Rear end width?

[RedHotRegal]

I was offered a 9" rearend out of an old Torino today for dirt cheap. It has 3:50 gears and a posi. I was wondering if anyone knows what the width of my stock rear end would be hub-hub. 1986 buick regal, 7.5". I was told to get one out of a mid '70s pickup but for 2 bills I can't pass this up even if its just for the gears/posi. Any help would be appreciated

 

[pontiacgp]

I might have some good news to give you...they mention a 9" Ford as an alternative for a G body

"All 1978 and up Olds came with 7.5" 10 bolts, no 12 bolts (Chevy or Olds) whatsoever. So guys with 1978 and up G bodies had a few options: beef up the 7.5" with better axles and a good posi unit, or find an 8.5" out of an 83-84 HO, 85-85 442, or 84 and up T-Type or GN, or go with a Ford 9" from Currie or Moser, or buy the control arms from Southside traction and install an older 1968 or so Chevy 12 bolt or 10 bolt."

http://www.g-body.org/tnt/diffs/diff-codes.php

 

[RedHotRegal]

A buddy of mine will remove the mounts, etc.. from my 7.5 and weld them on a 9" for me. I had a 12 bolt from a '72 chevelle but I sold it to a friend when his rear let go. I have a '71 malibu but its low milage and #'s matching so thats out of the question. My goal is to put my TH400 in in the fall, do the drive shaft and rearend. Then pull the engine and rebuild it for the spring.

 

[RedHotRegal]

Googleing 9" rear ends on the net I found out that "67-73 Torinos had 59.25"-61.25" rearend widths and a heavy duty axle. So it looks like it will work. Going to try to get some numbers off the axle. Tags , gear ratios (to make sure), etc... Then I'll talk to my buddy and see what he thinks. But for that price I don't think I can pass up the posi!

 

[mrapii]

Unfortunately removing the control arm mounts on the &.5" and welding them on the Ford 9' is not very easy. The control arm mounts on the 7.5" are cast with the center housing and it is virtually impossible to weld the cast iron "ears" onto the steel housing on the Ford 9". Your friend will have to fabricate the mounts. All-in-all buying a Ford 9" housing with the proper width and mounts is probably more viable.

 

[RedHotRegal]

Worst come to worst SSM makes the mounts. If there still in buisness. I looked at buying them 1 1/2 years ago when I had the 12 bolt. The company that deals with them in my city had not been able to contact them in a week so I never bothered to put it in then I sold it to my friend.
SSM (South Side Machine)

 

[mrapii]

South Side Machine is long gone and I think they only made the special control arms for 12-bolt installation into the G-Bodies.

 

[RedHotRegal]

Yeah, I talked to the shop that delt with them yesterday. oh well.