59 rear axle in 57 vet

[Stephen K.]

Are there any issues (and if so what) installing a 1959/60 complete rear axle in a 1957 frame/body?
Thank you for the help.

[Don H.]

Re: 59 rear axle in 57 vet

I'm not sure what you are asking. If you mean the whole housing, I am not sure but think it will work. If you mean the axle, I'm sure it will work just take note that there is a long and short axle. Good luck, Don H.

[Mike E.]

Re: 59 rear axle in 57 vet

No issues at all. Direct bolt in.

[Mark B.]

Re: 59 rear axle in 57 vet

My 57 has a 59 housing with a 55 pumpkin lol...that seems to work ok. (yes I have the original pumpkin in a corner..but it has 4.56 gears in it and I like to highway drive. I think my car was a drag car at some point in its life...
The only difference I am aware of is it will have the traction or anti-wheel hop brackets on it unless someone cut them off.
Somebody went to the trouble of welding on the frame brackets on my frame to use the bars, so I left them there for now.

[Stephen R.]

Re: 59 rear axle in 57 vet

59 to 57 no problems, 57 to 59, you will be missing the anti-wheel hop brackets

[Stephen K.]

Re: 59 rear axle in 57 vet

Thank you all for your experience/expertise. I was concerned about the anti-wheel hop brackets (on the 59 axle) interfering with the frame mounted axle bumper on the 57. But it sounds like it's not a problem. I had made a cardboard templet of the bracket and put it on 57 axle, it appeared to clear but I could compress the leaf springs enough to see for sure. Thanks again to all.

[Terry D.]

Re: 59 rear axle in 57 vet

I hope you are not doing this because of the "anti-wheel hop bars" as you call them, because they really do not prevent wheel hop. For that you really need traction bars

[Mark B.]

Re: 59 rear axle in 57 vet

Curious...what are the bars for then? Since they look like anti hop bars I always assumed that was their purpose.

[Stephen K.]

Re: 59 rear axle in 57 vet

I assumed "anti-wheel hop" was the correct term for the brackets on top of the 59/60 axle tube based on responses from other NCRS members. These brackets support the bar that runs to a bracket on the frame (on 59/60 cars, not on 57). I agree "traction bar bracket" is the term I would use, but what do I know, I look to NCRS for guidance. Also I will not be installing the bars nor the frame mounted bracket for the bars. I'm planning on using the 59/60 setup because it was completely rebuilt including the rear brakes and its a posi 3.70 unit.
Again, thank you for all who responded.

[Terry D.]

Re: 59 rear axle in 57 vet

The bars were suppose to stop wheel hop and help with cornering, however they were of little help. To stop wheel hop traction bars were the answer. Try to remember the General was using 1940 technology on their supposedly top of line sports car. Anyone who has see the suspension of a 1959 Austin Martin (or similar car) knows the General was years behind the foreign competition.

[Mark B.]

Re: 59 rear axle in 57 vet

Remember the Corvette was an AMERICAN version of a sports car, and somewhat of an experimental stab at the sports car market in the beginning. it had to be at least somewhat affordable, and GM was not about to throw a huge investment into unsure waters. Heck, they didn't even know if anyone wanted an American sports car. That era of American automobile was more about STYLING than function, whereas the Europeans had been refining sports cars for willing customer base for quite some time. So, a 1959 Aston (rear advantage was transverse or watts link set up) was almost exactly twice the cost of a 1959 corvette new, so I'd hope it had a more sophisticated rear suspension.

All the early corvettes, actually all corvettes up until 1984, had archaic crap suspensions and were only bandaided into acceptable.The only reason any early corvette has any semblance of handling is due to weight balance from engine setback, and relative light weight.
The C2 got the independent rear which helped a bunch, but the rest was still old and unrefined to say the least.
The anti hop bars were just a step in the patching process, and was an improvement over the earlier set up. While not perfect for sure, I believe its an improvement on the first arrangement without the bars.

Traction bars, slapper bars, (add on, or aftermarket) serve to enhance straight line traction (drag racing) only, where the factory anti hop bars were designed to improve the hop tendency and improve general handling. the add on traction bars while great for drag racing, are actually detrimental to overall handling in my opinion.