Redneck budget a-body rear end???

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greenhornet

greenhornet

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Ok guys, lets toss around some "bullet proof" low budget early A-body rear end ideas.. Here's what I'm thinking, I just stumbled out in the dark and measured a mid-80's gt stang rear end I just happened to have laying around.. It's approx 52.5" back plate to back plate... I have a 66 Valiant thats getting a 383... What do you guys think about going with a late 80's GT 8.8 posi stang rear end in my Valiant??? Cut all the ford mounts off it and weld on 2-leaf spring perches..
 
And you get disk brakes. Friends doing an 8.8 in a 69 Barracuda. 9 inch out of a Maverick is within an inch,
 
I have a maverick 9" housing, center section is huge, affraid it will hit my gas tank.. I like the 8.8 better, that would be sweet rear disc brakes...
 
This is a swap that is gaining a popular following. Go for it, "Hot Rodders" use what they have on hand or by way of , free, cheap, trade.
 
Yesterday I measured one of my full size ford truck 9" rear ends, I could shorten one side and it would probably work, then i walked by the gt rear end laying there and noticed the center section is centered like the mopar (in the center not off set to one side).. The little hampster wheel has been spinning in my head all day about it..
 
Kick the Hamster out get bigger wheel to fit and replace with jack rabbit, for quicker results....this is a do-able swap.

Run a search here and find some pictures and threads on the matter. Have fun and good luck.
 
Yeah man, this Valiant has got me hyped!!! I'm thinking everything through on this one (it's a keeper).. The 383 I have came out of a 1960 full size chevy hippy BUS, someone did a great job putting it in it, they even had eletronic ignition wired up, that 383 moved that BUS all around the county back in the 70's, I'm gonna freshin it up before it goes in the Valiant..
 
The engine is a '71, it wasn't a HP but it's gettin ready to be one... Valiant is a 2-door '66 grand-maw grocery getter...
 
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AWESOME Ride!!! Any idea how much yours weighs?? I seriously thought about a straight axle (I have one from a A-100) and doing an altered wheel base street car, don't think I wanna cut this one up.. I figure by the time I'm finished with this one I'll have another with not so good of body lined up for an altered... I've been dying to do an altered for about 5 years now, I've considered a 55 chevy or a 65 comet, goodluck scoring one of those bodys for under $2,500.. It feels good being back in the mopar camp, I'm pretty much bored with everything else, I need a challenge... I'm wasting my god given talents, I love to FAB... When I saw that little blue virgin Valiant, I said to myself, self- that's the car... Don't blow it moron, wrap the deal up...
 
I too had the vision of..thats the car!Got mine with all the clifford 4 bbl and hedders stuff,sold all that.Now disc brake,narrowed rear with a 408(410)/904 race car.Good luck with the build.
car pics 66 Dart 189.jpg

car pics 66 Dart 205.jpg

car pics 66 Dart 189.jpg


car pics 66 Dart 205.jpg
 
SWEET ride bludart !!! That roof always reminds me of a savoy... I've always had a thing for gassers and altereds, we're right in the prime of that era with our mopars.. That played into my decision also... Plus, all the planets were semi aligned, cool breeze blowin south to north west eastern, the mopar gods were smilein down upon us, we are blessed, "CAN I GETTA A-MEN"?????
 
you going to convert it to 5 lug? and what discs are you talking about, explorer discs? i know my 80s mustang had drums. nothing wrong with the 8.8 as long as it is an 8.8 some of the earlier mustangs had 7.5"s or something like that. your going to have to ditch the 7 1/4 and step up to the plate with some decent rubber one way or another.
 
Yeah, I'll make some 14" white wall cheater slicks, I think most of the late 80's GT's had disc brakes (I'm no ford expert), the rear I measured was a 7.5" mid 80's GT rear , should be the same width.. 4 or 5- lug doesn't matter, I'm going to run dog dish hubcaps...
 
if its a 7.5 forget it. its no better than the 7.25 you have, its only going to give you grief. go through the effort for nothing. it will fail with a mild beating and you will have a laim 4 lug bolt pattern to add to it. might as well just blow up the 7.25 you have in the car.
 
Thanks for that link!!! I have acouple of the 8.8 explorer rear ends with the 3.73 posi units (working in an auto scrap yard rocked!)... I have a lot of 8.8 parts, hubs, disc brake stuff etc...
 
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