8 3/4 Questions

I think you're gonna find that if it does indeed have a 3:55 gear in it, it will be in a 489 case, which would indicate that it is a 69 or later rearend. I would also be surprised if it did not have a suregrip with a 3:55, but of course that could have been removed. On the matter of the 8 1/4" rear, I believe that all 8 1/4" rearends have the large bolt pattern, as they were not introduced until 1973 when the 8 3/4" was removed from service in the A body lineup. As a matter of reference, if it does indeed have a 3:55 in any other than a 489 case, they will be aftermarket gears, as the 741 would not have come with that ratio. If I'm not mistaken, when the 489 was introduced in 69, the 741 and 742 cases were also eliminated from service. I know it replaced the 742 case, but I'm not sure about the 741. For your reference, there is an A body 8 3/4" in a junkyard by my house with a 489 case 3:55 suregrip that was removed from a 71 340 Duster, and I have offered $500.00 for it and was met with a no answer. I am with the others in that if it is $250.00, and has all of the brake components and a center section with 3:55's even without a suregrip it is well worth the money. I would pay the $$$ and take it home without opening it up and check it when you get it home. Everything inside is rebuildable, and unless the gears are just rusted or broken, opening it up on site will not yield you much info. The housing and brakes are worth the 250 alone!!! Good luck getting it and bringing it home!!! Geof