57-64 olds/pontiac 9.3 rear axle

[fatguyzinc]

so brother patrick pulled one outta his stash for me, gotta clean it up
and run some numbers to see what exactly i got here.. no wonder
its the 'go to' for lotsa old school builds, this thing is gnarly. kinda
like an extra large really heavy ford 9".

plans are to either stuff it under the 55 plymouth unless its got some crazy
5:86 gear or something, then maybe flip it to someone else doing a similar build.

he also found two 52 chevy 15x5 rims with caps & rings. so awesome, gonna
clean em up/paint them and drop some 205-70s on for the front end, then
the 15x4 ansens with matching 10s can go up for sale.

pics shortly....

[fatguyzinc]

bummer! its a 60" wide unit, must be from a big car like
b'ville, delta88,etc.... so not sure if i want (or can afford...)
to go thru the hassle of narrowing it.

*sigh* figure out a way around one problem/make 5 more.......

[squirrel]

Radius the wheel wells, problem solved. Those rears were almost always run full width.

[SuperBuickGuy]

it's lots cheaper to narrow an axle as opposed to widening one. when I narrowed the Ford axle for the Fiat, it cost me $125 to have the axles resplined, rewelded the ends on when it's narrowed is not that terribly difficult (hell, if I can do it, you might be able to too)

[Eric]

Radius the wheel wells, problem solved. Those rears were almost always run full width.

I'd guess this depend on the rules in his area and if they enforce them. If the tire be partly outside the body.
That be a no go, here.

[fatguyzinc]

I'd guess this depend on the rules in his area and if they enforce them. If the tire be partly outside the body.
That be a no go, here.

yep, same here--no part of tire including sidewall ( wtf....) can protrude
past the fenders. and TONS of other bullsh@t laws...

[fatguyzinc]

so im at a crossroads here... ive got 3 rear axles to choose from for
the 55 plymouth gasser project. choices are--

1) a 1967 chevelle 12 bolt. needs backing plates/brakes/drums but otherwise complete,
AND it was overhauled end to end and never run. 3:73/posi. fairly strong but probably
the weakest of the three i have....i bet a girdle cover would help.

2) 8.75 mopar from a 72 duster. needs backing plates/brakes/drums AND shafts. ouch.
also overhauled/never run. 3:55/posi. pretty strong, and has the '489' center. all the
8.75's had nodular centers & 30 spline factory....

3) the 9.3 from 57 olds. unknown gear yet (havent dragged it out to mess with yet)
needs nothing to run BUT what if its got 5:87 gears or something? it IS fairly bombproof though....

right now either the 12 bolt or the 9.3 (again depending what gear it has) are looking
like the way to go as shafts for the 8.75 alone are $300-$450+.

any ideas/advice? if $$$ was no object id shorten a corporate 14 bolt, those things are
ridiculously stout. but i gotta use what i got, so....???
anyone? bueller? bueller?? bueller???

[Eric]

Keep your, mopar, mopar.
But really, I'd guess, whatever one the width of it, works best.
I would've thought a duster would've had the 7.5 rear. Didn't most dusters come with a slant 6.

[fatguyzinc]

Keep your, mopar, mopar.
But really, I'd guess, whatever one the width of it, works best.
I would've thought a duster would've had the 7.5 rear. Didn't most dusters come with a slant 6.

as the 55 is getting a 468" tunnel ram rat motor & a muncie, it may be a little late
to stay all mopar...this duster had a 340, unknown if the motor/trans/rear axle
were factory issued or if someone swapped em in there, but thats what was in
it when we stripped it. (was BADLY T-boned, passenger floor pan was scrapping
against driveshaft when it drove--yes, DROVE--into the garage.yikes! )

the 8.75 is a tad shorter than the other 2, but also needs the most parts to
finish it-backing plates, parking brake cables, brakes, drums, and the aformentioned
axle shafts. that means out of the 3 its the one thats going to cost the most to get
useable. that in itself kinda makes it the 'bronze medal'....

[silver_bullet]

The Oldsmobile rear ends were very tough.... the hot ticket back before Chevrolet went to the ten and twelve bolt rears check out the HAMB for a good discussion on this very topic!

[fatguyzinc]

ok, a quick check says either posi or a locker of some sort, and has the yoke turning
around 5-1/2 times for a single turn of the drum, so im guessing it is a 5.57 gear. booo!

oh well, that decides it--the 12 bolt it is! i will drag the 9.3 over to bobbys house, maybe
he will stuff it under his new to him 66 elcamino--he can afford to regear if he wants to.