I'm dropping a 1960 235 (.06 over) with a manual tranny into my 48 chevy coupe. Eventually I'll do some things to hop it up, but it will never be a racer. I want it to have some "umph!" to it and be able to cruise the highway. I'm planning on running 670x15 bias plys. So, here's my question... I have the opportunity to use a Ford 9" rear end with 2.75 gears. Is that too high of a ratio for what I want? Should I be looking for something more like 3.7 or 3.4 gears? I know Nova rears will fit (but are getting harder to find) and S10 rears will fit, so other options are available, but I already have the 9". Should I keep looking?
Thanks,
Joe


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'50 Chevy Fleetline DeLuxe ('55 235)
'48 Chevy Fleetmaster coupe ('60 235)
Chicago
http://www.geocities.com/hellfish122

2.7 wont give you umph off the line. It will give great highway cruise though.

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jku72
1940 Chev

If the 9" is already the right width to fit the car, use it. It sounds like a 3.55 gear would work pretty good for what you want to do with it. I agree, the 2.75 is way too tall for "umph".

If you want to check another option, the Ford 8" rears from Mavericks, 60's Mustangs, Mustang II's, Granadas, etc. are about the same width as the S-10, and you can get most any ratio that is available for 9". Just find one that has 5 lug axles, not 4 lug.

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David
newbie #4153

the 9" was more of a matter of convenience since I could get it dirt cheap from a friend (and there's the cool factor, too). I should be able to find a more appropriate rear in a junkyard. I just haven't been able to make it to one yet. FYI, my rear is 58" and the s10 is supposed to be, but I measured a friend's 99 and it was 49", so it must be older S10s.


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'50 Chevy Fleetline DeLuxe ('55 235)
'48 Chevy Fleetmaster coupe ('60 235)
Chicago
http://www.geocities.com/hellfish122

2WD S10's are not wide enough. I have a '83 and it isn't going to work. The 4X4 versions are the only ones that are wide enough, but still may require special offset rims.

Ford uses a different bolt pattern from Chevy, so that means 2 spare tires.

2.75 will be a slug, but it will move. You certainly won't need overdrive. If you are ever planning on going to a bigger camshaft, I would go with 3:36, 3:55 or 3:70 depending on transmission, tire size, and engine modifications.

55-64 car rearends have dropout center sections and are about 60" wide. 3:36 and 3:56 are the most common gears.

[This message has been edited by gearhead (edited 05-12-2003).]

Weird. I'd heard that 4wd S10s were too wide.
Good point about the spare tires. I hadn't thought about that.
55-64 rear ends might work (if not too wide), but they're not exactly easy to find. Most junkyards around here crushed everything that old a long time ago, but I have a few places I can go hunting for 'em.
Thanks,
Joe


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'50 Chevy Fleetline DeLuxe ('55 235)
'48 Chevy Fleetmaster coupe ('60 235)
Chicago
http://www.geocities.com/hellfish122

The nice thing about a 9" is that you can change the gears in it very cheaply and they are easy to work on. I say go with it and if it is too tall get a differant center chunk.

I run an rear end from an 85 s10 fwd blazer under my 37 sedan. The width was just about right as I think it would be for your ride. You may have to search the yards for wheels with the right offset. I run 3.73 gears and an s10 pickup t5 tranny. 65 MPH at 2200 rpm with p225-75-15 tires. The nice thing about finding a s10 rear is the gear ratio is listed on a tag in the glove box. Gael

I didn't take the tires off, but my '83 2WD S10 looks to be about 54" wide. Did same thing to my friends '00 GMC 4x4 (disc brakes) and we got about 57". Will that work? you tell me.

Try posting want ads at various websites, did you call that junkyard I told you about earlier?, swapmeet in Waukesha, WI this Sunday, buy a whole car for a couple hundred bucks and part it out, talk to people at car shows, clubs, etc.. that have cars like you're looking for and see if they have any extra parts or know anybody that might be able to help. Time to work on those scrounging abilities.

58" backing plate to backing plate should do it. I have to look around. Gearhead, I haven't been able to make it out to the yard you told me about yet, but hopefully soon. Oh, and I can't buy a parts car since I rent in the city and I barely have room for my car, much less another one, but that's a good suggestion.

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'50 Chevy Fleetline DeLuxe ('55 235)
'48 Chevy Fleetmaster coupe ('60 235)
Chicago
http://www.geocities.com/hellfish122

Just for clarification, the numbers I'm using are for overall width, not backplate dimensions.

Sorry, Gearhead, I can't find the number. Can you give it to me again?
Thanks,
joe




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'50 Chevy Fleetline DeLuxe ('55 235)
'48 Chevy Fleetmaster coupe ('60 235)
Chicago
http://www.geocities.com/hellfish122