51 Buick rear diff mounting question?

[tylerdurben]

Hey there,

i have a 51 Buick special (straight 8 w/ 3 on the tree) that i am converting to automatic 700r4 and modern diff w/ airbags. i am doing this converstion cause my tranny finally gave out. The motor is running strong so i am using a motor tranny adapter for my application.



my question, can i use the original panhard bar (non adjustable) and track bars (2-link) to mount the new rear diff?

my plans were to cut off the brakets from the stock rear diff and weld them to the new one, then weld some mounts off the chasis's cross bars to mount the long stock 2-link.

The 2-link bars originally came mounted to the sealed driveshaft tube and obviously to the rear diff just next to the original coilspring location (already replaced with airbags). The chasis on the Buick has a large cross memeber (X) connecting the 2 side rails, this makes a 4-link a little too tight to mount.

This is the stock panhard bar with stock diff:


This is the stock 2-link mounted to the sealed driveshaft, note the chasis's cross bars:


This is the stock 2-link mounting to the stock diff, again note the chasis as it has a cross frame making a 4-link difficult to mount:


Any help, pics, links, whatever you got will help.

Thanks!

[Chrome]

Nice ride you have indeed

http://www.hotrodsbyglen.com/ have a visit there and take a peek of that '48 Buick, it might give you a hindsight.

Other awesome buick site is http://gamma.nic.fi/%7Emarlin/Rmaster.htm

You have air in you rear! looks good, do you have more pics from the process or something because I'd love to have mine aired also.

[theoldguy]

The torque tube on the original rear end handles the torque. The original track bars will wind up like rubber bands if you use an open drive. You will need to fabricate something stronger.
( been there--done that )

[tbone]

The Buick Specialist that built my motor races a 39 straight 8 with a blower and headers and likes the c4 trans. he runs, better than the 700, with that motor. Its a straight bolt up also, without an adapter. Just thought Id throw that out there. Hows your rear end and what gears are you running? are you selling it? ~T~