8.5 ALTERNATIVE

[ck80]

I don't know if co$t is@the forefront of the reasoning here 😏 sure deep down but putting a proven aftermarket ford style part in their GM's is just to hard on some people.no one clears their throat when someone posts a picture of installing a set of c-clip eliminators in their (insert any 10 bolt here)another proven aftermarket ford style part.ill do you one better,show of hands how many of you have run a jeep shaft in your life? chrysler?the horror,that's cross breeding rite there.those of you paying attention my hands up also.im also running a 99 f series upper radiator hose in place of my lower because I needed one with the 1-3/4 end and while I'm @ it my brake vac pump is out of an audi and it's quieter and more efficient than those rebranded airbrush compressors they push as brake assist operations.😛☕
don't be scared kids..it's all the same they're parts

Buying and rebuilding an 8.5 is (for me) cheaper than building a 9".

Also, I don't run Ford axles in my gm. I don't run dodge fans, I use a blade fan. I don't use a Chrysler shaft, I run a rag joint. And I don't install c-clip eliminators. My brakes come from the manufacturer, I keep true to the marque. Even the mustangs run Ford pads - if they're good enough to last 135k miles without a change, a second set will work just fine.

My Chevrolets have Chevy engines. Buicks have buicks. Olds have olds.

When it's old enough, and oem just doesn't exist, then I go brand neutral for the best MADE IN USA I can get, and I take made in Canada as second best.

People who want rat rod hot rods that are bastardized, meh, enjoy yourself it's your car.

 

[69hurstolds]

I have every NOS/GM part but the carrier/side gears/axles and the housing to rebuild an 8.5 posi rear end (save for the aftermarket clutch plates as the GM plates are literally dried up).

I did not pay retail price for any of it. I was able to get all that junk for <$600 US. Brake drums and all. Half of that was gear set and clutch plates. So you CAN get by without a ton of cash redoing a stock 8.5 if you're not in a hurry and can scrounge parts.

Had a line on NOS axles but turned out the knucklehead had 7.5 axles, not 8.5 and wasted a basket of my time verifying it.

If you're building for high HP, then I'd just pick one out of the catalog of whatever rear end builder has that fits your budget. Much easier and likely end up costing about the same as building one yourself. And without having to spend the time fugging around with the gear set-up.

 

[Rt Jam]

This is NO correct answer since all the budgets and strength required are different but here are some points.

For moderate power levels. Even if a RARE 8.5" and is a little expensive. It's GM and it's bolt in with no fabrication required. Might not be a big factor for those who are welding a housing together but I think this is a major point in favour of an 8.5". A leaf spring car would be a bit easier but a 4 arm set up will require a jig and major fab to properly bolt into a G body.

A brand new 9" from Moser, Strange, Bear's is starting at $2g. Nobody is going this route. If you are jumping to 9" for strength there will be upgrades for 600hp and up which will creep past 2g quickly.

With that said, hopefully CK80 can swallow this but I will probably go S60 and not look back.

 

[rfpowerdude]

I have an 8.5" 3.73:1 posi G-bod rear from a 442 that I was going to use one day. I got it from Bruce Ponti and he said he put new axle bearings in it along with some other stuff that I would have to look up.

I AM SELLING IT. I doubt that I will ever use it. I will list it soon for $950 + ship firm. I'll pull the cover and take pics. I have the anti-roll bar with control arms too. That would be included.

I think getting a good 8.5" already ready to go in is the best way to go as others have said.

 

[L92 OLDS]

I have an 8.5" 3.73:1 posi G-bod rear from a 442 that I was going to use one day. I got it from Bruce Ponti and he said he put new axle bearings in it along with some other stuff that I would have to look up.

I AM SELLING IT. I doubt that I will ever use it. I will list it soon for $950 + ship firm. I'll pull the cover and take pics. I have the anti-roll bar with control arms too. That would be included.

I think getting a good 8.5" already ready to go in is the best way to go as others have said.

That’s a good deal. The last one sold went in one day for $1500

 

[ck80]

With that said, hopefully CK80 can swallow this but I will probably go S60 and not look back.

Absolutely. As much as I'm all for keeping my cars true to their maker, I've got no issues with someone else putting whatever they want in theirs. Now, if you were taking an 82 GN and chopping the roof to a convertible, swapping an ls engine, a Ford rear, and putting it on hydraulics with 22"rims then I might grumble.

They built millions of gbodies, plenty for everyone to make one they want, but also without wrecking the super rare ones at the same time.

I have an 8.5" 3.73:1 posi G-bod rear from a 442 that I was going to use one day. I got it from Bruce Ponti and he said he put new axle bearings in it along with some other stuff that I would have to look up.

I AM SELLING IT. I doubt that I will ever use it. I will list it soon for $950 + ship firm. I'll pull the cover and take pics. I have the anti-roll bar with control arms too. That would be included.

I think getting a good 8.5" already ready to go in is the best way to go as others have said.

Shoot me a message when you're ready to sell. I might be able to use another for my stash and you're only about 4 hrs away. Maybe we could meet partway and save the hassle of shipping.

 

[rfpowerdude]

Shoot me a message when you're ready to sell. I might be able to use another for my stash and you're only about 4 hrs away. Maybe we could meet partway and save the hassle of shipping.

Will do. I need to get pics. I will do that this weekend. I'll ping ya then. Sorry for the hijack.

 

[81cutlass]

The rant nobody asked for but I am giving anyways.

I saw a listing on Marketplace this AM and decided to rant on why the 9" market sucks. The only reason the 9" is still popular today is because of institutional inertia. They never fit in anything correctly to start with, rarely came with posi's or gear ratios worth using, drum brakes are a PITA and the wheel bolt patterns are always wrong. Ok, swapping gears is easy, but who actually has 3 gear sets that they swap regularly?

The only thing a 9" ever came in factory that is the right width for anything is an early Mustang, early Bronco, or a granada. Anything post 72 has airplane gears. Vans and pickups are a mile wide.

The used market universally on 9" stuff is on crack. Essentially every salvage yard has crushed anything that came with a 9" factory and there isn't any 74 F150 or 77 torinos going into the salvage yards anymore, so you are stuck with A) hot factory garbage that someone has been sitting on for 35 years B) brand new parts made by some aftermarket company that they never installed C) brand new stuff for 15% over used price

A used carburetor is half price new, wheels and tires are half price or better, rear end parts hold 85% or more of their original value. An engine, maybe 25% of the original price if your lucky.

My evidence?

A never installed (But still used) 35 spline strange 9" spool, $150. Ok.

What is it brand new? $190.

So you buy a part and have it for years (obviously past the return date) and expect to get $40 less than what you paid for it. I don't care if it's never installed, it's used.

4.10's and 31 spline, not bad, but $750? It's 'new' but again, its maybe 15% off what you can get one built from a reputable place for, and this has zero info. What kind of posi? Is it 1330? Is it a cheese grade ductile case? Who knows.

Ok, 35 spline, nodular, truetrac, good stuff, $1000. ?

New? $1500. Ok so there is some de-rate in price there but you blasted 700 hp through the thing for a year and it's like new? I guess...

Complete rears? $350. Any hotrod you are going to put this in needs it cut down and

Bah!

 

[lilbowtie]

Hey guys its been a while since I have posted, life has thrown me a couple of curve balls that I have been dealing with. I can't even remember what this post was - I think it was 64 or 65 8.5 A body rear end. I can apricate all the comments and why people do what they do and why. When I built the Regal the Moser 9 in w/ axles package was only $595.00 and you could order it w/ the spines, ends, stud length, and wheel bolt pattern you wanted. I bought a 9 in 4.11 with a spool for $150.00 and had a bolt in rear. I have looked on line and seen the 9 in w/ axle package is now closing in on $900.00 - as mentioned prices are getting crazy. When we build the Sonoma the package was around $800.00 and also had a back brace installed. I found a used Moser housing 9 in w/ 4.30 gears for $400.00 and then found a new build Yukon case bolt through w/ a 4.56 for $825.00 so yes closing in on $2000.00. I think the prices on 8.5 rear ends that are aprox 45 years are going nuts.

 

[64nailhead]

The rant nobody asked for but I am giving anyways.

I saw a listing on Marketplace this AM and decided to rant on why the 9" market sucks. The only reason the 9" is still popular today is because of institutional inertia. They never fit in anything correctly to start with, rarely came with posi's or gear ratios worth using, drum brakes are a PITA and the wheel bolt patterns are always wrong. Ok, swapping gears is easy, but who actually has 3 gear sets that they swap regularly?

The only thing a 9" ever came in factory that is the right width for anything is an early Mustang, early Bronco, or a granada. Anything post 72 has airplane gears. Vans and pickups are a mile wide.

The used market universally on 9" stuff is on crack. Essentially every salvage yard has crushed anything that came with a 9" factory and there isn't any 74 F150 or 77 torinos going into the salvage yards anymore, so you are stuck with A) hot factory garbage that someone has been sitting on for 35 years B) brand new parts made by some aftermarket company that they never installed C) brand new stuff for 15% over used price


Bah!

Amen brother!!

I want to point out that some might consider me a hypocrite because I have an 8.8 in my car, so all of th eFord haters can hate lol.


I love hearing a 9" is needed and 'it would've been cheaper to start out with a 9"', 'gotta have a 9" for 600hp' - all of that is truly inaccurate. There might be one place that it might be remotely true - BB with a nitrous hit with slicks cutting sub 1.2 60' times. Last I checked, most of those guys aren't street driving because they have 5500 stall converter and a cam that sounds like a popcorn popper at idle - NOT considered street friendly!!!

I've never blown up rear (knock on wood haha), and have always been over 600 crank hp and most of the time over 7-800whp. All street friendly and definitely not considering 1.2-1.3 60' times.

An 8.5 in you 600hp car is more than adequate on a street tire or at the strip as long as you aren't running a 200-300 shot of nitrous.

Regarding budget friendly, my 8.8 has less than $1700 in it with a 35 spline spool, big Ford wheel ends welded on and a truss bar kit from Southside Machine. The housing was directly from the junkyard and less than $100. I'm yet to see a 9" housing, center, axles, brakes, gears for less than $2500.

Personally, if I ever build something that my 8.8 won't take, then I'll be dropping the jing on a Dana 60.