the era, available, strong, and, ideally, cheap? 55-59 chevy? other ford or mopars?

Thanks for the help!

 

Olds were popular during that time. HRP

 

I can't answer your question but me and my girl will be on North 1st weekend after next. Honk and give me the secret HAMB sign!

 

Will do, 1964countrysedan! I have a barn find '65 Fairlane wagon awaiting some wrenching to make it to N 1st! Check out The Side of The Road Gang Car Club on FB or www.SideoftheRoadGang.com to meet some of our crazy guys!

 

Its funny how our "memory" of what was used/popular sometimes gets pretty fuzzy! I just finished going through about 30 57-61 car magazines, inluding all of the annuals. I found NO Olds rears (well, except for one racer with a '39 olds), two '50 Merc's, one 55 Chevy, gobs of ford banjos, many with quickchanges. This included dragsters, roadster, buckets, twin engines, etc.

So, really, the PU banjo rear would be most correct. Probably the best combo of parts/price/strength/availability would be a 55-57 Chevy with posi. I'm still holding out for a cheap '58 olds, but I'm not holding my breath!

 

If it was me I would go for the quickchange using the banjo parts.

 

I have a 59-60 build I just found. I have 2 pics of it being built then, with a 303 Olds, but with open drive banjo. The builder later pulled the car apart for a redo in the mid? 60s and he used a 49-50 olds rear with the same years trailing arms, at that time and is still there.

My 32, I used a 55 Olds rear with a 324 Olds

i have scans of a early HotRod article showing this Olds rear and arm intall for rods.

I talk with every old time Olds powered racer from back then, and many cars (here in Northeast) had Olds rears, and most all were the pre 57 smaller Olds rear.

M/T made new castings for the center sections on the 57 up as well as the earlier ones. I forget which class for rails, that preffered the early. I think it was weight, but not sure why it was popular. Someone here should know.

 

Olds rears were where it was at for strength. I have 3 of them that I need to get rid of.

 

I have an early (pre-56) Olds in my bracket altered with SBC. It came out of a dragster from way back. It is chrome, has 10 spline axles and 4.10 or so gears. I haven't broken it yet, but it's a light car. I have a 9" narrowed that will go into it before I race it again.

The Olds looks fairly tough, but has no posi available, the ten splines scare me, and gear selection is very limited. I may still use the early one I have. Just can't decide!

 

There is a way to put an Auburn style carrier in the early Olds....but the hamber that did it, won;t fess up He also had axles made. It is a 32 built in the 50s in Cal, with an Olds motor and a 49-50 Olds rear with the Olds arms, which the car still uses. I've been in it on a hard pull, and it hooks perfect, and I am not allowed to give the present cubic inch, HP,or etc.

here is another old Cal build, using yet another 49-50 Olds rear, thread is up top again tonight:http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=776575

 

Here is page one of the tech article

 

What year was that article? I have read it before, but I think it was mid 60's. Do you have the rest of the article? Thanks for your help!

 

I forgot the year, but maybe it shows or maybe the original poster will spot this. Either Falcongeorge or Speedy Canuck.



another thing I'd like to add about what years of parts a guy could afford in your 58-59 build era; Back then in my area, it actually cost money to junk a car for some reason. And a 8 year old car with average miles was dirt cheap if it had an issue with something.

I bought my first ever parts car around 64, which was a 57 Olds, good motor bad trans for $15 delivered from 2 towns away It was either 10 for the car and 5 for the tow, or opposite

 

The article is from June 1964, you can see it in the corner of the page. Coincidentally enough I just picked up a copy of that issue last week at a swap meet.

 

i have an early dgstr, w/banlo rear, quickchange, 50 merk axils & brakes. it has a 5/8 nut welded to the side cover w/5/8 bolt in it to stop ring gear flexing at pinion.

 

OK, I have the old Olds rear at my shop in Brady and can't go look at it, but I found an old picture I had snapped of it on my phone. I have now decided that it may be exactly what I need! I think it may be a two-rib 57. Can anyone tell me more?

I also remembered that the rearend on an old, "originally built in '65", 1960 Falcon gasser I have is a full width 57-64 with good centersection and gears! I can easily replace that with a 9" if I need and use it. Problem solved, I think!

 

That's what I remember---

 

I lived it and by far the Ford banjo was the most used. My brother and I were the first in our area to use the early 46-52 Olds Pont. narrowed rear end a B Altered in 1959 You could pick up junk yard ratios all the way from 3.23 to 4.37 They were stronger than 55-60 Chevy rears but not as strong as the 9 in. Ford .