In my 85 gs, the back axle is kind of rusty (does anyone else have this too?). I was thinking of taking it off, sanding it down, then neutralizing the rust and powdercoating it. I also want to have discs on the back (the drums are rusty, which bothers me...I have had some baaaad experiences with rust). Is there a relatively cheap kit to do this, or should I just go find myself a junked GSL or SE and take the rear end off that?

 

Go find a rear end from a GSL. It has a slightly better limited slip unit than the SE does, and it won't change your bolt pattern for the wheels. I did this a while back, and it is a great upgrade. Better stopping power, better traction and handling from the LSD.

Plan on replacing all of the bushings too when you do this, and maybe the shocks if they're due. Might as well get all of it done at once if you're going to pull the rear end off.





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If you grab the GSL, you will also need the flex line to the body, the parking brake cables from the calipers to the first joint, and the GSl proportioning valve. You may also want to snag the GSL 7/8" bore master cylinder to get a bit more stopping power.

 

just get the GSL rear end. There was a thread a while back showing that you cannot adapt a drum rear end to a disc rear end because of a different backing plate or something like that. You'll spend more in custom work than you would by just buying the GSL rear end.