Hello, my name is Michael from MS with an 87 cutlass supreme. My father have restored trucks in the past and i helped him, but this is my first project. I have a 350 roccket engine to replace the v6 and a 400 turbo trans. I want to swap out the rear end with a limited slip. what cars with a limited slip rear end will fit my cutlass?
New member with an 87 cutlass supreme
- Thread starter mstegall
- Start date
- Status
Welcome. First if this is going to be a street car or hot street consider keeping and upgrading with a good shift kit your existing (if stock) 200-4R transmission. Its usually a far better choice as you can have both better acceleration AND low rpm cruising for less wear, less heat, better mileage and top speed. That said if its busted and so are you and or especially if its going to be a drag car then yes the th400 would be a better choice.
Generally the easiest and most economical choice on the rear end is to have your local salvage yard do a search for a wrecked MCSS in which case you could just swap the whole rear drum to drum. Some already come with a limited slip rear all would have either a 3.42 or 3.73 gear and a rear sway bar that a regular Cutlass usually doesn't have. If you locate a wrecked etc MCSS often you can still get the thicker front sway bar again which your Cutlass probably does not have. No special tools or experience required like their would be in doing a posi and or gear swap. Naturally you change the fluid and if it has posi you can often simply buy fresh clutches. As far as just locating a posi or limited slip unit I think you can also check some year S-10 pick ups. Someone will chime in on the dos & don'ts of this I'm sure. Also there is the possibility you could find a wrecked etc 442 or Buick Ttype which would have to coveted 8.5 rear either 3.73 or 3.42 gears and again the possibility of a limited slip differential. Good luck welcome and have fun. Another good resource for you will be http://www.oldspower.com
Nice find BTW and no vinal top! 😀
Generally the easiest and most economical choice on the rear end is to have your local salvage yard do a search for a wrecked MCSS in which case you could just swap the whole rear drum to drum. Some already come with a limited slip rear all would have either a 3.42 or 3.73 gear and a rear sway bar that a regular Cutlass usually doesn't have. If you locate a wrecked etc MCSS often you can still get the thicker front sway bar again which your Cutlass probably does not have. No special tools or experience required like their would be in doing a posi and or gear swap. Naturally you change the fluid and if it has posi you can often simply buy fresh clutches. As far as just locating a posi or limited slip unit I think you can also check some year S-10 pick ups. Someone will chime in on the dos & don'ts of this I'm sure. Also there is the possibility you could find a wrecked etc 442 or Buick Ttype which would have to coveted 8.5 rear either 3.73 or 3.42 gears and again the possibility of a limited slip differential. Good luck welcome and have fun. Another good resource for you will be http://www.oldspower.com
Nice find BTW and no vinal top! 😀
i had an ebay special used s10 posi in mine at first. being as most s10's either had a 3:73 or 4:10 in them, the carrier is ready for bigger gears. it worked well untill the slicks finally blew it to pieces, i mean pieces. the clutches exploded. but for 100 bucks, it gave me some good times.
Welcome to the forum steg. This place is great and the people are too, and they're very helpful. Enjoy your stay and post lotsa pictures.
- Status
