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i have a steel 34 ford project i am starting and want to put a 9" ford under it. I am gonna run stock front and rear fenders and dont know how wide a rear housing i need. anyone have an idea what size i need to look for and what vehicle they came out of?
1957 to 58 T bird i think early bronco
In part it depends on what look you're going for, wheel offsets you like, and so on. The "ideal" is something right near 56" mounting flange to mounting flange. In an 8" that would be Maverick/Comet, in a 9" you'd be looking at '57-9 Ford station wagon. The first gen Bronco was something around 58", whick could work but you'd have to do a wheel with more positive offset. Given the cost of original wagon rears, and they typically need to be completely reconditioned (unless you get unusually lucky) it's a wash in the real cost view to start with a new Currie or similar and get exactly what you want/need. One slight advantage to the Bronco, if you're doing a period/traditional car, they have the 5 1/2" bolt circle, so that could swing the value equation a bit if you can live with the width.
the car is gonna be a cruiser that wont have more than a 300 to 350 hp sbc.
would an 8 inch work out ok? and when you say "mounting flange to mounting flange" are you talking about where the wheel bolt up to the axle or the flanges on the housing ends?
Yes, mounting flange means where the wheel mounts. IMO an 8" would be plenty stout for a cruiser, have used several for just that. Chassis Engineering Inc. even makes a bolt in rear spring setup that takes the Maverick rear without even changing the original mounting perches, that's how well it fits your car.
If you want something a little different (but more expensive...) One of the easiest swaps I ever put under a 34 Ford was a 64-67 Corvette independent rear axle. Later years may be the same, but this is what I used. Other than welding a mounting plate for the pumpkin onto the stock rear crossmember and fabricating two brackets for the trailing arms to bolt to the frame rails, it was a bolt in swap!! The only thing I wouldnt do again is chroming the half shafts and braces.....hated crawling under the car all the time to polish it!:LOL:
I know you said you wanted a Ford rearend, but I used an '86 Chevy s10 rear in my 34. Didn't have to narrow it, have a 383 Chevy stroker with a 5 speed, don't baby it, never a problem. 3.42 gears, I added an Auburn gear positraction unit, and used the triangulated coilover suspension that Antique and Collectibles supplied. Just a thought. Cheap, strong and easy to find.
these are some great suggestions and it doesnt have to be a ford rear end. hell the motor and tranny are chevy anyway.
1973 maverick rear will work.
I'm planing on running the Real Wheel Trick 8 wheels in the rear and the backspace on those are 4.25". Will these wheels work with the Maverick 8" rearend you think? What offsets you guys running?
I had a 34 Sedan with the bolt in CE leafs and a 8", fit like a dream!