What cars can I get a 9 inch rear from

[brtnstrns]

What cars can I get a 9 inch rear from if i were to look in a junkyard? I'm talkin about a rear end that i dont have to modify in any way, just bolt in. Could like a cougar or rear end work or any v8 mustang from 65-70? Just a list will do

 

[D.Hearne]

Any 65-70 Stang, 66-69 Fairlane/Torino. Early Falcons or Comets ( pre 69) If you happen to find one under a 69-78 Maverick/Comet, it'll fit too. Also 57-59 Ford will work.

 

[brtnstrns]

thank you, thats exactly what i'm lookin for

 

[Ronstang]

IF your car is a 66 then you cannot use one out of a 67-70 Mustang/Cougar because the housihng is 2 inches wider. It will bolt in but your tires will more than likely rub.

 

[chepsk8]

Ron is right!

The rear track on the 65-66 Mustangs is Two (2) inches narrower than the 67-73 Mustangs. You need to find the rear from some late 50's Fords with Leaf springs! It may be easier to narrow a later 9" rear, or build your 8".

 

[brtnstrns]

well i dont have an 8 inch, i only have a I6. And shortening a later 9 inch sounds like a real bitch...i wouldnt have any idea where to start

 

[candyapple]

You will also need to do alot of suspension work. Trust me, I am at that point right now. I just put in my 302 and found that unless I upgrade my supension, I cannot get a starter on the engine.

 

[65straightsick]

Well this is some good information as I too will be swapping in a 289-302 in my I6. Where can you find a complete suspension setup that won't cost an arm and a leg....sorry for the hijack..

 

[D.Hearne]

Also a good candidate to look under is any Lincoln Versailles from 74-79, or a compareable year Ford Granada or Mercury Monarch. The 9" was std in the Versailles and optional in the Granada/Monarch so it pays to check these out too. One of the 9" "Versailles" rears I have had was from a Monarch.

 

[bull999999]

You will also need to do alot of suspension work. Trust me, I am at that point right now. I just put in my 302 and found that unless I upgrade my supension, I cannot get a starter on the engine.

That's strange. If you read some of my earlier posts, I have a I6 65 Stang with a swapped in bastard 289 engine with what that appears to be I6 suspension and the starter fits fine even with the headers, unless they did some sort of bastard suspension upgrade to go with the Frankin engine.

 

[D.Hearne]

The suspension has nothing to do with the starter fitting. Exhaust? Yes, Suspension? -- No.

 

[cardude]

i did the swap and the engine went in like butter I tell ya, butter!! not fitment problems either.

 

[63_Fairlane]

All of the engine bay sheet metal is interchangeable between the I6 and V8 cars. There should be no clearance problems with the starter.

As for suspension, if your car is like my 65 coupe, it probably needs a complete suspension overhall whether or not it gets a new engine. A complete stock type rebuild plus replacing the I6 specific components with the heavier V8 parts will be a good start. Any of the big Mustang parts houses should be able to put something together with stock parts plus the stuff you want to upgrade.

Some of the easiest upgrades are the "Shelby" drop, replace the strut rods with rod end units, Koni classic shocks, thicker front sway bar, and "Shelby" under-rider traction bars.

You will need to up grade the spindles and brakes. The late 70 and up drum brake spindles are the best. They are the strongest and allow the use of the early style disc brakes. There are plenty of brake kits available, but with a bit of patience, a decent disc brake setup can be pieced together from swap meets, Ebay, NAPA, AutoZone, etc. The late 70s Granada discs are a bolt-on, but some folks run into bump steer issues. If you want a packaged solution, Stainless Steel Brakes, Baer, and Wilwood all make a variety of kits. The SSB kit seems to to be the easiest with the least amount of fabrication or at least that is what I have gathered from folks experiences on this board.

 

[Mosse]

Starter issue: If you use -65 motor mounts with -66 stuff, the engine sits 1" lower than original. This is what I have, and I can tell you that starter and oilpan (had to dent it a little) are allmost touching my centerlink... I would say centerlink is part of suspension?

 

[63_Fairlane]

From what I have heard, the early motor mounts are not supposed cause that kind of problem. Even with the one inch drop, everything is supposed to fit. However, the tolerances on these cars was not tight and the subsequent years of use probably haven't made them better. It may be simple tolerance stackup... each piece is off by a few tenths and it adds up to interferance.

In any case, it is something that I will look before dropping in a new engine.

A few questions Mosse and other folks with engine fit issues...

1. Does the car have a quick steer kit?
2. Is the oil pan stock or aftermarket?
3. Does the car have power steering?
4. Have the shock towers or any of the front sheet metal been modified?
5. Has the car ever been in a wreck?
6. Are the rubber portions of the engine mounts in good condition?

Any of these may effect the fitment of the engine. Thanks for any comments or answers.

 

[brtnstrns]

yeah so....uhhhh....how exactly do you shorten a rear end? hijacking rat bastards

 

[RajunCajun]

Take it to a Axle Shop and theyll do it, bassically its cut and rewelded to the correct length almost all shops will mount your leaf brackets etc for u if you give them exact measurements.

 

[latamud]

From what I have heard, the early motor mounts are not supposed cause that kind of problem. Even with the one inch drop, everything is supposed to fit. However, the tolerances on these cars was not tight and the subsequent years of use probably haven't made them better. It may be simple tolerance stackup... each piece is off by a few tenths and it adds up to interferance.

In any case, it is something that I will look before dropping in a new engine.

A few questions Mosse and other folks with engine fit issues...

1. Does the car have a quick steer kit?
2. Is the oil pan stock or aftermarket?
3. Does the car have power steering?
4. Have the shock towers or any of the front sheet metal been modified?
5. Has the car ever been in a wreck?
6. Are the rubber portions of the engine mounts in good condition?

Any of these may effect the fitment of the engine. Thanks for any comments or answers.

To add to this, if the motor mounts are bolted up slightly off, say when the engine was dropped in it was not level, in trhis case, the passenger side dropped in first, and bolted up tight, then the driver side. The driver side would sit wherever the passenger side allowed for. The engine not being level, passenger side being lower and starter also being lower than if at level. That would cause binding with the center link. Had this problem with my 65 Cuda recently. I loosened the motor mount bolts to the end of travel without actually removing the nut, lifted the engine, leveled it, dropped it, had plenty more room for the starter. I'm happy too. the center link would mash the starter cable and engage the starter while turning, waas scarey. Good luck.