hey folks i dont post much but long story short my 64 merc comet has come back to me ,busted rearend and all....the great guy i sold it to sold it back for the same money and has a 66 falcon with the same drivetrain and says i can get the rearend for a little change ....im sure he knows his stuff but im just seeing if anyone on here has put the rearend out of a 64-66 falcon in a 64 comet...just so you know it a 170-3 on the tree..thanx!!!
I know that for '64/65 the Falcon & Comet used the same rearend. However I have not been able to find out if it is the same rearend as the '66 Falcon. The '64 unit is 58" across (and if you lived closer, or could arrange transport I'd give you the one sitting in my garage). But I can find no mention of the width of the '66 Falcon unit.
thanx guys i think ill give it a shot....another friend has a 4lug rear out of a mid 80s mustang but i think it would have to be modified for the comet dont you???
are you trying to stay with 4-lug? a fairmont will bolt in and has 4-lug. kind of a junky model of a granada. some maverick had 4-lug also. i would change to 5-lug for better wheel choice "IF" it was my car.
................bill, do you know how much wider ?..would it still work?...the stock wheels allow a few inches right?
99% certain they're the same. Ford used the same basic dimensions for the Falcon/comet/mustang/Cougar/Maverick/Granada..even the Pinto and the Bobcat have the same flange-to-flange! Swap it.
All I know is I had a 65 Falcon and a 9 inch from a 66 falcon ranchero. The 9 inch was about three inches too wide. I'm not sure about dimensions anymore...I know that the fairlane measures 52 inches inside of backing plate to inside backing plate.
thanx guys ill give it a shot.....what all maintenance should i do to the donner rearend?...also will the ubolts in the lowering block kits from autozone work on the donner rearend?
Most of the lowering block kits from Autozone come with u-bolts about 3 1/8" where as my stock Comet axle tubes are 2 1/4". I was actually looking for some drop blocks today for mine, and had no luck. The search continues.
No, you will need to have some longer u-bolts MADE. Any spring shop (typically a shop that works on big trucks) can easily make custom u-bolts while-u-wait.
just an update here...i took my stock rear out and went and took the 66 falcon one out also...merc bill was right the 66 falcon rear was about 3 inches wider and the spring perches were a good inch and a half different from stock....on a whim i took the falcon rear apart and the numbers on the gears were exactly the same as the mercury gears and looked identical...so i just swapped everything out the falcon rear into mine and soon as i get the new rubber brake line shocks and ubolts i should have her on the road....my pinion gear was scarred up and the bearings were busted and two bolts were sheared off the big gear in the center...but again the 66 falcon rearend is different ..to anyone attempting this swap...it would /could work but not without modification..the lowering situatin is strange two...the merc springs have a big upper plate on the tops of the springs with a large round nub...and the perches have a hole in them as usual bbut its counter sunk and not flush ..so ill probly have to make my own blocks to get her lower.
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