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Old 07-13-2010, 08:41 PM   #7
Strider
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario
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Thumbs up Re: 5 lug rear-end swap

Quote:
Originally Posted by chevy_mike View Post
If you want the cheapest, easiest swap, a '71-'72 12 bolt truck rear end will be your best bet. Get the matching suspension type (i.e. coil or leaf) and it will bolt in.

If you have the ability to weld, you can get any truck 12 bolt from '73-'87 that you can cut off the brackets from and weld on the correct style for yours. That is what I did, a '73 rear end and used ECE weld on perches and set it up like the factory rear end.

One thing to note, unless you have the more rare "wide" '70 rear end, the late year '70 and '71 and later are 1.5" wider then the early rear ends. If you have wheels size and offset setup for your current one, these new rear ends will put the wheels out .75" more on each side.

Other than full size (i.e. Impala) Chevy cars, most GM cars were 5 on 4.75" lug, not the truck pattern. Ford 9" I don't believe came in a 5 on 5. Don't know about Dana 60 but I think they are 6 or 8 lug only.

Good luck.

I am looking to swap my 6 lug 12 bolt with 4.11 gears out of my 68 chev 1/2 ton and was going to use either CPP or ECE's Rear End Conversion Kit but after talking to them they said this kit is only for lowered vehicles and I'm running stock height suspension.

Has anyone used these rear end conversion kits to swap in a 73-up 10 or 12 bolt or other axle into a 67-72 coil spring rear truck?

I understand the weld on perches from CPP or ECE's kit would work for the newer axle but what should be done with the panhard bar? Again, CPP or ECE said that the panhard bar in their kit is not right for the stock height suspension geometry.

Any thoughts or experience would be great and if I'm ever in your town I'll buy beers!

Thanks!
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1967 C-10 250 I6 w/ TH350 3.08 10 bolt HUGGER ORANGE aka "The General"
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