65ShelbyClone said:
I don't think I've been clear enough explaining my question.
I have the '57 housing and axles, but no brakes, not even the backing plates. I'm asking about putting the '68 backing plates and drums on the '57 housing with '57 axles. I was under the impression that it was a direct swap between small bearing housings.
Hmmmm...how do I explain this??....
You have a '68 Mustang (complete) 8-inch rear end. You have a late '50's 9-inch small bearing 9-inch rear end, sans the drum brakes.
Yes. The '68 8-inch rear end's drum backing plates have the same physical bolt pattern to fit onto the 9-inch rear's small bearing housing end flanges, but the problem comes into play in the brake's backing plates when used with the '57's axles.
10" x 1¾" '65-'73 Mustang rear drum brakes won't work with '57-'59 Ford 9-inch small bearing axles that are designed to work with 11" x 2" drum brakes.
If you had a '65/'66 Mustang (52¼" wide) 8-inch rear end to use the brakes AND axles from to put into/onto the (52¼" wide) 9-inch housing, then you would be in good shape.
But, you have a late '50s 9-inch minus the drum brakes, and a '68 8-inch (54¼" wide) that you can't use the axles from, obviously because they are too wide.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're pretty much screwed with your present situation.
The chioces you have at this point are:
1. Get the correct (11" x 2") drum brakes designed to use with the 9-inch housing/9-inch axles you have.
2. Get a pair of '65/'66 Mustang 8-inch axles to use with your [10" x 1¾"] drums from the '68 rear end (to be installed on the 9-inch housing).
3. Ditch the rear drums all together and convert to rear discs using the existing 9-inch housing/9-inch axles.