rear end swap ?

[79cutlass]

ive got a 68 442 donor car i dont know much about them. id like to put the rear end out it in my 79 cutlass. does the 68 have a posi rear? and what type of gears and transmission come with the car

 

[dan2286]

I dont think the rear ends are the same. Im not positive of this, but they are completely different body styles and im guessing the frames are also set up different.

 

[79cutlass]

whats a good car to look for a posi rear that will bolt easily. how about a 86 monte ss?

 

[dan2286]

whats a good car to look for a posi rear that will bolt easily. how about a 86 monte ss?

Im not sure if all SS cars had posi. The best option would be a 8.5 inch posi out of a grand national or turbo regal. The 7.5 inch is a very weak rear end no matter what. The 8.5 inch ones are very reliable, but they can be expensive to buy a used one.

 

[andrewmp6]

The problem is a junkyard posi might be a pos and not work so its best to bite the bullet and buy a new one you'll be happier in the end.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

I am not positive about this, but I think the 442 came with the 8.2 10 bolt, a useless rear axle well known for it's weakness. Yes, you can swap it into a G body, but it is a lot of work for a less than stellar rear axle. What killed the 442? extensive rust?

 

[Vern]

The 8.2 was not strong and is wider so you also need wheels with different offset so that they don't stick out from the body. If you don't have big power your best easiest most economical bet is to get a salvage yard whole rear drum to drum from a Monte Carlo ss. Changing gears setting up correct shims and pinion depth is not for a novice without proper tools. Some get lucky some don't. The SS will have 3.42 or 3.73s depending on the year. It may also have a posi. If it does take it out and replace the cluthes regardless they are cheap compared to buying a new posi or takeing it all back apart a short time later because they quit working. If it does not have a posi you will have to bite the bullet and buy one. IMHO Eaton has the best street posi or limited slip rear ends.

Edit You probably have a 3 speed transmission. If so 3.73 is a lot of gear. You would want to run tall tires. You might also price a 3.08 gear for your existing rear the 3.08 still fits your 2 series carrier, works well with the 3 speed transmission and then buy a new or used posi. Again if you find a used one you still will likely want to put clutches in it. Naturally is you have access to a 200-4r overdrive transmission then the salvage yard Monte SS rear become a no brainer pick.