I know a lot of the later model truck pumpkins will fit and older housing as I have done them....but my question is:

Will a center section (pumpkin) from a 55-56 Chevy car fit in a 1953 1/2 ton
chevy truck rear housing.

I should know this but old age is creeping up on me.

A key difference is that in 1955 Chevy went to an open driveshaft with a u-joint at the front of the rear axle center section.

The 1953 3100 (1/2 ton) pickup has an enclosed torque tube driveshaft and rear axle.

Rusty, I hear you loud and clear. In my '52 panel I pulled the torque tube ect and installed a 59 pumpkin in the original housing. (did a V8)
Wanting to do the same thing in '53 1/2 ton pickup so my question is will the center section/pumpkin from a 55-56 Chevy car bolt into the '53 pickup rear housing. Doing away with the torque tube system...I'm doing some checking and thought I'd ask for input here.

not wanting to put a complete 55-56 rear end under the truck....rather just change out the torque tube stuff for an open drive line and put a pumpkin in the housing.
I know a truck pumpkin will bolt in the 53 housing all the way up to about 62 I think.....but the 55/56 car pumpkin has what I want and can get!!

Interesting conversion.

I think I understand what parts you swap. You need to know if what I call the car carrier housing (it has the ring and pinion in it) will bolt to the face of the truck rear axle housing. Not only do the bolt patterns need to match but the centerline of the ring gear must align with the rear axle shafts.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me will answer.

You might also post your question in the Stovebolt forum.

A chipmunk,
How do you handle the spring perch? Is it a really big welding job?

Achipmunk is using an interest approach to this conversion. He is not replacing the whole rear axle assembly. He is simply removing the carrier from the front of the axle housing and bolting a different carrier complete with ring and pinion to the housing.

Old216....I take it your going with and open driveline.
I took them out "spring perches" and used a spacer/lowering block on my 52 panel using U-bolts. I used the same original axle housing. On my panel I reversed the top two leafs which moves the rear end back a couple inches and centered it in my rear fender well dead on. Welded the perches from a Dodge, but can't remember the part #.... but any 3 inch perch will work. Welded the perches to housing and they set on a 1" lowering block. If you want you can drill offset holes in the lowering block without moving the springs. Not sure if you need to do that on the AD style pickups. After a 6 year build, it should have been crushed, I drove it for 7 years and never had a problem what so ever. I did take the springs apart and blast/clean and paint them, then used liner between the leafs. I left the bottom leafs as stacked and only turned the top 2 around to move the center back some.

To answer your direct question, I have welded them before and its no major problem.
Note: depending on what route your taking be sure to have the pinion angle set before welding the perches on the rear housing.
Hope all this makes sense to you.

if the spring perches original to the torque tube axle housing are not removed and replaced with non-movable perches, the driveshaft will pull out of or insert pressure to the tranny when braking and accelerating. I discovered this phenomenal in my youth. mike mccagh

I agree with Mike that the axle housing rotation is a factor to consider when converting from a torque tube to open driveline.

I’m not sure it is as much of a factor in the later model torque tube rear axles. Those used an “Inloc” type bushing to control the rotation of the axle. In earlier vehicles like my ‘37 Master coupe the rear axle housing rotates freely within the axle saddle. You have to remember to support it when you disconnect it from the transmission or it will drop to the ground.

In short - IT WILL NOT WORK.

I don't think any passenger car carrier assembly fits into any truck housing after the early 30s. The first place to look is the appropriate gasket group in the parts catalog. If the gasket is the same, you have a starting place.

Mike

OOK guys, thanks for your input. Been down many of the paths you describe and learned some the hard way. I could go into further detail about what I've done and taking place but you have answered THE question....gosh, I must be getting to old not to think about checking the gasket, Mike. Been doing this waaay to long!! ...and working on something I can't see in my own shop is the pits as well.
Thanks again for your comments and help.

Achipmunk,

Thank you for posting this concept. I had not considered a full carrier housing swap as a way to eliminate the torque tube as well as get a different rear axle ratio.

35 Mike,

Great suggestion about matching the gaskets. I knew that the bolt patterns would have to match. I just did not take that idea one step further.

Rusty, I've tried to PM you twice and it says you can't be found??

Try Rusty 37 Master with spaces.

I will PM you.