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8.8 inch rearend in a 65

  • Thread starter Thread starter 65inworks
  • Start date Start date Oct 16, 2004
6

65inworks

Founding Member
Jul 10, 2002
101
0
16
sacramento,ca
Oct 16, 2004
#1
  • Oct 16, 2004
  • #1
What has to be done to put an 8.8in. rearend in a 1965 coupe, thanks, Nick
 

rbohm

Founding Member
Apr 12, 2002
6,698
550
204
tucson,az
Oct 17, 2004
#2
  • Oct 17, 2004
  • #2
either change to a four link fox body style rear suspension, or remove the fox body brackets and weld on leaf spring brackets. either way you are in for some welding. you want an 8.8 from a fairmont, pre-94 mustang, 81 up granada, or and 83-86 ltd(the little one). the rears out of these cars are the right width for your stang.
 

SandSprite

Member
Feb 8, 2003
332
0
16
L.A., CA
Oct 17, 2004
#3
  • Oct 17, 2004
  • #3
rbohm said:
either change to a four link fox body style rear suspension, or remove the fox body brackets and weld on leaf spring brackets. either way you are in for some welding. you want an 8.8 from a fairmont, pre-94 mustang, 81 up granada, or and 83-86 ltd(the little one). the rears out of these cars are the right width for your stang.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure all the 8.8s out there are a few inches wider than a stock 65 rear. 65-66 rear is 57.25" and the 8.8's are 59"+. I haven't measured too many myself though. Also, the fox mustang ones are 4 lug. The truck/suv rears have offset pinions. I wanted to do the 8.8, but the 9" was so much easier. Plus the 9 is nicer due to the lack of c-clips.
 
D

D.Hearne

New Member
Sep 29, 2000
11,730
6
0
south louisiana
Oct 17, 2004
#4
  • Oct 17, 2004
  • #4
SandSprite said:
Pretty sure all the 8.8s out there are a few inches wider than a stock 65 rear. 65-66 rear is 57.25" and the 8.8's are 59"+. I haven't measured too many myself though. Also, the fox mustang ones are 4 lug. The truck/suv rears have offset pinions. I wanted to do the 8.8, but the 9" was so much easier. Plus the 9 is nicer due to the lack of c-clips.
Click to expand...
The same processes are involved in swapping in an 8.8 as it is a 9", just some 8.8's require more changes than others to work. Same as a 9" rear. If you have to narrow it, you can have 9" style bearing/housings installed on the 8.8 to eliminate the "C" clips. The Explorer 8.8 is the most popular due to it's availability and the fact that most had 31 splined axles and Traction-loc.and some even have disc brakes. If you want more, do a search here, this topic has been covered many, many times in the last two years.
 
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