a rear axle q and a some opinions needed as well

[1974ChevyC10]

1st one-i was at mcdonalds before work and i guy with a nice 62 longbox rolls in-i ask about the truck and he says its a 62 and we talk some more and he says he is looking for a 5 lug set up to convert to disc brakes.well my eyes light up and i tell him i have a 78 im parting out and told him i would sell him the rear end or whole rolling chassis.he says cool and takes down my number and he is going to call me sunday.my question is from drum to drum how wide is a 78 12 bolt axle?


2 ones are as follows.i know of a couple trucks here for sale.one is 77 SWB that has been dropped-not really my thing and i have no idea how much it has been dropped-the reason im interested is as much as i like my truck it does have a terrible body on it but it has a good interior and drivetrain.the SWB im not sure what it needs as i havent looked at it yet.it does however have a straight body on it ive seen a pic of it.im thinking if i could get it for 1200 which is what the guy is asking put all my good stuff in it and primer it and drive it around until i can get more money and fix it up.the other truck is a 77 4x4 LWB which runs ok ive heard it run but the guy says it blows black smoke when running and he says its need a carb which if thats the case fine ill buy a new one.the truck is in good condition in and out and im told the 4 wheel drive works good but they wont budge from 1400 even with it needing some work.which do you think i should get and please lets not start a 4x4/stock vs lowered war here if we could.thanks for your opinions

[mike reeh]

are you going to use the bed? What body parts do you want off the trucks? If the body parts you want are comparable, I say buy the 4x4, it will be worth more when parting out... If you plan on using the cab, be careful- Im not an expert on the subject but Ive heard talk of 4x4 tranny tunnels being different than 4x2, etc etc..


let us know what you decide..

[navybear70]

OK dude, here's the straight skinny. You gotta do what I did. Think logically. ...yeah right. I know, not easy for us diehards.
Will you ever use the four wheel drive? If the answer is even close to no, let someone have it who will enjoy it. I currently own my first ever lowered truck. The thing has an AWESOME stance and I love it. For $1200, you can't really go too wrong. I paid $3200 here on the island and I STOLE it for that price!! Check out the swb and if its good, buy it and use your current truck for parts... you want to sell the rear-end anyways, right?
P.S. I don't know the length.

[77bowtie]

I measured my 79 I got 64.5" outside hub to outside hub.

[1974ChevyC10]

are you going to use the bed? What body parts do you want off the trucks? If the body parts you want are comparable, I say buy the 4x4, it will be worth more when parting out... If you plan on using the cab, be careful- Im not an expert on the subject but Ive heard talk of 4x4 tranny tunnels being different than 4x2, etc etc..


let us know what you decide

im parting out my 78 LWB which has a bad bed on it.the 4x4 and lowered truck both have good bodies on them.i want whichever im able to get if i am of course for a driver so i can strip the truck i have now for its good parts and put them on which ever one i get.i dont want to build up the 78 parts truck i have well because i have settled for what i have before and not what i really wanted before and wasnt happy with it so im not going down that road again.im leaning towards the 4x4 but on the other hand with gas at a 1.45 a gallon a 2wd may not be bad either.

OK dude, here's the straight skinny. You gotta do what I did. Think logically. ...yeah right. I know, not easy for us diehards.
Will you ever use the four wheel drive? If the answer is even close to no, let someone have it who will enjoy it. I currently own my first ever lowered truck. The thing has an AWESOME stance and I love it. For $1200, you can't really go too wrong. I paid $3200 here on the island and I STOLE it for that price!! Check out the swb and if its good, buy it and use your current truck for parts... you want to sell the rear-end anyways, right?
P.S. I don't know the length.
i would use the 4x4 since there is the river and desert north of me but with gas as high as it is a 2wd may not be bad either.lowered trucks really arent my thing but i want something with a solid body so im willing to overlook that to get a straight bodied truck.the 78 im parting out my dad wants me to build that up but i dont like that truck at all its a pos and ive settled for a truck i didnt want before and wasnt happy so im not going down that road again.i prefer 4x4's but im willing to be open to options upon looking.

I measured my 79 I got 64.5" outside hub to outside hub
thanks for the input man