Cresta diff conversion?

[xcrowx]

Hey everyone, been on the site for a while now.. Just taking in all the info members post. I've had my swb beddy a year now and think its time i did this conversion. I would like to know whats involved for the fit of the cresta diff internals, anyone out there done this themselves and could shed some light on the process? Would be appreciated Great site and members!

Cheers Bruce

[ben]

i have not herd or seen anyone doing this conversion in aus so yeh maybe you new zealand guys have more of the know?? must be EASIER to get hold of one in new zealand..

cheers
ben

[Worzel]

the hard bit is getting the cresta diff internals, the easy bit is going to a diff specialist to have it fitted

[BlackBedford]

G'day
I had it done years ago to a CFS van using a Vauxhall Cresta 6 cylinder crown wheel and pinion. It cost a lot of money for very little improvement. The parts were expensive and getting it fitted properly was a hassle. I then put 15" rims with high profile 4WD tyres on to get it to cruise on the highway. I probably should have put a 5 speed gearbox in instead
Apparently it only works for the early model diff.

Regards

[Sundownernz]

Hey Bruce,

Welcome to the site. Give me a call if you want to join our Auckland based custom van club. 4785733.

As Worzel said, hardest part will be getting a cresta crown wheel and pinion these days. I had the diff in my first van coverted with a cresta setup but that was back in '78. Cresta parts were a dime a dozen back then but probably pretty rare now. I used a PC Cresta crown wheel and pinion and had it installed by a diff shop. It's a direct swap for the CF crown wheel and pinion (bolt out, bolt in) and gives a good cruising ratio of about 3.5:1. Mine was a SWB running a 283 chev and auto and handled the power OK. What I did find was that the spyder gears in the CF diff were starting to go after about three years of feeding the V8 through it. Got a 9" in my current van.

Don't know where you'd start to find a Cresta diff now days. Just ring all the wreckers I guess.

Hope this helps.

Garry.

[stumpy1972uk1]

i might be able to throw some light on this , the cresta rear axle is the same as the one vauxhall used over here in the uk on the vauxhall ventora fd , 1967 to 1972. the ventora had the cresta 3.3 straight six engine which i believe got fitted also into a lot of the beddies you guys have over there.  now the early cf axle is the same as the cresta axle just wider than the cresta. the cresta is about 55 inches face to face , the beddies 62 inches face to face or there abouts.  the diffs are the same. the cresta and the fd ran 13 " rims on 175/60/13 tyres. whats the abundance of american day vans over there. the axles fit loverly and have really good ratios.

[xcrowx]

Cheers for all the reply's guys

Yeah getting the diff was the hard part till i bumped into an old fulla while out in the van, got talking and what do you know he had one in his garage... Thats exactly what i needed to know Garry cheers, now to find time to swap em over  so there was no lengthening or shortening of the driveshaft? May give you a call sometime bout the club Garry, thanks again everyone...

[ben]

youve already got one!! flippen laughen!!

ben

[Sundownernz]

Hey Bruce. If you have one already it's all good. Drive shaft should be OK. I know when I did mine we didn't touch the drive shaft, just changed the crown wheel and pinion over so you should be fine.

Good luck and keep us posted on how it all goes.

Cheers,
Garry.

[Rogue Trooper]

I've got one of these conversions in mine and when I ran the 186 with trimatic it still used to rev pretty high at 100k.