help me fig out what rear end this is

[baginwagon]

79 malibu wagon 4 SPEED

has tag says use limtited slip lube only and looks like it messures 11"?????
i was under car on ground so hard to tell

but has two littel fangs MAYBE 1/2 inch long on left and right side of the rear end

how do i upload pics that might help???



thanks
craig

 

[84GP455]

It sounds to me like you have a 7.5 posi rearend. The tag means that it is a limited slip thus the limited slip lube only warning, and i have those "fangs"
on my rearend also which is a 7.5 posi.

 

[itsnotanova]

What you have is the stock axle which is the 7.5. If those "fangs" were flat on the bottom instead of curling down, you would have the 8.5 which in my opinion is a kickass rearend. The 8.5 only came in a handfull of Gbody's (Grand National,442&Regal turbo) and it wouldn't be unheard of to see someone put the 8.5 in other Gbody's.

 

[Vern]

Maybe he is lucky and got a 3.08 gear. Did they put code stickers in the trunk lid on those like they did the later gbodys?

 

[baginwagon]

not sure by what u mean by curling down mine just point out and they are flat not real pointy where do i messure to get teh 7.5 or 8.5 the cover or to the tubes them selfs

 

[baginwagon]

why would a 308 gear be lucky????
lol i would normaly throw that out
now im debating on selling the car to some one who can have a master plain
instead of me melesting it
sense it probly is some what sought after by a wagon guy but i dont
i mean its a wagon with a 4 speed how cool is that

 

[itsnotanova]

If you're looking at it from the rear those tips(fangs) should be at 4:30 and 7:30. The top of the tip should kind of shoot out at a 45 degree angle and the bottom should curve up a little as it returns to the pumpkin. If the bottom is completely flat and paralel to the ground, you have a 8.5. That is the only way I know of telling them apart from the outside. If your drums are alluminum that's also another clue but even that can vary.

 

[baginwagon]

ahhhh probly is the 7.5
but still wondering why a 308 gear is so good to have besides gas millege

 

[megaladon6]

with a th350 trans (i'm assuming that's what you have) 3.08 gears will give you very good off the line acceleration and still leave the RPM's around 2k at 60MPH. if you spent ALL your time on the highway, or road racing :lol: you'd want a numerically lower gear. if you're drag racing you'd probably want a higher gear. 3.08 should also work with a 200r4, but i prefer a 3.42 or 3.73.
if you measure across the cover, bolt hole to bolt hole it should be about 10 3/4, i believe, for the 7.5. it's about 11in for the 8.5. these numbers aree approximate but you should be able to find them with a search.
also the 8.5 has a round bolt perimeter and the 7.5 is flatter top and bottom.

 

[itsnotanova]

I checked out your pictures and unfortunely you have the 7.5. It's still a good rear, exspecaily with the posi rear. If you look on my album, there's a picture of my el camino with a 7.5 that was in my malibu. I forgot it was in there until now. That 7.5 was in the malibu until I switched to the 8.5 I have in it now. That 7.5 preformed find behind my 355hp ZZ4. I hope you do keep your malibu but if you plan on putting in a big motor with the manual, you may need to step up on the rear too. I'd worry about other things first though.