37 pickup rear end conversion
 

Good afternoon, ladies and gents
Investigating a C4 tranny swap from my original 3 speed, during my investigation, I have come to learn that the rear banjo axle should be exchanged as well. Those that have experience and can recommend why axle would work well/other options, love to hear your advice please. This is for a 1937 1/2 ton pickup. John

EDIT: Would like to keep my original wheels!

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

Do you have the 5.5 or the 10.5 lug pattern?

Some will say get an 8.8 from a ranger or explorer but Then you have 5x4.5 lug pattern and a differential center thats offset to the right. I say get an 8.8 from a bronco or f100 with the 5x5.5 lug pattern and have it cut down.

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

5.5, would love to keep the same pattern so I can maintain my original wheels.

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

you can convert the banjo to open drive. That or changing to a modern rear both will require a different spring set up or radius rod set up without a torque tube.

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

Uh, '37 Ford pickups originally came with "wide fives". Many have been converted to later hubs, drums, and wheels, so you may be OK.

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

If you use the later rear end use a TCI rear spring kit. It's easy to install and gives you parallel leaf springs.

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

Please post a picture of your original wheels, there is more to the story.

Charlie Stephens

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

Ty Charlie, but your comment, more to this story?

John

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

Your pickup should have wide 5 wheels (10.5 lug pattern) but you say it’s got 5.5 which tells us someone changed the axles already some time in the past. A picture is worth a thousand guesses. Do you have cable brakes or hydraulic brakes. My guess is that it had been converted to juice using axles and brakes from a 46

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

It's a 37 1/2 pickup truck, still has the mechanical brakes that I would love to convert to juice. Also, thinking of ordering the 12 volt conversion from the six, the engine does not appear original, still a flathead 8 but the water inlets are not located in the center but rather the front of heads but yet the distributor is mounted in the front? I don't know how to upload photo's here, I can send some via my I phone it interested.
John

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

Thank you for your response, what is a TCI rear end?

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

If your truck still has the mechanical brakes, chances are it still has the "wide-five" drums, which unfortunately are not compatible with anything later. If you do have "wide-five" drums and wheels on your truck, keeping the "same pattern" so you can use the "original wheels" is going to be expensive and involve aftermarket parts. Regarding your engine, there are two possibilities. If those are just water outlets on the front, you have an 8BA ('49-'53) engine that had the cam, front cover, gears, and distributor replaced to shorten the engine. If you have water pumps and outlets on the front of the heads, you have an earlier ('32-'36) engine. (This is assuming the "distributor in front" means one mounted in the front center of the engine, not a "post-type" distributor mounted high on the right front. If you want to email some photos to me ([email protected]"), I'll post them.

Don't take this the wrong way, but I think it may be a good idea to have a little better knowledge of exactly what you have in your truck before tearing into it.

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

Why could there not be wheel adopters on the truck?

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

TCI, is Total Cost Involved, A chassis parts builder/vendor

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

If you have a competent machinist in your area you may want yo call Hot Rod Works. There are different variations bit you can keep your banjo looking like a banjo but with modern axles, bearings, deals, and more modern braking. Most people would not egen know the difference, you keep your spring too. Look up Hot Rod Works on the internet - I have one in my avatar and really like it. You would still have to convert your center section to an open drive since you are going with an automatic.

Good luck whatever you do!

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

Thank you one and all for responses, as to the brakes, keeping them original. If I can have my 3 speed original transmission evaluated, will cross that bridge when I come to it. Just a novice here but fellas, I'm trying ;)

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

I have no problem with mechanical brakes, if all is in good order they work fine for most of us. Your 37 is cable actuated, those have issues with sticky cables. Clean em up, oil em up, they'll be fine

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

For loading pics. On your thread click EDIT,Then click GO ADVANCED,Then bring page up and click manage attachment. Its there when window comes up you can put in pics from a file. Put your pics in a file first or on your desktop.

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

I agree the 5.5 can most easily be adapted to the wide five.

Re: 37 pickup rear end conversion
 

And you get to use those great original hubcaps!