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, Use Ford 8.8 rear end housing in 1923 frame

I've done an '01 Mustang 8.8 to an '86 Camaro, and I've done the Explorer 8.8 to an '86 S-10. The Explorer housing is at least 50# heavier, and for what? Guys push stock-housing, un-trussed Mustang housings into the 9s at the dragstrip in 3000# cars, way heavier than any t bucket. The Explorer outer bearings, and therefore the shafts also, are also larger and heavier than necessary. You don't need the Explorer housing to run 31-spline shafts of you need 31s, Mustang guys order 31s, 33s, and even 35s all the time, tho many do run 9s on stock 28s.
I suggest you sell yours and get something lighter, like the Ranger version. The 4.10 gears are excessive for anything but a T56 with the 0.50:1 sixth, anyway.
I managed Rome Driveshaft in Georgia for a year, that 1.25"/15" is fine for cruising, not for racing.

I appreciate the detailed feedback... I've been hunting for a suitable rear end for several months. What drew me to the explorer was the fact that most were limited slip with disc brakes, the lug pattern works with my current 14" wide wheels and there was minimal detail work needed to strip off the existing mounts. Rangers were all drum brakes and I don't recall seeing any of them with posi. Most of the mustangs that I found with limited slip were four lug for whatever reason and needed some serious surgery to get the spring perches off "cleanly", not to mention the big "horns" on the top of the center section that would have to come off to accommodate the panhard bar.

The Explorer's right side is also the perfect length (with the pinion centered) for my current 15.5X29's and wheel offset that will put the tire about an inch from the bed, VS the massive (IMO) 6" gap that I currently have with the 10 bolt (2.43 gear) Camaro unit that's in it today.

This thing never sees the freeway or any kind of "touring", so while a 3.73 would have been preferred, the 4.11 didn't scare me off. I have more shows & events within 10 miles of my house than I can even count, so the shorter gear doesn't concern me too much. It spends all of it's time here in town. I think the biggest problem will be not blowing the tires off leaving a stoplight!

While the extra 50lbs of unsprung weight isn't ideal, I think it's a fair trade off for the ease of installation.
 
If that's a '78-'81 Camaro 8.5" 10-bolt, then it's valuable, those have become scarce.
Rear discs are worth having, but the Explorer style uses micro-drums instead of levered calipers. That's why I used '75 or '76 Eldorado rear calipers on redrilled Corvette rotors for the rear of the last custom I built. It took plenty of front bias to keep those from locking at half pedal, Ford never came close for effective rear discs. That build used a rear that began with drums. The welded flange that held the drum backing plates served fine for caliper mounting brackets and splash guard mounting.
It's worth considering, since you have plenty of sticky rear tire, and probably skinny fronts. If you have no discs up front then this is the only way to fly.
 
A pic of the installation.
Tbuilder, the pic didn't post on my end...
My fab guy is talking about doing the same. I'm just not sure if there's enough "give" in my motor mounts to allow the offset.
 
12 posts and I still cannot post any pics. This site is a lot more trouble to navigate than any others I am on.
I just built the offset into the mount when they were welded in the frame.
 
12 posts and I still cannot post any pics. This site is a lot more trouble to navigate than any others I am on.
I just built the offset into the mount when they were welded in the frame.

It's a Holiday!!! They only work MTWTFSS and only about an hour & 7 hours for breaks and lunch!! Damn I wish I had a job like that!!! NOT!!!!!:D:D:roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:
 
Hey, I can appreciate what the moderators do and the time they put in but it seems to me that they are doing a lot of work that the site software should be doing for them, that is the way it functions on other sites that I am on. This is not a complaint, just an observation from a new guy coming on. :confused:
 
Hey, I can appreciate what the moderators do and the time they put in but it seems to me that they are doing a lot of work that the site software should be doing for them, that is the way it functions on other sites that I am on. This is not a complaint, just an observation from a new guy coming on. :confused:

It is all about how much money one wants to spend for a Web Site $$$$$$$$ If you don't believe it --start one and get all you want to do and the space and see what it costs.
Every month and every year plus the tech services that will be needed. aint cheap.

This one is good enough for my dumbass to figure out, so I don't complain. I don't like electronic s#$%!!!
 
I'll be using a narrowed 8.8 from an explorer in my 27. Use 2 right side axles and shorten the left tube. Tons of sources on the web of how to do so.

It's the best of the 8.8s. Can get them open or limited slip. Many different gear ratios came from the factory. 31 spline axles... it's the poor mans ford 9". They even have disc brakes
 
hum my 23 has stock 65 nova 8.2 I have an 8.8 mustang I planned to put in my malibu wagon. Got 3 2nd camaro rears. couldn't give them away.
 
I'll be using a narrowed 8.8 from an explorer in my 27. Use 2 right side axles and shorten the left tube. Tons of sources on the web of how to do so.

It's the best of the 8.8s. Can get them open or limited slip. Many different gear ratios came from the factory. 31 spline axles... it's the poor mans ford 9". They even have disc brakes
Just did a '96 Explorer rear in mine the same way. Two passenger axles, shortening the drivers tube. It's a 4.11 posi, but when it got to the rear end shop I found out the posi unit was hosed, so there went another $450...

Something to be aware of putting this housing in a T-bucket is that the pinion is offset about 1-1/4" to the right of center (at least on my '96 it was). That was a lot for my 12" driveshaft, so we moved the rear trans mount to the right to reduce some of the side to side angle. Worked out great. No vibration. Smooth as silk.

Looks, rides and runs WAY better than the 10 bolt 2.43 on legger on coil springs that came out of it! Thanks to RPM for the shocks and mounts and to Jerry at California Custom Roadsters for the ladder bars and advice! Glad to support the sponsors here!!
old_new_rear.jpg

ladder_brackets.jpeg
 
I need a lift like that.
 
Another part worth mentioning in this rear end swap is California Custom Roadsters "bent" panhard bar that sits down nice and tight to the axle tube without having to use the usual tall bracket to get the bar parallel to the tube. It's a huge improvement over the one that was on the car previously.

Just pulled the radius arms off last night to send to the chrome shop, giving me a "photo op" on the panhard bar. It's a great part!

PS: Doubled up these brackets just like we did the radius arm brackets. "Doubling up" all of the brackets and using heim joints only cost about $60 bucks more than using single brackets with a clevis. I'll never have to worry about bending any of this stuff again!

panhard2.jpeg
 
Fox body mustang housing. Lincoln town car rear discs. Ranger 5 bolt axles. They are different left to right, get 2 to match the length of the 4 bollt mustang unless you are drag racing Stock ford parts work and are cheap. I have built them in the pick and pull. just have to make sure they have 2 rangers and a lincoln before dropping the mustang 8,8. C clip eliminator and rear aluminum cover to finish it.
 
I am running a 93 Explorer 8.8 rear housing and yes the pinion is offset to the right. When I get near to finishing I am going to do the axle swap narrowing to get the pinion closer to the center. I think I will do the right axle swap to the left and deal with the 7/8 offset to the left.
 

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