LT1/T56 Into a 1957 Chevrolet Pick Up

**JOATMON** · 03-03-2023, 06:07 PM

I'm finally getting back to work on the truck. Bought a 8.8 Ford Explorer rear end to put in it. Found a good one with 3.73 gears and posi with 31 spline axles. Whoever let it go to the salvage yard had recently put drilled and slotted rotors on it. Calipers are missing but pretty cheap to buy, gonna need brake hoses and parking brake cables along with new PB shoes and brake pads. It currently has a truck 12 bolt in it, but it has 3.08 gears and no posi and drum brakes. I figured I'd come out saving alot of money starting with a decent 8.8 vs. upgrading the 12 bolt. Got the 8.8 for $368.00 delivered.
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**JOATMON** · 03-31-2023, 09:55 AM

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Cut off the original Ford perches and ground smooth.
Returned the first set of perches I bought because they were too short. The new ones I ordered are nearly double the length (4" vs. 7 3/4")
They call them anti-wrap perches, may eliminate the need for traction bars.
I had to cut them to fit the big 3 1/4" tubes on the 8.8.

**JOATMON** · 03-31-2023, 09:58 AM

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Out with the old 12 bolt.

**JOATMON** · 03-31-2023, 10:01 AM

Attachment 40433
The vertical perches are where the stock sway bar mounted. I have an aftermarket rear sway bar I bought, designed to clamp mount on the top of the axle tubes. After some quick measuring, I think I can mount it on the Ford perches and just increase the length of the end links up to the frame.

**JOATMON** · 03-31-2023, 10:21 AM

I borrowed a set of 14" trailer wheels(Ford 4 1/2" bolt pattern) to roll it under the truck and do the initial spring perch alignment.
Just doing some quick measuring, I "think" a 2" thick 4 1/2" to 4 3/4" wheel adapter may get the back wheels centered in the fender wells without having to special order shallow back spacing on the new wheels.

**JOATMON** · 05-12-2023, 09:14 AM

I ordered new shackles and bushings with the intention of using the original springs. They seemed to be in pretty good shape but when I pulled the driver side it was worn worse that the pass. side. I decided to buy new springs after reminding myself they were 66 yrs. old. Always something aggravating.... had to remove the bed steps to get access to the front spring pin.IMG_5310.JPG IMG_5370.JPG IMG_5312 (1).JPG IMG_5313.JPG

**JOATMON** · 06-19-2023, 02:12 PM

I've go so many projects going on, both business and hobby, that all I can accomplish is small bites of the elephant. We've been having a serious heat wave with temps close to 100 and heat index temps in the hundred and teens. So I've been having to pace myself. Besides that I'm old and slow LOL.
Got the new springs in, had to do a bit of fitting on the bushings.

**JOATMON** · 06-19-2023, 02:15 PM

Cutting the spring perches and the lower clamp/shock mount out to 3 1/4" turned out to be very tedious. I probably should have just brought them to a machine shop and had them do it.
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**JOATMON** · 06-19-2023, 02:24 PM

The last picture came out upside down for some strange reason. The plan is to align the rear end up on the springs then lightly clamp to the springs. Then set the truck weight down on the springs and roll the pinion angle up to about 2-3 degrees, then tack weld the spring perches. Then I'll take it back apart and fully weld in the perches.

**JOATMON** · 06-19-2023, 02:34 PM

After seeing SNMercy doing a string alignment on his car, I got to thinking. Maybe when I think I've got the rear end squared up on the springs, I'll check the alignment with the front axle and adjust accordingly. It's an old truck, who knows if the frame is perfectly square.