Rear Ends

[Laid_Out_50]

What kind (donor car) of rear end are you running on your truck? Posi or non posi? Disk brakes or drum?

[blackdiesel]

ford explorer, 8.8 posi disk brakes e brake factory sway bars, and if you pick one up out of a mountineer you get factory traction bars. great rear ends, can be had for 150 bucks any day of the week wiht low miles

[orgalmeister]

'79 Trans Am posi disc brakes... close to stock width

[Laid_Out_50]

So any camaro rearend will fit?

[Steve@OldSub.com]

Which one?

My '55 1st GMC Suburban has the rear from a '73 Chevelle wagon. 10-bolt GM 62 inches WMS to WMS with 3.08 gears and drum brakes. I'd say its perfect for that truck.

My '54 GMC 1-ton trailer puller has a GM 14-bolt with 3.42 gears and drum brakes. Its perfect for that truck.

My '54 GMC 1/2-ton has an S-10 4x4 rear with drum brakes and I still don't know what gears. I hope its perfect....

Which of my trucks is closest to what you want yours to be? Choosing a rear, the right gear ratio and the right brakes is really determined by what you want to do with the truck.

[mixermike]

i have a 70 mustang rearend in my '57

[blackdiesel]

Originally Posted by mixermike

i have a 70 mustang rearend in my '57

every time i see that truck my jaw drops. never would have thought to paint one that color but i really like it!

[NONHOG]

Dang ! mixermike thats sweet !

[BigBlocksRule]

Originally Posted by NONHOG

Dang ! mixermike thats sweet !

I agree!!!!
IMHO, the '57 short step was the pinnacle of truck design in the US. Everything since has been downhill.

I have a straight one I'm going to ProTour, hoping for a big LS engine under the hood to really surprise 'em.

[mixermike]

Originally Posted by BigBlocksRule

I agree!!!!
IMHO, the '57 short step was the pinnacle of truck design in the US. Everything since has been downhill.

I have a straight one I'm going to ProTour, hoping for a big LS engine under the hood to really surprise 'em.

i gotta BIGBLOCK under the hood brother

[Laid_Out_50]

Will the rear end out of an 87 Camaro be a good replacement for my 1950 3100

[hotrodrookie]

98 ford exploder 8.8, 3.25 axle tubes, 31 spline axles, disk brakes, lim slip, usually 3.73 gears and theres tons of them at the wrecking yards.

[Laid_Out_50]

Originally Posted by hotrodrookie

98 ford exploder 8.8, 3.25 axle tubes, 31 spline axles, disk brakes, lim slip, usually 3.73 gears and theres tons of them at the wrecking yards.

Do the explorer rear ends come with posi

[hotrodrookie]

You asked, so I told you what I was using.

and the 7.5 i bought is getting rained on in the backyard since i picked up the 8.8

[Laid_Out_50]

I started looking up the 8.8" and they look more readily available and since if replaced the 9" it shold be good. Does your 8.8 have posi

[hotrodrookie]

Pretty much, its a limited slip differential. Most of the explorers with 4 doors came with limited slip diffs. You can look on the tag, mine read L373 I believe(or somthing like that) the L is limited slip and it has 3.73 gears.

[Laid_Out_50]

Originally Posted by hotrodrookie

Pretty much, its a limited slip differential. Most of the explorers with 4 doors came with limited slip diffs. You can look on the tag, mine read L373 I believe(or somthing like that) the L is limited slip and it has 3.73 gears.

How hard was it to make fit under your truck I read that the 8.8 is offset to one side was this a problem when connecting the drive line to the trans? Is the bolt pattern still 4.5" or did you convert it to 4.75"

[Laid_Out_50]

Well I can't run the 8.8 I looked and I have 5x4.75 bolt pattern for my front end and want to to keep it the same. I did find a website that says Gen 2 Camaro rear ends will work and 75-79 Novas

[mobileortho]

Chevy II Nova, non posi.

[hotrodrookie]

Im not worried about the offset in the driveline even though I havent connected it yet. Iv asked all around and it shouldnt be a problem.
I actually went and bought 2 one inch spacer/adapter plates that convert the lug nut pattern to 5on4.75.($75)
Im assuming your building an AD truck, if you havent already, go to TRUCKS tv dot com and look at the episodes of their classix project. Its an AD truck that they put an MII front end and 4 linked the rear with a 8.8 explorer axle.

[blackdiesel]

ive got the 8.8 under 3 of our rides. the offset makes zero difference. theres a u-joint in it for a reason. whats the difference if the drive shaft pivots up a touch from the axle to the tranny verses to the side a little?

you can either buy adapters or re drill your rotors to make it the chevy bolt pattern, or convert the front to ford.

[panelrodder81]

I run a 74 Ponti Ventura 3.73 rear end in my '53 Panel truck. With my MII front end I just have one set of wheels with the same off set, they are double drilled of course for the two bolt patterns, but they work great and clear everything.

[Big Port Jimmy 6]

68 c10 373 peg leg in my 48.

the 67-72 ford truck rear ends also work well

[CAL 58 GMC]

7.5 out of a 2003 S-10 Blazer, gutted and put a posi with 3:23 gears from a 2000 Trans Am.

[kustombrad]

Went with an 2WD S-10 Blazer rear in mine (3:42 & Posi) but do the math for what size wheels you want to run. The 2WD rears are narrower than the 4WD ( 4WD closer to an early Nova or Camaro width) Put your wheels and tires underneath the truck if you're not sure, set them up where you want them to sit and measure from wheel to wheel ( inside where the axles bolt up). You can find all the different widths of rearends if you do a little online homework! I Googled all the stuff that I did long before I got it just to be sure.