VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 1950 Styleline Deluxe rear end swap

Hello everyone.
I have a 1950 Styleline Deluxe with a 235. The bearings went out in the torque tube and now I need some advice/guidance. I would like to change the rear end out to an open drive shaft set up but I am unsure of what rear end will fit under the car. The current rear end has a 4:11 gear, is about 54" from backing plate to backing plate and has a 5 bolt 4 1/2" bolt pattern. Does anyone know what would be a good swap? I saw people saying a Chevy S-10 but the one I measured was only 48" between backing plates. Please help.

I haven’t done one but helped a friend do a 55-57 rear end and it was a very close swap. I used an 88 S-10 4x4 rear end in my 41.

Are you also planning to install a different transmission that has an open driveshaft? Otherwise you will need to fabricate some type of adapter to fit the enclosed u-joint at the back of the current transmission.

i've installed several 55-57 chevy rear ends in 49-51 chevys. you'll need to remove and relocate the saddles off the 55-57 as the distance between the saddles and the distance between the 49-52 rear springs differ (by a n inch or two) seem to recall the saddles need moved outboard a little but its been over 50 years since i did this swap. there will be no interference problem with wheel/tire making contact with the springs nor the rear quarter inner skirts. pick up a 55-62 3 speed or luck out and find a 3 speed overdrive out of a shoebox chevy. mike