Shoebox Ford rear end swap
 

Hey y'all.. Hopefully some of you guys have 49 -51 Fords and have changed the rearend for something newer. Not radically, just something that is a bolt-in, using the same leaf springs and parking brake cable, but it maybe an inch narrower that the stock width of 56"
I think the rearend in my car (50 Ford Crestliner) is too wide and getting new wheels/tires messes up my tire arrangement. IOW, I'd have 2 tires/rims that could never be rotated as they would hit the front lower control arms at full turn.
So, i'm trying to find an idea of what rearend would work with the stock leaf springs, yet be a 55" track width.
Don't want to have to relocate the spring mounting pads, but if that is my only hope, I could manage.
Anyone have an idea of a 55" wide ford rearend that has worked pretty well for you?

Re: Shoebox Ford rear end swap
 

When I was looking for a later rear end for my '54 Ranch Wagon the closest thing I found was an 8 inch out of a Maverick. WMS to WMS 56 inches and change. Maybe a Fox body Mustang but it would be 4 lug although you can get 5 lug axles. I seriously doubt you'll find anything with the WMS to WMS dimension you want with the correct spring perch location. Hopefully I'm wrong.


Edit: This site has a bunch of info about rear end widths, etc. Shows a 74-79 Mustang 2 rear end WMS to WMS dimension of 55 1/2 inches. Also lists spring perch measurements. Not sure a Mustang rear end will hold up in your application even if it fits.
https://www.quickperformance.com/Sus...nts_ep_44.html

Re: Shoebox Ford rear end swap
 

I know a couple of guys that used the Maverick rear in a shoebox Ford and it worked fine. As i recall they used 6 inch wide wheels but I don't recall the amount of off set. I think they used a standard wheel from Wheel Vintiques.

Re: Shoebox Ford rear end swap
 

Om my 1952 Mercury, I got an 8" from a 1966 Mustang. The Mustang had wider drum brakes, so I took out the axles, took of the wheel bearings and in the lathe I machined the bearing surface 5/16" longer towards the drum and took of the same on the spline end. I also had to move the spring seat. Then I just mounted the original brakes and got U Bolts for the 66 Mustang and switched sides on the plates where the dampeners are mounted because of the thinner axle tube.

I haven't got any good pictures of this process, because I always forget to take pictures when I concentrate on work, but I have video that shows it working:

https://youtu.be/QLFh5Xym_Dc

I built the rear axle with 3:1 gearing and LSD.
My car has a 351W from 1975 with a FMX gearbox.

If you are going to machine the axles, buy Extra inserts, because the steel in the axles is HARD!

Rune from Norway

Sent fra min S52 via Tapatalk

Re: Shoebox Ford rear end swap
 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...hoebox.372583/ Some info

Re: Shoebox Ford rear end swap
 

My avatar has a '55 Ford rearend out of a OD car-IIRC the gears are 3.22. Sid here on the forum would know all the technicals about the swap since he is the one that did it for me. Good luck!!

Re: Shoebox Ford rear end swap
 

If Early Mustang is the right width, then you can use the 8.8 from an '96-01 Explorer cut down the driver side and use 2 RH axles will work. Pretty common lately and they are easy to find. 3.73 and 4.1 are common ratios. 3.55 are rarer. Then you get 4 wheel discs.

Re: Shoebox Ford rear end swap
 

I used the rear from an 8” from 74 Maverick and it bolted in. The spring pads were in the right place already. Used 15 x 7 Wheel Vintique wheels. I also cannot remember the backspacing.
Rich

Re: Shoebox Ford rear end swap
 

Thanks guys - appreciate the thoughts...