Changing Rear End Gears - 101

[97fxdwg]

Apologies for my ignorance but here goes:

I know that I'm going to get some better "go" on the street by changing my rear end gears. My 68 Coupe, 302 moves along pretty well on the highway but (I've only had it for about 5 months and the PO is the ex of the guy who started the build-up and she has no knowledge of the details of the engine. Before I get jumped for buying someone else's ride, he was NOT a nice guy. At all.), it doesn't have much umpf at the stop light. I'm not planning on tearing the engine down (right now) since it seems to be a very solid unit.

1) How do I find out the gearing in there now? ;

2) What is involved in the actual "changing of the gears?" I'm pretty handy, and getting better so I want to do it myself. Is this something that a first-timer can do? I believe it is a 9" rear end according to what I've gathered from this group. It measures 9" plus/minus, and it looks like a combo wrench is needed on the lower bolts rather than a socket - I believe that's a tell-tale. Where does one go to get the new gears? Normal Ford dealer - shudder - or auto parts shops?

Thanks for the help.

 

[97fxdwg]

Nobody?

 

[LMan]

1) best way is to read the tag. If no tag, you can get close by jacking up the rear, mark the driveshaft, and count driveshaft rotations vs. rear wheel rotations.

2) whether 8" or 9" i would look at changing the 'chunk' as a whole rather than the gears. That you can do yourself in about 30 mins + 1-2 bottles of 90W gear lube and RTV.