Nova guys.... What rearend are you using?

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Jan 5, 2009 | 09:30 PM

djsanchez2

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From: Simi Valley, CA.

Nova guys.... What rearend are you using?

Hey fellas,

I'm about to take possession of a 63' nova wagon and am going to make a "sleeper" drag car out of it. Carbed LQ4/ported 241's w/ a TH400.

I was looking for a 12 bolt but they are hard to find w/o paying a high price, same for the 9". I have seen alot of the Nova guys on Steve's Nova Site going with a 8.8 from a ford explorer. All of them come with disk brakes and the only modification needed to make it fit is to shorten one axle tube to match the other, and it bolts right in.

Jan 6, 2009 | 02:31 AM

SIC LSX

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From: Bossier city,LA barksdale AFB

dude the 8.5" 10 bolt is more the stronge enough when built! I know many many 9-10sec cars running 8.5" 10 bolt! Some will say its just as good as a 12 bolt

Jan 6, 2009 | 08:23 AM

1970-Cloned

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Quote:

Originally Posted by SIC LSX

dude the 8.5" 10 bolt is more the stronge enough when built! I know many many 9-10sec cars running 8.5" 10 bolt! Some will say its just as good as a 12 bolt

The 10 bolts that came in the late 60s cars were usually 8.2 10 bolts. The 8.2s aren't nearly as stong as the 8.5s. Plus 8.2 parts are expensive. As long as you aren't running slicks with you 10 bolt and plan on using it on the street you will be fine.

However. by the time you buy gear, bearings, posi carrier and install you will wish you would have spent the money on a 9" or a 12 bolt. I have around 1200 in my rearend and I set it up myself. That is a 12 bolt powder coated, all new internals and strong C-Clip axles. I went way overboard for a street car with the axles but I don't need or want c-clip eliminators. They tend to leak on the street. The other option is to us the ford bearing ends and ford axles but that costs too much.

Jan 6, 2009 | 10:41 AM

Buckndol

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The Explorer is 59 5/8" from wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting surface. The early Explorers were drum brake. I can't say when they changed.

Jan 6, 2009 | 12:17 PM

SIC LSX

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From: Bossier city,LA barksdale AFB

whoops wasnt thinking about year. i had a 72 nova

Jan 6, 2009 | 05:15 PM

djsanchez2

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckndol

The Explorer is 59 5/8" from wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting surface. The early Explorers were drum brake. I can't say when they changed.

When the long axle side is shortened up to center the housing, it is 1/2-3/4in shorter end to end than the factory rearend. The 95-2001 explorer rears all came with disk brakes, and the 4x4 models came with lockers and 4.10's.
Supposedly they are modeled after the chevy 12 bolt.

Jan 6, 2009 | 05:36 PM

9000th01ss

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They don't really come with lockers. They come with the ford trac loc with is just their trade name like chevys posi and mopars sure grip.
The ford is a weak clutch type diff.
It's not bad after a $80 clutch kit and shimmed tight so the cross pin is a tight fit between the axles (that means the clutches are tight)

My friend did the same thing as what you're talking about. You get two passenger side axles, shorten the drivers side housing, and the pass side axle fits perfect.
He's got a '66 Chevy II

I ran an 8.8 in an old '87 355 powered S10.

FWIW The 31 spline explorer 8.8 uses all the same bearings as the GM 8.5 except for the axle bearings. The 28 spline 8.8 uses all the same bearings as the GM 8.5