Ok, I think I got something:
It’s faded, but I can discern the number 32202. it looks like the last 5 out of 8 digits that are supposed to be there, can I get anything from that?
Edit: After looking at a VIN decoder chart, I don’t think I can without the 6th number, which I can’t see from this picture. I could probably get in there with a scouring pad or something after the exhaust cools down. That may reveal more numbers, but it honestly looks like there are only 5 stamped.
It’s faded, but I can discern the number 32202. it looks like the last 5 out of 8 digits that are supposed to be there, can I get anything from that?
Edit: After looking at a VIN decoder chart, I don’t think I can without the 6th number, which I can’t see from this picture. I could probably get in there with a scouring pad or something after the exhaust cools down. That may reveal more numbers, but it honestly looks like there are only 5 stamped.
Last edited:
Hit it with some sandpaper or scotch brite. It’s stamped in there so there’s depth. You want the first two letter. The numbers won’t tell you much
About 2800 RPM at 60 MPH
Rear tire size is 275/40ZR17
Rear end gear is 3.73
I know there’s an equation I could use to calculate my 5th gear ratio as “x,” I’ll look it up.
Ok, so I found a calculator on Spicer’s website because doing math by hand is for nerds and masochists, and here’s what I figured out.
According to LMR, a V8 T5’s 5th gear ratio is 0.68
According to the calculator, at 2800 RPM, with a 3.73 rear end and a 23.77 in tire height, I should have been going 78.1 mph.
I was going 60.
So I think we can come to the conclusion that whatever is in my car, it’s not rated for a V8. I’ll add it to the list.
Big thanks to KRUISR for bringing up this solution. My brain dumped everything not related to cars and my girlfriend after I switched out of engineering my freshman year, so I hadn’t thought to calculate the gear ratios.
According to LMR, a V8 T5’s 5th gear ratio is 0.68
According to the calculator, at 2800 RPM, with a 3.73 rear end and a 23.77 in tire height, I should have been going 78.1 mph.
I was going 60.
So I think we can come to the conclusion that whatever is in my car, it’s not rated for a V8. I’ll add it to the list.
Big thanks to KRUISR for bringing up this solution. My brain dumped everything not related to cars and my girlfriend after I switched out of engineering my freshman year, so I hadn’t thought to calculate the gear ratios.
Last edited:
I think I remember the guy I bought it from telling me that, but I’ll shoot him a message to see if he remembers.
Also, when I bought it the speedometer was off, so I bought a new speedometer gear that was designed to work with a 3.73 rear end. I must have been told it had a 3.73 by somebody because I definitely wouldn’t have figured that out on my own, and I wouldn’t have bought the gear unless I was sure it would work.
That being said, it still reads about 5mph fast. Not sure what that tells us, I don’t know how accurate these were from the factory.
The reason I ask is something is not adding up here.... With 3:73 in 5th OD, you should be turning alot slower erpems.....
Any pics of your wheel/tires? Wondering if they are rubber band tires.....
I am guessing you have low gears in the rear....
You’re right, I must have entered the numbers wrong. I reran the calculation and it says I should have been going 84.31 mph.
I have this picture of the sidewall I took today:
If you need a more overall picture I can get that for you.
What would be the best way to Jack up the rear? I’ve read that some people use the bottom of the diff, and others say you should never do that, so I never really figured out how.
Also, If you do not know how many teeth are on the speedo drive gear (the one on the output shaft of the T5) then you are guessing in the dark as to what driven speedo gear (one on the end of the VSS).
Black - 6 tooth
Yellow - 7 tooth
Translucent Green/Yellow - 8 tooth
Its hard to tell the yellow from the translucent green/yellow one but with a nice LED flashlight you can. I listed the black one as that is what I changed mine to so I could run a lower tooth count driven gear as the higher tooth count gears have a tendency to strip and not be as accurate.
Black - 6 tooth
Yellow - 7 tooth
Translucent Green/Yellow - 8 tooth
Its hard to tell the yellow from the translucent green/yellow one but with a nice LED flashlight you can. I listed the black one as that is what I changed mine to so I could run a lower tooth count driven gear as the higher tooth count gears have a tendency to strip and not be as accurate.
Last edited:
I looked at my order history from LMR, and it seems I only ordered a red 21 tooth driven gear. It doesn’t look like I ordered a drive gear. I’ll do some more digging through my records.
I’m going to be having nightmares about gears.
No reason to have nightmares, everyone on this site is usually pretty helpful...
I reread your original post and again, you might have really low ( high ratio) rear end gears...
I had a 69 Super Bee when I was in HS with 4:10 rear gears.... Same thing with that car, you were grabbing for 2nd pretty quick.....
I reread your original post and again, you might have really low ( high ratio) rear end gears...
I had a 69 Super Bee when I was in HS with 4:10 rear gears.... Same thing with that car, you were grabbing for 2nd pretty quick.....
It’s crazy to me to think that the cars that are classics today were once just regular cars that people drove to work and high school. I guess it’s probably because that car was already considered legendary by the time I was born. Was that a 383, 440 or 426?
I really wanted a big block mopar before I got my fox, I had my eye on a couple clapped out 440 c-body wagons and an Imperial coupe, but I honestly didn’t have the garage space. Those cars are enormous.
I did get in contact with the guy I bought the car from and he says he believes the car has a 3.73 rear end, but I’ll try to Jack it up this weekend and spin the wheels. That sounds like the best way to confirm without cracking the diff open.