55/56 rear end ratios

J

junkyardjeff

Senior Member
Does anyone know what the ratios are for the cars that came with a automatic trans,if they are close to 3.25 I am thinking about putting a original rear end back in my 55 since the 8 inch has 2.79 gears and having a hard time finding used parts. Its going to be about 500 for new gears when done and might be able to pick up a good original rear end much cheaper plus it would have larger brakes then the maverick rear end I put in.
 
Not sure about the sedans Jeff, but my wagon came with a 3:56 I was putting a 8" in my wagon, and realized that the stock brakes have more sqin. of braking than the 8", so changing to self adjusting brakes and staying with the original. Since I'm using a AOD, that ratio works out real good.
 
I just gave a rear end out a 55 wagon(but it was a 3 speed w O/D) to a buddy, it had 4:27 gearing. Mighty low, but I was told by another local rodder that it was because of th O/D.
 
In 55 there was also a 3.89 I had a 54 that I used a 56 3.22 center section in. The spiders were different, so I used the 54 spiders in the 56 pumpkin because I already had new bearings on the 54 axles. The ring gear is slightly larger in diameter. I heated the housing and spoke to it with a big ball pien. It only needed about 1/8 inch movement about an inch long.
 
A local junkyard has the remains of a 56 convertible and a 2 door sedan but I would rather get one that has been recently been taken out instead of sitting in the ground for 40 years,I did have a wagon rear with 3.54 gears that would have worked but gave it away. Anyone got the codes for the motor in the serial number for a 56 so I can see if the car originally came with a 272 or 292.
 
According to the 56 Ford parts book, engine codes:
  • A = 223 cid ​
  • U = 272 cid ​
  • M = 292 cid ​
  • P = 312 cid ​
Axle codes/ratios:
  • 6 = 2.69 ​
  • 5 = 2.91 ​
  • 1 = 3.10 ​
  • 2 = 3.56 ​
  • 3 = 3.70 ​
  • 4 = 3.89​
  • 0 = 4.11​
 
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