Hey Guys,
I'm planning my rod build and realized that my rear axle hub to hub will be 5" wider than the front ! I'm using an 8 3/4 out of an E body, and a Speedway front axle/spring kit. It's a 39 Plymouth pickup hot rod, no fenders. 330 desoto hemi waiting for it. Any input about the safety and handling of this ? I think it will look ok, but want to be safe and handle well !!
Thanks for any thoughts.

It will be fine,its done all the time.Not really any different than say if you put some wide tires on the rear of a muscle car

For handling purposes it's better to have a wider front track, assuming front engine. But the opposite won't really be an issue.

It'll look weird if you have the tires way out there by themselves, that's my first thought. Maybe some FWD rims with a lot of positive offset are in order? Or find a narrower rear.

R.

Choose the offset of the front and rear wheels carefully. 2 1/2" per side is not a huge deal as long as you don't compound the problem with deep offset wheels on the rear and skinny no offset wheels on the front, unless you are going for that late 60s look. If you are going for the late 60, go really big in the rear and as skinny as possible in the front with a huge blower sitting on top of the motor and the mandatory chrome ground torching Zoomies. Gene

B-body rear is narrower. I'd swap it out. Look them up.

http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/axle/17.html

1929 model A front 1971 imperial rear.

Handles great went with wider in the rear to follow the wedge layout of the car.

mock up your car with the wheels and tires and stance you like and add axeles and suspension to fit the overall look block everything up to get it right first.............