Since this is a 4-banger I would suggest a Dana 27--narrow, relatively lightweight and you should be able to find one with posi out of a 6-cylinder Studebaker sedan or Lark for little or no money. If you want a BRAND NEW one with posi, SASCO in South Bend still has them in stock--most of them 4.10 and 3:73 gears. They are out of the late model Stude Larks ('64 -'66) and have the updated FLANGED axles. I think they are about $275 without the axles and the half-shafts were extra--forget how much.
<TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width="27%">DIFFERENTIAL ***EMBLY <!-- ##notemptystart.drophead1## ##notemptyend.drophead1## --><!-- ##notemptystart.drop1## ##notemptyend.drop1## --><!-- ##notemptystart.drophead2## ##notemptyend.drophead2## --><!-- ##notemptystart.drop2## ##notemptyend.drop2## --></TD><TD width="55%"><TABLE cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=4 width="94%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="17%" bgColor=#a52222>Part#</TD><TD bgColor=#cfd1de>6484223</TD><TD bgColor=#a52222>Core chg </TD><TD bgColor=#cfd1de>0.00</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#a52222>Price</TD><TD width="32%" bgColor=#cfd1de>367.30</TD><TD width="22%" bgColor=#a52222>Pkg</TD><TD width="29%" bgColor=#cfd1de>EACH </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> This one ? I took it from the Sasco website.
Some Ford Aerostar vans had a 7.5" Ford posi axle. The key to ID this, look a the tag. 3L55 75 _____ . 3.55 ratio, L means limited slip (posi), 7.5 ring gear. They use 5 on 4 1/2" bc wheels, width should be ok. I may be wrong on exact gear ratio, but that is how the tag is coded. The pinion uses a flat flange with the common Ford flange pattern, no problem finding the flange yoke for 1310 series u-joint. Common to Fox Mustangs.
Another vote for a Toyota.....I'm running one out of a '82 2wd pickup....it's 5 on 4 1/2. They are narrow....almost too narrow actually, depending on wheel offset. I used 1.25" wheel adapters to mount my 5 on 5.5 wheels and it came out perfect. You should be able to find a 'Yota rear for under $50 easy....and they're TOUGH. many aftermarket posi's/lockers available. Rear axles with the cover on the back look like **** under a hotrod....
This one looks more like it to me. <TABLE style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=5 width="94%" align=center><TBODY><TR><TD width="10%" bgColor=#dadfef>Part#</TD><TD width="42%" bgColor=#e6e6e6>1562477 </TD><TD width="12%" bgColor=#dadfef>Year</TD><TD width="12%" bgColor=#e6e6e6> </TD><TD width="12%" bgColor=#dadfef>Price</TD><TD width="12%" bgColor=#e6e6e6>268.80</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#dadfef>Description</TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6>AXLE ***EMBLY, 4.10 MODELS 27 TWIN TRACT, FLANGED SHAFTS SHAFTS NOT INCLUDED</TD><TD bgColor=#dadfef>Pkg</TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6>EACH</TD><TD bgColor=#dadfef>Core charge </TD><TD bgColor=#e6e6e6>0.00</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> I would call and ask for Dennis. He's the boss and is really helpful.
And here are the flanged axles NOS: <TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width="27%">AXLE SHAFT 1966 1966 FLANGED SHAFT ONLY 44 & 27 AXLES <!-- ##notemptystart.drophead1## ##notemptyend.drophead1## --><!-- ##notemptystart.drop1## ##notemptyend.drop1## --><!-- ##notemptystart.drophead2## ##notemptyend.drophead2## --><!-- ##notemptystart.drop2## ##notemptyend.drop2## --></TD><TD width="55%"><TABLE cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=4 width="94%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="17%" bgColor=#a52222>Part#</TD><TD bgColor=#cfd1de>1562424</TD><TD bgColor=#a52222>Core chg </TD><TD bgColor=#cfd1de>0.00</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#a52222>Price</TD><TD width="32%" bgColor=#cfd1de>84.00</TD><TD width="22%" bgColor=#a52222>Pkg</TD><TD width="29%" bgColor=#cfd1de>EACH </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Sorry 'bout that, I was in a hurry and reverted to my ******* 4x4 days. By 'standard 6 bolt' I meant the standard 6 bolt pattern used on Nissan Chevy and Ford and Toyota and Dodge trucks- I think one of the few oddballs is the Dakota. As SinisterCustom states, the 2wd models have 5 lug, and as SinisterCustom states, they are narrow- 55" for pre'85 I believe.
Wow, what a load of awesome responses in a short time! The reason I'd like a posi is not for performance, it's because I have gotten stuck many times in mud and snow, and a posi just comes in handy in my experience. A Mopar 8 3/4 is definitely bigger than I want to go, and I'm not opposed to anything imported, I am running a Mercedes 4-cylinder diesel. So, no, it doesn't have to withstand tons of HP either! One other thing, I'd like to be able to find something in a boneyard, that's where everything else came from. I'm trying to build this for way, way cheap. Thanks again for all your ideas!
I like the Alfa axle in one of the earlier posts with the aluminum center. Mmmm, I like shiny. A Ranger 7.5" axle is the lightest of the Ford axles at 130 pounds without brakes (I have weighed the one in my garage). Some available with limited slip dif. Decent support in terms of gears and stuff, and complete axles are quite common (aka cheap). The 8" and 8.8" Ford axles are nearly 30 pounds heavier. Looking at the data page on therangerstation.com, the Dana 44 out of a Jeep is 10 pounds heavier than the Ford 7.5". My limited knowledge (Ford 9" compared to Ford 8.8" for example) makes me think that axles with a removable carrier are heavier than a integral center section axle of similar strength. Don't know weight of the GM or the Toyota axles. Rather than guesstimates, I would be interesting to see an actual scale weight. Piper106
S10 rear axle would get my vote. They are light, efficient, and dirt cheap. Posi's are common in them also.
It's been several years since we sold our Aerostar, but as I recall, the center section is not exactly centered. I think the drivetrain is offset right about six or so inches to give the pilot a little more room. Probably not a showstopper, but something to keep in mind. Of course, if you want to go a little narrower, you could get two short-side axles and it might be exactly what you need.
I'm really thinking hard about that Alfa rear. Definitely looks like the hot ticket for me, and definitely would look awesome under there, especially since it'll be somewhat exposed. Not the first time my rear has been exposed in public! Oh, and I'm definitely not opposed to odd bolt patterns. I'll deal with it. I guess since 4x4s are the thing around here, Toyota stuff is a fortune. I looked around, couldn't find anything for any sort of price I'd be willing to pay. I figured since SUVs are everywhere nowadays, including the boneyards, there's a good amount of rear-wheel-drive stuff to pick from, especially from some of the smaller SUVs. Only problem is finding the ones with solid axles as opposed to IRS. By the way, I'm pretty unfamiliar with the Alfa stuff, anyone know if the Alfa Milano uses a similar setup? What about the awesome, indestructible Fiat Bertones? We all know how awesome those are. Man, if there was ever a car that deserved to be parted out...
the thing about toyota 2wd truck rearends is the axles are larger dia. than a ford 9" and have the 5 on 4.5" pattern.
Milano is different. That is derived from the Alfetta rear suspension. DeDion with a Transaxle. But I believe the Milano has a 5 bolt pattern... Alfetta's & Alfetta GTV's had the same four bolt pattern as Fiat, 98mm ( but not the earlyer Bertone GTV's that had a live Axle like the Spider,which had the same bolt Pattern as the Fox Mustang 4 1/4 " ) Fiat Bertone? Do you mean the X1/9? That was an extremely good handeling car... Good as a small engine Racer, but not so much for Hot Rod parts. McPherson struts on all 4 corners, mid engine, used a lot of mechanical parts from the FWD Fiat 128. ( the 128 was also the car the Yugo was based on, but that was not built in Italy...)
I have a posi, lightweight , disk braked rear end out of a pontiac sunfire(???) I can get dimensions off it later.. I plan on running it behind a flathead and 5 speed..cheap from the junkyards.. Jason.
The Alpha rear almost has a funky sort of traditional Winters quick-change look..... Any idea how much HP it would hold up to?
The Autodelta 2000 GTAm works racers put out around 240 DIN hp. I would think that 200 -220 DIN hp would be sustainable as the same axle was used in the 2.5 litre V8 Alfa Montreal with 200 DIN hp. They used this live axle and there were a lot of different ratios available. The Alfetta/Milano aluminum transaxle is an interesting piece. Two piece drive shaft leading to the clutch ***embly mounted integrally at the front of the transaxle, with inboard disc brakes and cv joint type half shafts. I have one out of a Milano Verde 3.0 with a 3.55 posi which I dug out of the shed again today. It could easily be used with a custom (yeah I know - non traditional) IRS and I have always though it would make a great driveline for a lakester/one man modified. However the shift is abysmally rubbery and imprecise - like stirring pudding looking for a gear - any gear! The shift linkage definitely needs improvement - but then again we're hot rodders and thats what we do - right?
I meant to ask also, what's the rearend the guys with the dwarf cars and Legends cars use? That has to be pretty small and light. Seems to me it's out of some kind of older Japanese car -
I dont have one here to measure. But, if no one else has one either, I do have a deDion axle here. Wont be the same, but it should be pretty close...
THanks for the info. So, I suppose the torque of a built SBC or nailhead might be pretty hard on one of these??
Quick (or not so quick) question- since the Toyota posi has been mentioned, I've been noticing that Honda and Suzuki have rears with 6 bolt patterns as well... any idea if they are usable, good, etc and any idea on bolt pattern size?
The Jalopy Journal
