Looking to change my rear end very soon. Will most likely try to hunt one down in a salvage yard.
I’m looking for a posi rear end with 3.55 gears.
I already have my wheels and tires so it’s important that I find the right size rear end so that I don’t have to get new wheels with different spacing.
Basically I’m looking for a list of cars or trucks with rear ends that go pretty smoothly into a 67 cougar.
I’m sure many have done this before. What car make and year did you pull yours from?
Katnip302 (Gary) has two 9" from 69/70 Cougar I believe. In Indiana if memory serves and he doesn’t want to ship but you might be able to work something out (Greyhound?). Not posi and not the gears you are looking for but both of those can be changed. The rear will fit lock, stock and barrel (I am assuming you have an 8" in there currently?).
Yep. Stock 8 inch with 2.79 gears. And my buddy just sent me a video of his cougar which he just put a new rear end in with 3.55’s from an 89 mustang I beleive. So now I got the fever. I gotta get new gears bad! haha. But looking to do it cheap.
1989 Mustangs used 8.8 rear ends. I guess it can be made to work and they are pretty strong. I really have to agree with Bob I’d think a nine inch is the way to go unless you come across a really good deal on the 8.8 rear. Back in the 90’s I ordered a 8.8 for my Mustang with 410’s for under a $1000. Backed with the 5 speed it made for a fun ride.
Steven
Hmmm thats a possibility maybe when my tax return comes.
I’m not worried about breaking the rear end I dont think I need a 9 inch. It’s just a 289 and over estimating here maybe I will get 300 hp when im done with heads and all. maybe.
But thats enough for me … for now.
I will look into that. But also worried if I do that and later decide to build a bigger motor to drop in that would shred my 8 inch to peices. We will see. Going to go peak around the salvage yard monday.
Monday is a good BBQ day with family. But rummaging through a salvage can be personally rewarding too?! 8 inch rears are still plenty tough,…should take 300HP without fatique.
When I was dreaming about finding a 8 inch 3.55 track lock in the salvage yards, I new to look under Mustang II’s. My research at the time, indicated that V-6’s with manual transmissions were the most likely to have one. I have yet to find a 3.55 traction lock in the salvage yard in 12 years of looking.
No reason why you couldn’t set up your existing 8" the way you want it. I’m not 100% sure, but I seem to recall that the 3:55 ratio is available for the 8" but much harder to find for a 9". 3:50 is a standard 9" ratio.
To answer your original question. I purchased my 9" complete drum to drum out of a 69 Cougar. It wasn’t a Trac Lok, but it only cost me a Benjamin… in 1988. It now has a Trac Lok and two sets of gears to choose from.
And building on this idea a little, I seem to recall that the 8" axles are the same as 28 spline 9" axles? Dunno about bearings and flanges, brake backing plates but I’ll bet someone here does…
