At a crossroad on my 55? Sell it or C4 build

[55 Rescue Dog]

I have changed my mind hundreds of times on my 55 210 I just bought for $3000. I would love to build this car from the ground up, but it seems the smarter thing to do, would be to just sell it for a couple grand more, and forget about it. I have most every tool I need to build it, but the car needs a ton of money thrown at it by the time I can even think about making it look pretty again. I want to do the C4 suspension front, and rear. Every other plan looks to be more money, or a compromise it a good handling car. If I do anything, I am strongly looking at Lazlo's design, but what is wrong with the others, like street rod garage, or nerds? I want to make this car run, and drive right before I worry about what it looks like, and adding 18 point roll cage to it. Plus, I will need to sell my 97 C5 to free up some money to get a good start. I'm just scared to take the plunge, and I don't want it to take forever to build like my last car, which took 18 years. I would be to old to drive anymore. So, I also want to keep this build for as little money, and time as I can. At least it doesn't cost much to think about a plan, which is what I have already spent too much time on.

[chevynut]

Before you ditch the project and end up regretting it, I think you need to think about how badly you want a '55 Chevy, or if it's something else you want. If you really want a 55, you need to then decide if you can buy a completed one built the way you want, or if you really get more enjoyment out of a build than writing a check. It doesn't have to be an 18 year build unless you make it one. ;)

Once that decision is made and you decide to keep the car and built it, you need to decide what you want the car to be. If you want a high-end build with every upgrade under the sun, a $15K paint job and a $20K interior, be prepared to commit the funds to pay for it. If you want a nice upgraded driver set your sights there and decide how much modification you want. Be aware that doing a lot of bolt-on modifications can end up costing you as much as a C4 conversion or some other chassis upgrade.

Once you have your goal in mind, you should assess how much work is involved, and how much it will cost you to have someone else do it (like bodywork). Figure out how much metalwork you need to do to get the body ready for paint. Add up the cost of the parts and estimate your time. If it's too much, see what it would cost to have someone do it for you. If that's too much, you might be in over your head.

How much time do you want to put into the build? Be realistic about what you think it will take to build the car. From the looks of your Camaro it looks like you have the skills to do what needs to be done.

As far as choices of frames, I have my own opinions on the other two alternatives that you mentioned but I won't get too deep into that. They've both been used successfully on car builds and it's not so much about "what's wrong" with them as it is what you get for the money. There's nothing wrong with a good, solid stock frame and I think the idea of "new metal" is over-rated. I've looked at the other offerings pretty closely and I think I can get you into a C4 conversion for less money and/or time than any of them, especially if you can do some of the work yourself. A basic rear kit and a welded basic clip is around $2500 and gets you the foundation for the C4 conversion with most of the hard work done. The will allow you to bolt the suspensions onto the frame so you can build the rest of the mounts yourself. Or we sell full rear kits and full clips....even full frames.

Some things to consider are whether you like the look of the stock frame or one that's constructed of mitered 2x4 tubing spliced together with fishplates. Are you willing to commit the time and effort to weld hundreds of tiny pieces together, without a jig to make sure it's all correct? SRG has a pretty decent offering but you have to buy custom made "street rod" type suspension parts from them and you need to add up the options to get a full price on it. I don't believe their suspension geometry is comparable to the C4 and there are lots of questions I would be asking before I committed to buying one of their frames. I have never seen one of their frames in person so I don't know the quality of the build. Add up the cost of ALL the parts needed before you compare to a C4 conversion. AME, Roadster Shop, and others build very nice frames, but you probably know what they cost. ;)

The choice of a chassis is a pretty big one and can be very expensive. If you're not looking for a high performance driver or a car that drives more like a modern car, perhaps it would be best to do fewer mods and save the money. Check out the prices of C4 suspensions and you might be surprised to see how cheap they can be had with lots of good parts. I think they offer great value for what you get. I have a FAQ and a Tech section on my website if it would answer some of your questions.

I personally enjoy the building of the car but my target has changed quite a bit since I started on my Nomad. It's turned out to be a much higher end build than I initially envisioned, and an example of how the project can get away from you if you don't stick to a plan. :) I've owned the car since 1973 so I MUST build it :), and make it what I want it to be. So I'm pushing forward and I can finally see the finishline. It's been a long road and I'm not there yet, but I have to say I've enjoyed it so far and I like how it's turning out.

Do you have a pic of the car?

[55 Rescue Dog]

Thanks for your time to respond Lazlo. Hopefully I can contact you soon when I figure it out. As much as I would like to set up a jig and put it all together, I am leaning towards you for a near complete frame just to make it easier to work with shop space I have, and to give me a big head start time wise. What is the general lead time or turnaround, if I was to drop a frame off in Colorado? This is still all I have for pictures. Have cleaned the car up some, and even got the front/rear lights, and dome light to work! Thanks
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-Other-210-POST-2-DOOR-SEDAN-/201453049270?forcerrptr=true&hash=item2ee78995b6:g:HdcAAOSw14xWFuM2&item=201453049270

[chevynut]

Rescue Dog, the leadtime depends on when I get a commitment for the project (contract and deposit) and what else I have in the schedule. Right now I'm booked into February. Where do you live? You should put it in your profile so we can better address your questions. ;)

Feel free to call me at the number on my website if you want to discuss details. I'll be out of contact between 11/28 and 12/12 except perhaps via e-mail..... Lnobi53@yahoo.com.

BTW, I have frames that I can use and then buy your core if it makes sense. That saves you one trip here.

[hutchenc]

Hey Rescue Dog,

Here's some perspective. I had damn near every bolt-on upgrade on my car (a '56 2 door hardtop) known to man. It drove OK, but it just never steered, braked, or handled the way I wanted it to. The thing about the bolt-on route is that yeah, you can upgrade things as you go and still drive the car. That's the argument for it. But the stock geometry is the stock geometry and there's only so much one can do. I think I had close to $4500 in the front end all said and done...I sold it all a few weeks ago for about half that which will go to my C4 swap. Check out my thread here: http://www.trifivechevys.com/showthread.php/4118-C4-front-conversion-without-taking-body-off

If you're starting from scratch and everything needs to be replaced, which seems to be your case, I honestly see no downside in working with Lazlo. If you want a full C4 swap from him...yeah, it'll be a little more than the bolt-on route, but not by much. I think if you just did the C4 front with Laz, you'd spend less than you would with bolt-ons at the end of the day. Work in the C4 rear it'll be a bit more than rebuilding the rear suspension, but not by a whole lot. If you were to rebuild the stock rear suspension and rebuild the stock rear-end with a posi...you'd probably break even. And the up side with the C4 is much, much higher than if you go with the bolt-on route.

Laz lives about 60 miles from me and I've seen his work first hand...which was nice before I committed to a front C4 swap (I'm keeping my live rear axle for now...looking at different upgrades to the 8.8 that's in there now...which Lazlo also also helped me do). He's great to work with and the build quality is top notch. You'll pay twice as much with SRG or Nerd Rods unless you can do the Nerd Rod build/welding yourself.

So, you'll spend the money up-front with a C4 swap, but I think the better results are worth it.

[rockytopper R.I.P 5-13-2017]

Does the SRG frame use stock C5 components? Or are they customized? They claim C5 yet no torque tube. Are they using a custom center section on the rear? Just curious.

[Fladiver64]

I was at Turkey Rod run today and several vendors are selling a C5 trans axle conversion to differential "kit" for about $1400, you still need a C5 trans axle as a donor. Not sure what the advantage is as it looks like you built a very expensive Dana 44.

Rescue Dog, I went through the same issues you are facing with my build. I knew I wanted to build a car, because for me that is some of the best part. I agree that if that is not your passion, you could find a built car for less that the cost of parts to build one.

I bought a complete frame from Laszlo since it was cheaper than shipping mine from from Florida. I am patiently waiting for Yellow Freight to deliver (supposed to be Dec 1 my Birthday). I can say that working with Laszlo has been great and he can advise you on getting what you need. I did the front and rear clips as well as an AME center section to stiffen up the stock frame. He also sold me the C4 suspension parts and the total was way less that the other companies you mentioned, which lets me put money into other areas. As with most of us I have a budget to work within and I could spend 2 or 3 times that much very easily lol. For my build the chassis is a working part and I am not detailing this to the nines as a show car. Good luck with your decision and Ill post some pics of my new frame when I get it here.

[Rick_L]

I have changed my mind hundreds of times on my 55 210

You have gotten some good comments.

You mention changing your mind a lot. My near term advice would be to digest all this, along with assessing your cash and time resources, and don't make a decision until spring or even later. The last thing you want to do is get into this in a way that you waste time or money because you are unsure of yourself. Maybe there will be an event or opportunity that makes things clearer by then.

[55 Rescue Dog]

Thanks for the suggestions. I am still wanting to go with Lazlo's design. I just missed a chance to buy a front/rear C4 with a Dana 44 for $1800 within 250 mi. I know I can find a cheaper set-up though. I am thinking now, going backwards, maybe sell my car now, and get a running chassis built first, then look for a better body, and simply roll the new chassis under it, and sell the old chassis complete. I would like to build a good car from the ground up, and not be stuck spending years, and tons of money trying to make my current car look pretty after a frame swap. I will have a new chassis no matter which way I go, but starting over might be faster, and cheaper in the end. Have not spent any money on the current car yet. The money I sold the car for would cover what I need for a new chassis at least. My wife won't let me sell the Corvette either, so that might leave me with building the car I have into a great driver, despite the way it looks for now. I won't disassemble the car until I have a complete new chassis, to swap at the same time the old one gets rolled out complete, then sold. I would hope it would be possible to buy near complete CED frame, then add complete stock F/R, aluminum LS/auto, the rest of the stuff I don't know about yet, for under $10k ?

[chevynut]

RD, it shouldn't be too hard to add up the prices to see where you stand. My website lists all of our pricing for what we offer. I don't know what an LS engine runs these days and I'm sure they're all over the place. I've had guys buy corvettes for under$1500, keep the suspensions, and sell the rest and get the suspensions free. You could probably do it with the engine and tranny too. Buy a late model GTO or something else with an LS engine and part the rest out to get the engine and tanny for free. It just takes some effort to sell the rest of the parts. I've seen lots of rebuildable cars selling for really cheap. You could even check the insurance auctions and find something totaled from a rear-end collision.

[carls 56 (RIP 11/24/2021)]

might be better to sell that project. the kind of frame and engine you want will probably cost you $10,000 alone. another option would be to look for a driver (its a buyers market) and enjoy it while you work on it. will all come down to what you can spend. good luck in whatever you do.

[destroyertta]

Man I changed my mind so many times before I decided to go with laszlo front and rear kit. Luckily I only replaced the bushings, shocks, and leaf springs just to control some of the sloppiness but it didn't help so glad I didn't buy a bunch of parts. I was going to go with a ride tech set up which isn't cheap but thought the c4 rout would be better. You got to see how much work the body needs and if it's worth it they make every part for these cars so finding parts will not be a problem but whatever you do good luck

[55 Rescue Dog]

Getting closer to making a commitment on my car. Went and looked at a 89 in my friend's local junkyard, that took a hard hit in the left front. Unfortunately the front suspension is bent, but the rear I won't be able to check until I see it in the air. Dana 36 I can get for $350. Found a 91 front for $500, but it is a 700 mile round trip. I might wait on the front, until I get a CED frame coming, and shop for one a little closer. Getting a little more excited now. Just need to find more money. I want to get this car to a drivable stage in 18 months too.

[55 Rescue Dog]

Would love to talk to Lazlo about now. Yesterday I bought a 89 C4 front for $600 out of state to be shipped, and from a local yard, a 89 C4 front for $350. Still could back out of the deal by Monday. After I bought them I received a call back from a bolt on suspension supplier, who was very helpful. He had me pretty convinced I would be better off with his coil over set-up in the front, and a leaf rear with a frame mounted watts link. He said the C4 rear isn't a great option,(anti squat issues) but the front would be fine, other than engine placement is compromised. With the bolt on suspension I could get my car on the road without having to do a frame off right away, but the parts still add up to near $5500. So, I only have 2 days to make up my mind which route to go. So much for looking, before I leap! But, that is how I ended up with a 55 Chevy.

[chevynut]

I don't know if you've read the posts about suspension comparison's but you can only do so much with bolt-on parts. Yes, you can change caster with new upper a-arms. You can get some more camber gain with a taller balljoint...but that's very limited. You will not be able to change anti-dive nor the SAI. There's a lot of discussion about this stuff on this forum.

I don't know what supplier you talked to or what he suggested you use, but part of this is related to how you want to use the car. Do you wonder why virtually all sports cars and many new cars have IRS now? The Camaro uses an IRS, as does the new Mustang. It's not only a performance enhancer, but it's a cool addition to a 60 year old car. The car will also respond to bumps in the road differently since each tire reacts independently. Why retain the same axle and suspension they used 60+ years ago? Anti-squat is a non-issue, imo. I've read enough stuff on the corvette forums where guys are using their cars for autocross to convince me of that. If you're drag racing the car, the IRS is perhaps not the best choice, but for performance handling (autocross) and cruising around, it's a great choice. To me a solid axle is like a carburetor...both are long outdated. ;)

I also don't understand the comment that "engine placement is compromised". We set the engines at the same location as you would with any suspension. The SBC is 3/4" forward, the LS is 2 1/4" forward and the BBC is 1 1/2" forward. The front of the engine is slightly higher due to the steering rack but the engine angle is increased a bit to compensate and make it fit. We set the engine at 5.5 degrees which causes no issues. You'll never notice anything due to engine placement, imo.

The aluminum suspension parts look better than any aftermarket a-arms, imo, and they're significantly lighter. They reduce unsprung weight and take 150-200 pounds of of the entire car. The rack is front steer so you don't have any oilpan issues and the pan is easy to remove if needed. There are lots of advantages to going with a newer suspension.

There have been many of these frames upgraded with C4 suspensions and I have yet to hear anyone say they don't like it. Lots of guys have gone the bolt-on route only to have to do it all over because it didn't meet their expectations.

I've been in Playa del Carmen all week and I'm headed to Cancun today for another week so I won't be back until 12/12. I don't use cell service down here since it costs $.99 a minute. If you want to talk more about this I can do so when I return. In the meantime take a look at the tech and faq sections of my website.

[55 Rescue Dog]

Thanks Lazlo. I'm in your hands, so I will go ahead, and get the C4 suspensions coming, and give you a call in a few days. I've just been reading way to many opinions the last few days, and is part of the too many indecisions.

[hutchenc]

Who did you talk to about the Watts link?

Also, listen to Lazlo, he knows what he's talking about. You're not going to make the car even close to handling like a C4 with bolt-ons. I'm not sure why someone would say the C4 is inferior...it was one of the first cars GM made that could hold 1G on the skidpad.

[chevynut]

Here's some stuff on anti-squat. We set up the dogbones to the 88-96 dimensions at the front pivots.

http://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/autocrossing-and-roadracing/1224152-anti-squat-on-a-c4-why-so-much.html

http://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/autocrossing-and-roadracing/2261766-anti-squat-with-an-irs.html

[55 Rescue Dog]

Who did you talk to about the Watts link?

Also, listen to Lazlo, he knows what he's talking about. You're not going to make the car even close to handling like a C4 with bolt-ons. I'm not sure why someone would say the C4 is inferior...it was one of the first cars GM made that could hold 1G on the skidpad.
It was Savitske. He seems to understand suspension very well. Just read his book too.

[rockytopper R.I.P 5-13-2017]

Dog I'm a Mark supporter myself. I run his setups. I have a stage 2 kit on my cutlass and similar on my nomad project. Just curious what hardware you are looking at for 5500.

[55 Rescue Dog]

Dog I'm a Mark supporter myself. I run his setups. I have a stage 2 kit on my cutlass and similar on my nomad project. Just curious what hardware you are looking at for 5500.
That was for upper/lower front coil over/shocks,sway bar, brakes, new steering, spindles, tall ball joints. Rear springs/shocks/bar/watts link/brakes, with the stock diff, and whatever I forgot for around $5500. For the C4 front/rear, I am at $950, except for the frame part though.

[rockytopper R.I.P 5-13-2017]

Well it sounds as if both options are similar in price. If you buy Lazlo's frame and put your components on it. I personally believe you would be happy with either. I have about 5k in same but I went shocks and springs no coilovers.

[chevynut]

Don't forget the stock C4 rears, whether Dana 44 or Dana 36, are all posi. I saw on the SC&C website that a new 9" rear is a bit over $2800, and a new posi for your stock rear would be around $850. Be aware that the C4 suspension might take some refurbishing, depending on condition.

I agree the prices overall might be comparable, but imo the C4 suspension is superior to anything bolt-on for a tri5. The tri-5 frame has it's limitations as far as what improvements you can bolt on because a-arm lengths are set and anti-dive and SAI are fixed by the existing geometry. Kyle Newman raced his C4 equipped 55 Chevy in autocross for a while and was kicking ass on many of the Camaros and Mustangs he was racing against. To me that's a testament to the performance potential of the C4 setup. Watch these videos. ;)

http://www.newmancarcreations.com/driving-fun/auto-cross.php

At the 2011 Goodguys Del Mar Nationals autocross he ended up 1st out of 20 cars with his 55 wagon, 3rd out of 37 in 2013 with the 57 4-door wagon, and in the 2015 event he was 7th out of 36 cars with their C4 equipped 57 4-door wagon. :)

http://www.superchevy.com/events/1109chp-11th-annual-del-mar-nationals/
http://www.hotrod.com/events/coverage/1304-phr-2013-goodguys-13th-meguiars-del-mar-nationals/
https://www.good-guys.com/dmn-ac-15

I suggested to one prospective customer recently to go drive a C4 Corvette, and that's close to what your tri5 would drive like with a C4 conversion. He was concerned about reports of a harsh ride, and he said after driving both an early and late C4 in the same day that neither were harsh in his opinion.

Then there's the "cool" factor :):

http://www.trifivechevys.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=5291&stc=1

http://www.trifivechevys.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=5292&stc=1

[rockytopper R.I.P 5-13-2017]

That was for upper/lower front coil over/shocks,sway bar, brakes, new steering, spindles, tall ball joints. Rear springs/shocks/bar/watts link/brakes, with the stock diff, and whatever I forgot for around $5500. For the C4 front/rear, I am at $950, except for the frame part though.

Thats interesting about the watts link. He never mentioned it to me. I guess it would be tuff to fit on a nomad with stock tank after seeing one installed.

http://www.trifive.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147810

Looks like the guy is happy so far with results.


Cnut one cannot argue the cool factor of your setup.

I would expect the rearend upgrade with everything updated is going to be almost double the 850. I plan to include new gears & axles. With new 500 box and up graded rear I'll be pushing past the 7k for a bolt on solution and I have not included new steering components that have tobe included in that list.

[55 Rescue Dog]

Well, the $350 C4 rear I was going to get is junk. So, now I have complete 89 front, and rear out of a running car, for $1400 shipped. Still not too bad I guess. Didn't realize these setups are starting to get a little scarce.

[chevynut]

What was "junk" in the $350 rear?

Shipping on these suspensions is sometimes outrageous. It can run $300+ for two suspensions and $200+ for one. I usually try to buy several of them and spread the spipping cost. I also found out that Fastenal has pretty cheap shipping but it takes a while. They basically put your parts on their trucks that are delivering stuff to your local store.

I'm not sure I'd say they're getting scarce, but Dana 44s are getting a little harder to find. C4 Corvettes still are pretty cheap and not hard to find locally in most places.

Sounds like you're ready to get rolling. ;)

[55 Rescue Dog]

Well, I couldn't resist the temptation not to buy the Dana 44 rear that is in the car I am getting the complete 89 C4 front/rear that I am buying. Was going to substitute a
Dana 36 to save a little money, but I was able to get a deal on the 44 for $600 more. $2000 total, shipped. It just keeps adding up. Anyway, I am really curious as to what the best way to set up the rear torque arm off the differential to the chassis? Seems like an important piece of the puzzle. I'm getting the original C4 torque arm, but wondered if it could be used with a additional cross member?

[chevynut]

I tried using the original c-beam (torque arm) but the angles are wrong and it just won't work. I have a pile of them that will probably go to aluminum scrap if the Corvette guys don't want them. The one for the Dana 44 is different than the one for the Dana 36, since the 44 is longer and has a different pinion offset.

Not too bad of a score on a front and rear for $2000 shipped. I've bought them cheaper locally, but it was just luck. I just picked up a late 44 center section only and got a good deal on it, even with shipping. I'll probably swap it into one of the suspensions I have if a guy wants a 44. The center sections alone usually go for around $1200 plus shipping.

As far as the need for a torque arm, I personally don't think it's necessary. We use a bracket that attaches to the pinion and to the shock crossmember via a urethane bushing. I used a torque arm on my Nomad just because I thought it was kinda cool, and I built it myself. At the time I was a little concerned with the torque of my 502, and getting wheelhop. Since then I've not heard of anyone having wheelhop with a C4 rear so I don't think you need a torque arm at all. We make the crossmembers out of .188" steel to handle the torque and the force on the pinion support.

[Rick_L]

You don't often see a Watts linkage to locate a solid rear axle on a 55-57. It's just hard to package for one thing. A Nomad or wagon has trouble clearing a bigger axle if you keep the stock tank, let alone a Watts linkage or panhard bar. The Watts linkage takes more room in the wrong areas than a panhard bar.

The other half of a Watts linkage, and this applies to any car with a solid axle, is that while it's technically superior, in practice a panhard bar does just as well until you have a lot of wheel travel. So it's of limited value if you have typical spring rates and a good rear sway bar.

[55 Rescue Dog]

I don't know, but I am concerned. I thought I had the quick change rear in my Camaro clamped tight enough, until I got on it hard, and spun the axel housing in the mounts. Got it shut down in time not to destroy anything. The u-joint bottomed out making the whole car jump up and down. After that I roughly calculated the torque reaction the differential. 2.66 first gear x 4.47 rear x 400 ft lb engine torque = 4750 ft lbs of torque on the axel housing. That seems to be a lot of force with a short lever on 1 bolt attaching the diff to a cross member spanning the chassis.

[chevynut]

Your tires won't support 4750 ft-lb of torque. They'll smoke long before you reach that level. ;)

Even if they could, let's assume you have a 10" lever arm from the yokes to the pinion support....I don't remember how long it is. That would result in a force of 5700 pounds upward at the bolt. Assuming you use a 1/2" bolt there the cross sectional area is .196 square inches. The shear stress would be about 29,000 PSI and a grade 8 bolt can take 170,000 PSI. There's lots of safety margin at the bolt. The urethane bushing isn't going anywhere either. We set the pinion 1/2 degree lower than the engine angle to accomodate some small movement of the pinion. I looked at the stresses on the crossmember as well and long ago went to a .188" thick wall tube. So the design is sound from an engineering point of view.

There are other frame suppliers that use the same type of pinion support...Progressive Automotive, The Street Shop, and I believe even SRG. Newman uses a torque arm which looks nice, but as you mentioned it takes an additional crossmember. If you're using an AME center section the crossmember is already there, but it's placed too far back to use Newman's torque arm. There was a guy here and on the other site that built his "own" C4 conversion (so he says) who actually took my frame jig to his house and used my design...he used the two Newman crossmembers and torque arm. They run around $1000.

So the torque arm isn't necessary, and it does essentially the same thing as the pinion support bracket commonly in use. The reason they used the c-beam on the C4 Corvette was to stiffen the chassis/body assembly. That's also why the C5/6/7 Corvettes use a torque tube.

[chevynut]

I got this from an article I have, and I did the same calculations several years ago when I shared your concerns about torque....

"You can calculate available traction torque using the following formula. You need to have the weight on the rear tires, plus the amount added from weight transfer.

weight on rear tires X COF X tire radius
Traction Torque= __________________________________
12

COF= Coefficient of Friction. For "normal" tires and pavement, use .7 as a "worst-case." For really sticky tires on normal pavement, use .9. For slicks and sticky dragstrip pavement, use 1.0 to 1.5.

Radius= Measure from center of wheel to ground with tire aired up as it will be driven and the car loaded normally.

Sample: 1993 C4 Conv. 3383 lbs, 50-50 weight Dist + 10 percent rear weight transfer (kinda on the high side), 285/40-17 tires (10.7 radius)

1860 X .7 X 10.7
TT= _______________ = 1160.9 lbs-ft
12

[chevynut]

2.66 first gear x 4.47 rear x 400 ft lb engine torque = 4750 ft lbs of torque on the axel housing.

Why are you wanting to run a 4.47 rear? :confused:

[55 Rescue Dog]

Why are you wanting to run a 4.47 rear? :confused:
The 4.47 gear is what is in the quick-change rear, with a Muncie in my Camaro, which is the gear I use cruising around town. Runs about 2800 RPM at 45 mph. Don't know what gear is in the Dana 44 in 89 I'm getting. Probably 3.07, which should be good with a 4 speed auto. So, maybe with a auto, I shouldn't be concerned about breaking the diff housing, from lack of a torque arm. I know on the C4, that because there is no rear trans mount, that the torque arm is needed to tie the rear and trans together, in place of a torque tube used on the C5.

[rockytopper R.I.P 5-13-2017]

Dog if you are cruising around town at 2800rpm @ 45 mph you must spend your time preying on unexpecting modern muscle cars like JT does in his 56 lol.

[55 Rescue Dog]

Dog if you are cruising around town at 2800rpm @ 45 mph you must spend your time preying on unexpecting modern muscle cars like JT does in his 56 lol.
I can't sneak up on anyone with this Camaro. Originally I wanted to do my 55 into a street legal oval track car.


http://bangshift.com/bangshiftapex/car-feature-street-legal-circle-track-camaro-unique-homebuilt-corner-burning-monster/

[rockytopper R.I.P 5-13-2017]

After seeing that not sure you will be happy with a C4 chassis. I thank this would have satisified your desires better lol. He went with an old retired nascar under his 55.


https://theblock.com/node/33615/lightbox2

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk243/rockytoppers1/Mobile%20Uploads/image_87.jpg

[chevynut]

Your 89 Dana 44 will probably have a 3.33 or 3.54 gearset in it unless it's been changed from stock. You can tell the stock ratio by looking at the etched numbers on the bottom of the housing.

The 88's used the early 85-87 housing and they all had 3.07 gears. After that they went to a 3.33 and 3.54 in 89. 90's used 3.33 and 3.45 gears, 92 and later all had 3.45 gears. This is from a C4 specs book I have.

So it looks to me like the early 89s had 3.54s, then they went to 3.33 for the late 89s through early 90's, then 3.45s for late 90's and thereafter.

These Dana 44 HD diffs are pretty stout, and they were used in the Vipers with a very similar housing. I don't think I've ever heard of a housing breaking, and I don't understand why that concerns you. I'm not sure where the weak point is on these differentials, but the Dana 44 HD can take 3460 ft-lb short duration and 1100 ft-lb continuous. If you're only planning on 400 ft-lb, even a 36 would work for you. ;)

[55 Rescue Dog]

After seeing that not sure you will be happy with a C4 chassis. I thank this would have satisified your desires better lol. He went with an old retired nascar under his 55.


https://theblock.com/node/33615/lightbox2

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk243/rockytoppers1/Mobile%20Uploads/image_87.jpg
Since I plan on radiused rear fenders, and the fronts are not great, I can totally see pushing the wheels out a little with the C4! So much for scrub radius though.