What rear end to use for my 59 Chevy pick up

[bobdavis2010]

What is going on everyone I'm needing some advice I have a 59 Chevy truck that I put motor from a 97 Chevy pick up it also has the transmission from the 97 Chevy it currently has the original rear end although I have not drove in Much just around the block I'm trying to get everything fine-tuned and I want to switch over to rear disc brakes but also I was told that the original rear end would be no good on the highway any suggestions on a bolt up set up?
Posted via Mobile Device

[mongocanfly]

may not be anything that will just "bolt up".. your probably going to have to find a axle and weld mounts to it...what rear do you have now...what are your goals? ..cruiser , hotrod, highway driving or just in town..all this will along with tire size and trans gearing will help determine what gears your gonna need for your optimum rpm range.you gonna need posi?..
going with wide tire or narrow?
if your keeping the wheels and tire you have now the bolt pattern falls in play..
measure your wms to wms and bolt pattern and start there..
also need to make sure your rims will fit over a disc brake setup..smaller rims may not

[bobdavis2010]

Thanks, it will just be a cruiser in town
Posted via Mobile Device

[59chev]

It all depends on what kind of transmission you put in it. With the stock 3 speed, the final ratio in high gear was 1:1 which meant with the stock 3.90 rear end gearing the engine would rev really high on the highway. If you put in an overdrive transmission ( 97 chevy truck should be a 700r4 ) then the original rear end should work good on the highway if you don't beat on it.

[mr48chev]

Along with the tire size chart (first one) that I posted on your tire question there are charts that show what your engine rpm will be at X mph with what gear in the trans, what rear gear and what tire diameter.

Here are a few, some are easier to work than others.
http://www.advanced-ev.com/Calculators/TireSize/
https://www.ringpinion.com/calculators/Calc_RPM.aspx
http://www.wallaceracing.com/calc-gear-tire-rpm-mph.php

One thing to remember if that came out of a 97 Chevy truck the tire size was probably 245-75-16 which is 30.5 inches tall. Rear gear was 3.70 or 4.11 you want to compare that with your chosen tire size as the smaller the tire the faster the engine spins. That might not mean much cruising around town a night or two a week but if you decide to get on the long roads and from where you sit they are very long the engine will spin pretty tight with small tires and those gears if you keep up with your buds.

[Coupeguy2001]

I put a 3.48 rear in my 57 out of a 72 GMC truck and used 96 impala wheels. with a .6:1, I get 2000 rpm at 70 mph. get 19 mpg.
I had to use the impala wheels to make it fit. I had to roll the fender lips with an aluminum baseball bat and finish with visegrips and paint sticks. I have 1/4" clearance on the tires, and they don't touch.