Most Ford "Chop Rods" Use Chevy Drivetrains--Why?

[Djcoolray]

Ford limited slip 9 inch differentials can be found in many different vehicles, but more commonly in Ford and Mercury station wagons. There are Hot Rod auto parts houses that know qualified people that can easily do that kind of job. A ready to bolt in product has gone through the same process and costs more. Hell, $1,100....does a car come with that price ???

You just take a plasma torch and remove the weld material between the axle and the mounting flange bracket...of both axles and put the 9 inch up on blocks and do some measurements. Try to create the position the axle will be in while in the car and figure out where the flanges should be welded. There are 9 inch axles driving around in junk cars every day...

You think people during the days of Detroit muscle bought so many after market parts ?? Only like clutches, intakes, exhaust and heads. Everything else came from auto wrecking yards straight to machine shops for rebuild. Independent auto stores had machine shops that could modify anything....

 

[BigElCat]

IIRC, the 9" will retain the hub and wheel if an axle breaks, where as GM rear ends will throw them off the car.

 

[gadget73]

Anything with a full float axle that uses a pressed on bearing will retain it. The ones where the bearing goes into the housing and the axle just slides in will chuck the wheel. I was driving my friend's Towncar when that happened. The only thing that kept the wheel under the car was the disc brake conversion. If it was still a drum brake car it would have parted company with us.

 

[noogies]

IIRC, the 9" will retain the hub and wheel if an axle breaks, where as GM rear ends will throw them off the car.

Not all GMs, mainly Chevy 12-bolts with those C-clips. My Olds Type O has no such problem.

 

[MaxxVolume]

In addition to having an almost "magic" engine design right from the get-go, the small-block Chevy had one huge advantage....namely, Zora Arkus-Duntov ("The Father Of The Corvette"), whose solid-lifter cams and fuelie heads became the stuff of legends. There were a whole bunch of affordable factory parts which allowed that little Mouse to roar !

 

[jami w.]

gimmie a good ol dana 70,80 full floater. pull that axle. jump back in drivers seat and drive away.

but some folks love ford bodies/not ford drive lines.
an some vice versa- yrs back i saw a 65 vette, with a 514 bbf. nasty nasty evil demonic engine! the dude lived in southern mass, loved chevy bodies HATED chevy engines. this 60 yr old dude would spit on chevy engines.

 

[Jbl Joe]

It's coming up spring, and I run with a crowd that collects/restores/shows classic cars and street rods, so everyone is waxing and polishing and tuning for spring--generally the car shows/gatherings start around Easter in these parts (weather permitting).

I was over at a buddy's place the other day, and he was prepping his '34 Ford coupe chopped street rod, getting ready for spring. After a few adult beverages we got into a discussion regarding the fact that most of the old Ford chop rods are running GM drivetrains and suspension/steering/braking components (his included). Even the ZZ Top "Eliminator" (chopped '33 Ford coupe) used a relatively stock 350 Chevy crate motor. I actually got to drive that car around the block back in the 80's

We both got to thinking about it, and the bulk of the Ford chop rods and the Mercury chop sleds that we see at the shows/gatherings are using small-block Chevy-based drivetrains (in various forms of tune), but Chevy-based, nonetheless.

It's not like Ford hasn't produced a lot of suitable drivetrains for this application, but for some reason (unknown to us), the bulk of these cars are using Chevy drivetrains.

Thoughts???

Chevrolet motors are easier and cheaper to modify. And they are just plain faster. I run a 765ci bbc in my race car

 

[gadget73]

65 vette, with a 514 bbf.

I bet that made the Chevy guys mad. Probably about the same reaction as I get from Mustang guys when I tell them their cars make good parts donors for better Ford products. I do have a couple of Chevy parts on the Towncar though. The mid 90s Impala SS tailpipes are a direct fit, and were available in 2 1/2" mandrel bent for a very reasonable price. I don't think Dynomax sells them anymore though. Stock Lincoln parts are 2" wrinkle bend.

 

[MaxxVolume]

Chevrolet motors are easier and cheaper to modify. And they are just plain faster. I run a 765ci bbc in my race car

Jeezus....now THAT`S a friggin mountain motor !. What`s the bore & stroke on that bad boy ?

 

[Jbl Joe]

Jeezus....now THAT`S a friggin mountain motor !. What`s the bore & stroke on that bad boy ?

My friend runs a 1005cid bbc from Sonny Leonard. I'm still faster. World's fastest street car record holder 5.964 1/4 mile

 

[quaddriver]

Jeff? 5.87 in 1000?

 

[jami w.]

I bet that made the Chevy guys mad. Probably about the same reaction as I get from Mustang guys when I tell them their cars make good parts donors for better Ford products. I do have a couple of Chevy parts on the Towncar though. The mid 90s Impala SS tailpipes are a direct fit, and were available in 2 1/2" mandrel bent for a very reasonable price. I don't think Dynomax sells them anymore though. Stock Lincoln parts are 2" wrinkle bend.

it maybe pissed em off, but as i say? to each their own really. dont like it? thats ok as it wasn't built for them as i say.

personally i love always loved and been a ford girl since a kid, from my 76 f250 4x4 4-spd explorer trim package high boy. to the 85 mustang gt h.o. carbed engine. to the wreckers. but some trucks and cars are ok just never was a fan. an it ticks me off about "ford, verse, chevy verse dodge crap wars".

 

[Jbl Joe]

Jeff? 5.87 in 1000?

Here is time slip

 

[quaddriver]

right, I was asking are you Jeff, and didnt you bust your own record (twice) a year or so ago?

 

[Jbl Joe]

right, I was asking are you Jeff, and didnt you bust your own record (twice) a year or so ago?

My name is Joe..are talking about Lutz

 

[Jbl Joe]

right, I was asking are you Jeff, and didnt you bust your own record (twice) a year or so ago?

Here's the mph record run

 

[quaddriver]

My name is Joe..are talking about Lutz

yes, I was asking of you were lutz...didnt want to expose your name if you didnt want it.

 

[Jbl Joe]

yes, I was asking of you were lutz...didnt want to expose your name if you didnt want it.

Magnets stick to my Nova. Raced his Camaro...beat him. Me and Larry Larson never get invited to grudge race because no one can hang with us. I don't race no prep..l refuse to risk a $250,000 lifetime investment. I also will not take her out of the trailer for less than 20k. I want to be able to fix what breaks

 

[Jbl Joe]

Those guys race 660. We do 1320.

 

[quaddriver]

there are a bit of races between lutz and larson, but the 57 chevy is what lutz was driving. Im not clear if he posted the 5.85 in the camaro or chevy. (I cant get to the dang website cuz norton says its all hacked up)