[Strider]

Originally Posted by raycow

The panhard bar issue isn't rocket surgery. You want the bar approximately horizontal at ride height, so the difference between stock and lowered is the height of the bracket at the axle end. I believe you can get an aftermarket bracket that you weld onto the axle tube and will work on a rear end out of almost anything. This is actually better than the stock setup with the cast lug because it lets you run a longer bar. The longer the bar, the less the axle moves sideways as it goes up and down.

As for rears, all full-size GM cars EXCEPT Chevy had a 5 on 5" pattern going back to the dark ages. Most of them are narrower than the truck rears, if that is a consideration. The 57-64 Olds/Pontiac used to be very popular with racers and you can still get deep gears for it. The later BOP rears (up to about the mid 70s or so) are strong too, but gears could be a problem if you don't like what they came with. On any of these, you would have to weld on the brackets for the trailing arms and panhard bar.

Ray

Thanks Ray,

I didn't see the panhard situation as too difficult but was hesitant to buy the kit from ECE or CPP based on what they told me.
Thanks for the insight. The kit that both companies offers I think has a bracket that bolts on at the U bolt to the passenger side trailing arm. So the bar would be longer than stock and possibly at a horizontal or level angle. I'll have to give it a try and go for it.