Suspension Measurements

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REAR SUSPENSION:

The following is a general list of rear ends and their dimensions to help narrow the search for a possible candidate to replace the torque tube rear end or just get a better set of gears for highway driving.

Advance Design Trucks seem to be using rear ends with widths ranging from 58"- 62".  I'm not sure of the Task Force width ranges at this time.

Contributing information were Bob Welch, J Forbes and various locations throughout the Web and Automotive Magazines.

Rear Axle Measurements

MEASURED ACROSS WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE

56 1/2"    71-77 Ford Maverick 8",

57"          71-74 V-8 Mavericks 8",  All '75-77 6's & 8's Maverick 5 Lug 8", 49-51 Ford, 57-59 Ford 9"

57 1/4"    64 1/2 - 65 Mustang

58"          78-88 Mid sized GM Car, Malibu/Monte Carlo (82  up Metric Studs), 80 Granada & Lincoln Versailles, Regal with 10 bolt axle, S-10 P.U., 65-67 Nova
              

58 1/2 "  Ford Grenada

59"          68-83 Corvette , 67-70  Mustang/Cougar/Fairlane,

60"          55-64 Chevy Car, 67-69 Camaro, 64-67 Chevelle, 68-74 Nova, 71-73 Mustang/Cougar, 84-95 Corvette

60-61"    64-69  1/2 ton 2wd Chevy/ Some GMC  6 lug rear end 12 bolt  Coil spring set up Possible gear ratio's 3.70

62"         64-77 Chevelle, 73-76 Torino, 89 Trans Am,

               70  2wd   6 lug rear end 12 bolt  Possible gear ratio's 3:08, 3:40, 3:73
               70-81 4wd 6 lug reared ...............................................................

                71- Newer 2wd trucks use a 5 on 5 lug pattern
                71-76 Full Size Cars "   ""   ""     "

60"          60's GMC and some Chevy's Dana 44 or Dana 60 with leaf springs  6 lug, Gear ratio's 3.21 to  3.92. GMC  V-6    used a 3.21   Dana 44 used a standard chevy 1310 yoke, Dana 60 used the heavy duty yoke which takes the larger 1350 yoke.

 

 

Approximate rear end widths measured from backing plate to backing plate.

Add Width to compensate for drums as follows:

 4" - 5" for small cars    5" - 6" for intermediate cars     6" - 8" for large cars

48" - 49" 

50" - 51" 

52" - 53"

'71 Colt 
'72 Cricket 
'72-75 Datsun Pickup 
'72-73 Mazda 

'65 Ram American 
'74 Valiant 

'28-40 Ford , '57 - 59 Ford 
'62 Buick Skylark, '67 Chevrolet Six 
'67 Mustang Six , '68 AMX 
'69 Javelin Six , '70 dodge 
'70 Duster , '71-77 Maverick 
'71 Comet , '71- 72 Pinto 

54" -55"

56" -57"

58" - 59"

'39 -48 Chevrolet, '68 GTO 
'41 -48 Ford, '68-72 Chevelle 
'55 -57 Chevrolet, 68-69 Fair lane 6 or 8 
'66 Falcon, '69 Chevrolet 
'67 Mustang V-8,  '69 Firebird 
'69 Cougar,  '71 -73 Nova 
'73 Ventura, '73 Mustang

'36 Plymouth,  '54-56 Ford Pickup 
'67 Lincoln,  '69 Dodge 
'69 Dodge Van,  '71 Torino 
'72 Cougar,  '74 Pontiac

'49 Plymouth,  '61 Chevrolet Impala 
'65 Cadillac,  '66 Buick Wildcat 
'66-67 Chevrolet Big Car,  '72 Charger 
'69 Oldsmobile 88,  '72 Chrysler 
'72-73 Torino

 
 

STOCK CENTER TO CENTER SPRING PERCH DISTANCE

25"

39"

42"

42 1/2

'68 - 72 Chevelle

'71 Colt 
'73 Mazda

'68 -71 Fairlane/Torino 
'49-51 Ford

'69 Chevrolet 
'69 Nova 
'71 - 72 Pinto 
'73 Ventura

43"

43 1/2"

44"

46 1/4"

'65 Ram American 
'64 1/2-'65 Mustang 
'67 Mustang 
'70's Ford Grenada 
'69 Firebird 
'70 Dodge

'71-77 Maverick 
'70 Duster 
'70 Nova 
'71 Comet 
'72 Dart 
'72 Cougar 
'74 Valiant

'57 Ford 
'67 Chevrolet Six 
'68 AMX 
'69 Javelin Six

'69 Dodge

47 1/2"

48"

51"

57 1/2"

'39 -48 Chevrolet 
'67 Chevrolet big car 
'72 Charger 
'72 Chrysler

'69 Dodge Van 
 

'69 Ford Van

'67 Lincoln

 

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The following  list of extensive information was contributed by R. Welch:
 

Original Vehicles 
Rear Suspension Width (Flange to Flange)

Year

Classic Vehicles

Width

26-39

Plymouth-Dodge car/pick up

 56-58"

40-52

Plymouth-Dodge car

60-62"

26-39

Chrysler/DeSoto Car

60"

Most Early 

Mopar's

56-62"

25-39 

Chevy Car

56-58"

26-46

Chevy Truck

56-58"

40-48

Chevy Car

58-60"

49-54

Chevy Car

58-60" 

47-54 & 55 1st Series

Chevy Truck

60-62" 

Most Early

Buick,Olds, Pontiac

58-61"

28-31

Ford Car/Pickup

57 1/2"

32 & 33-34

Ford Car/Pickup

56 1/2"

35-48

Ford Car

57-60"

35-41

Ford Pickup

56-60"

49-58

Ford Car

57-58"

49-56

Mercury

57-58"

49-51

Mercury

61"

64

Falcon

58"

67

Cougar

60"

55-59

Chevy Pickup

62"

 
 

Donor Vehicles Front and Rear 
 Suspension Width (Flange to Flange)

Year

Classic Vehicles

Width Front

Width Rear

74-79 

Ford Mustang II/Pinto & Mercury Capri/Bobcat 

55 ½" 

55 ½"

71-77 

Ford Maverick with 8" axle 

56 ½" 

 

75-80 

Ford Granada with 8" axle 

57 ½"

 

64-66 

Mustang 

57"

 

67-71 

Mustang 

59"

 

72-73 

Mustang 

60"

 

67-69 ,  &  60"

Camaro

60"

 

64-67

Chevelle

60"

 

55-64 

Chevy car

60"

 

65-67

 Nova 

58"

 

68-72

 Nova 

60" 

60" 

78 & up 

Monte Carlo, Regal, etc. with 10 bolt axle

58" 

58" 

68-72 

Chevelle with 10 bolt axle 

61 ½" 

 

89

 Trans AM (Disc brake) 

62"

 

76-80 

Camaro/Firebird 

61 ½" 

60 ½" 

68-83 

Corvette 

58 ½" 

59 ½"

84-95 

 Corvette 

59 ½" 

60 ½"

Early 70's

 "A" body (Dart/Duster) with V8&3/4 axle 

58"

 

 

"E" Body (Cuda) with V8&3/4 axle 

58" 

 

 

Dodge Dart 

59" 

55 ½"

 

Plymouth Volare & Dodge Aspen 

61" 

60 ½" 

71 

Blazer (6 lug) 

63 ¾"

 

75-78 

Granada 9" 

(43" perch to perch) 

52 ¼"

75-78 

Maverick 9" 

(43" perch to perch) 

56 ¼"

81-87 

 Olds Cutlass 

58 ½"

 

 
 


FRONT SUSPENSION INFORMATION

 

Track Width of Popular Donor Car Clips

Manufacture

Model

Years

Track Front/Rear

Curb Weight

Chevrolet

Nova

68-74

59.8-59.6

3,770

Buick

Apollo

68-74

59.1-58.8

3760

Pontiac

GTO

68-74

59.9-59.6

3880

Chevrolet

Corvette

68-83

58.7-59.5

3655

 

 

84-95

59.6-60.4

3890

Chevrolet 

Camaro (Z28)

76-80

61.3-60.5

3820

Pontiac

Firebird (TA)

76-80

61.3-60.5

3900

Ford

Mustang II

74-79

55.6-55.8

3305

 

Pinto

74-79

55.6-55.8

3305

Mercury

Capri

74-79

55.6-55.8

3305

 

Bobcat

74-79

55.6-55.8

3305

Chevrolet

Monte Carlo

78-86

58.5-58.8

3235

Buick

Century

78-86

59.0-58.8

3700

Pontiac

Grand Prix

78-86

58.9-59.0

3735

Plymouth

Volare

75-79

61.0-60.5

3395

Dodge

Aspen 

75-79

61.0-60.5

3395

Dodge

Dart

76

59.2-55.6

3600

 

Table taken from "How to Build a Custom Classic Truck" Peterson Publication; June or July 1999

 Written by: Don Emmons & Mike Briggs

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