Tom's Rear Suspension Upgrade

68/70Vette

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 19, 2008
Messages
1,051
Location
Torrance, Ca.USA
I have some questions and probably the answers would be of general interest.
Please note that I will not be buying everything at one time. My budget is to buy things slowly until I get where I want to go. I first started this in 1980 with a purchase a new frame. A Keith Black aluminum block and billet crank in 1989. Brodix heads and Richmond 5 speed in 1992, new interior in 2007;.... Vintage Air, Hydraboost, McLeod dual disk clutch, all new front suspension (Guildstrand Motorsports), Tom's offset trailing arms and strut rods all in the last couple of years. All of the above comments pertain to my 1970. In 2004 to 2009, I did a retro mod on my 68 (lot of parts purchase activity).

1) Looking at Tom's large U joint axles, half shafts...these are the U joints that require notching the battery compartment to fit. Can these be bought ahead of time without worry about installation? Can the large flange half axles be installed in the spindle without machining the spindle? Can the corresponding half axle parts be installed in the differential case without machining? I understand that these large half axle components require different parts in the positraction case. I would like to buy NOW these hefty Tom's parts, but I'd like to know how much machining I've getting into to make them work NOTE : Tom's 12 bolt differential is not a cost effective option. I need to stay with the 10 bolt. The 12 bolt has a minimum 3.73:1 ring gear option. I already have a Richmond 5 speed and with a 1:1 5th gear output, I want to stay with my 3.08:1 gear to avoid buying a Tremac transmission.

I have a Keith Black 454 inch engine. I have tentative plans can bore it up to 496~502. This will stress the rear end. When I approach an engine builder, I'm going to be asking for about 650 Hp.

........Yes, maybe I should just call Tom. He did my stock 68: rebuilt diff, stock u-joints, VBP offset trailing arms, Tom's strut rods. But although Tom has always been cordial with me, he does have a short fuse. I'd just like to be educated a little bit before calling him to order the stuff. Maybe some other readers would be interested in knowing this also.
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Tom's Short Fuse. A transmission and differential repair shop ordered a large amount of parts from Tom. This was when he was in Bellflower Ca (I was one of his last customers before he went to Idaho) . When I walked in to his shop, all the parts were on pallets in the front of his business. It was a big, big order. Tom appears to be a large scale source of transmission and differential parts. A hapless young man showed up, to pick up the parts, and told Tom that his employer had changed his mind with regards to the order. Only a fraction of the parts Tom had palletized were now wanted. Tom became unhappy(unhappy is an understatement). Tom had spent many hours packaging and palletizing the parts. Tom was pretty forceful in telling the young man to call his boss and tell him that it was all or nothing. If they didn't want all they ordered, they'd get nothing......cell phone calls...They bought it all.
 
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I've been dealing with Tom for years and using his parts in my diff's. I like the guy and have to say if that story is true I don't blame him one bit. I can't tell you how many call me for advice only to go to someone else to save a buck and not get what they expect.

Every time I call Tom I can tell he's been running crazy working on orders and his business so you have to take that into consideration when someone calls with a lot of questions.

As for your questions, you're referring to his 1480 axle setup. This will require the complete kit with shafts. Yes it will come with 30 spline inner axles so you're going to need new spiders. It will require machine fitment. Prices are due to go up very soon if they haven't already so you may want to consider that as well.

As for a using this setup with 650hp no problem using it in a 10 bolt is not want I would recommend. Even my super 10 bolts I wouldn't recomment with that much power in an abusive application. Take it easy driving then it's probably not an issue but then why build a motor with that much power if you don't use it?

I've built a few 12 bolts using the 1480's, they're pretty stout units that's for sure but at 650 hp you're better off with the 1350 and 12 bolt. I don't recommend 1480 unless you get over 700hp, not that there's anything wrong with them but the 1350's will hold up fine.
 
GTR1999, I have not seen you on other forums for a while. Good to see you are around. Just wanted to say hi and let you know I am pulling the body off my 68 and and bring home the chassis next week. I will be in touch soon.
 
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