Un-race-car-ing the 68 Chevelle

[Bamfster]

loc-rites are awesome - I had one in the Buick. They do pop and they don't always unlock, but you always have both wheel putting power to the ground. Did I mention they are cheap and easy to install too?

Have you ever tried the powertrax? I had one in a truck and it seemed to be smoother than the loc-right ...

[milner351]

Great deal! I agree - make it a posi -trac one way or another before you put it into the car - it's out now and easy to access.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Have you ever tried the powertrax? I had one in a truck and it seemed to be smoother than the loc-right ...

I haven't - powertrax came out (it seemed) within days after I bought the one for the Buick; which was the last one I've bought

[Scott Liggett]

I have a Powertrax Lock-rite in my Caprice. I don't like it as well as a Eaton Posi, but it was an inexpensive alternative to the posi unit. I put it in with the diff in the car. Only took a couple hours.

[yellomalibu]

I counted teeth yesterday afternoon. It's not a 3.42, it's a 3.31. Fine by me.

I have a moroso brute strength that needs clutches. I can either build that and get some 3.73's for it - if I decide I want more gear than 3.31, OR go with your suggestions and get a power trax or loc right. Thanks for those suggestions. At this point, I like inexpensive as long as it isn't "cheap".

I don't know how I'll like the gear, so step one is to fix the brakes, fill the fluid and drive the thing for a bit as it is, with the open diff.

[yellomalibu]

Well, the good deal on the 12 bolt is turning out to be not so good of a deal after all.
I went to the parts store today to buy some brakes and gear oil... and turn the drums while I was there. (I used to work there, so my friend the manager lets me use the lathe). I was thinking it would be a ~$50 trip.
No.
Both drums were bent pretty bad. Those had to be ordered.
Then I remembered to get a couple bushings for the housing.
Then brake shoes... might as well get all new hardware.
...and the Right axle had a little play, so grab a bearing, seal, and rear cover gasket.

Hooking me up with good prices, it was over $200.

Yup, the bearing was bad.



...AND this is what the axle looks like:



FORTUNATELY, I still had my original axles for the 12 bolt in the car... but I lost the ability to sell them later.

New brakes:

[kyhunter89]

Good progress bud. throw it together and get it going.

[yellomalibu]

Still waiting on brake drums and the upper trailing arm bushings for the housing.

[mlcraven]

Who knew the reversion from track screamer to street beast was going to be this much fun?!!!

[yellomalibu]

When I attempted to remove the brake hose from the brake lines of the rear end, one of the lines twisted off; on the other side, nut was frozen to the line and I only got the brake hose off by unscrewing it from the brake line nut. So, replace both brake lines on the rear end.




Slid the new drums on, put in 1 3/4 quarts of gear oil, and this unit will be ready to go in as soon as I swing by the parts store and pick up my bushings, then install them.

I jacked up the car to start removing the 12 bolt currently in the car. The rear brake hose on the car doesn't look good.
I asked about the rear brake hose while at the parts store last weekend, and learned that 68 is a one year application, and none of his suppliers have one. I googled it last night, and if I can trust the picture on the NPD website, the rear on a 68 looks like a front style with a banjo fitting on the housing end of the hose. What is on my car isn't that type - so perhaps a 69 - 72 hose is what I need.

I didn't want to have the brake system open any longer than necessary, but I guess I'll go ahead and pull the rear hose off the car and try to match one up. I've gone this far and spent this much money... don't want to start cutting corners with the brakes on a car.

[Bamfster]

Mine has a 70 rear in it, and its up in the air. I can slide under there and snap a pic or two if that helps.

[yellomalibu]

Mine has a 70 rear in it, and its up in the air. I can slide under there and snap a pic or two if that helps.

I picked up one from the parts store today for the 69 - 72 and it looks like it aught to work fine. Thanks, though.

[yellomalibu]

Man, that duct tape residue really shows up in this pic! Anyway, here's the brake hose installed. Looks like that's what's supposed to be there.
After I got the lines tight, I cracked the bleeders open and let gravity do the work for me. New everything from that hose back. After about 3 minutes, both wheel cylinders were dripping steady and fast. Top off the brake fluid in the reservoir. Done.




Oh, and I spent more time thinking of how I could do this swap without taking the sway bar off than it took to actually take it off when I finally quit arguing with myself. ~shakes head~

[yellomalibu]

Nice and quiet. Nice and smooth. ...and going from 4.30's to 3.31's makes a pretty big difference in seat of the pants acceleration. But once I get it rolling and stand on it, opening the secondaries, it still feels fast - so it's good.

[SuperBuickGuy]

time for more cubic inches