Ford 8.8" diff into FB - Pics included!
10-22-04, 01:41 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Ford 8.8" diff into FB - Pics included!
Ok, so the factory Mazda diff, even in LSD form is relatively weak. Sure, it's good if you don't thrash it, but where's the fun in that? Plus, this car ('81 GS) will be running over 450Hp when I'm done, and there's no way the factory diff will cope with that easily.
I managed to source the rear end of a 1990 EA Ford Falcon for free. This is a car only really seen in Australia and New Zealand, so I've attached a picture for our foreign cousins:
What a piece of ****. Anyway, here's the diff after it's been narrowed and had all the brackets welded back on. It's now 100mm narrower than factory, and exactly the same width as the original RX7 diff.
Time to attack it with primer!! 2 coats, followed by 4 coats of gloss black, then 2 coats of clears.
Mmmm.. glossy... note new Nolathane bushes for the lower trailing arms. The top bushes were not replaced, as it's always good to have more play in the upper arms on a Watts linkage setup to reduce the chances of snap oversteer when cornering.
Here's something you don't see every day... an old RX7 with 10.5" rear disk rotors and five stud wheel pattern. The disks will be replaced next paycheck with DBA slotted examples. I'll be running semi-metallic Bendix pads, and the calipers will be painted with high-temp matt black paint.
Total cost, including fabrication, paint and transport - around USD$750.00.
If anyone wants to do this and needs advice, feel free to PM me
Jon.
I managed to source the rear end of a 1990 EA Ford Falcon for free. This is a car only really seen in Australia and New Zealand, so I've attached a picture for our foreign cousins:
What a piece of ****. Anyway, here's the diff after it's been narrowed and had all the brackets welded back on. It's now 100mm narrower than factory, and exactly the same width as the original RX7 diff.
Time to attack it with primer!! 2 coats, followed by 4 coats of gloss black, then 2 coats of clears.
Mmmm.. glossy... note new Nolathane bushes for the lower trailing arms. The top bushes were not replaced, as it's always good to have more play in the upper arms on a Watts linkage setup to reduce the chances of snap oversteer when cornering.
Here's something you don't see every day... an old RX7 with 10.5" rear disk rotors and five stud wheel pattern. The disks will be replaced next paycheck with DBA slotted examples. I'll be running semi-metallic Bendix pads, and the calipers will be painted with high-temp matt black paint.
Total cost, including fabrication, paint and transport - around USD$750.00.
If anyone wants to do this and needs advice, feel free to PM me
Jon.
10-22-04, 02:00 AM
#3
Right near Malloy
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They don't make the Taurus in RWD over here. 
Was thinking the T-Bird uses the same 3.8L V6 as the Taurus, but the T-Bird is IRS...
**** it. Just gotta gut a Mustang. They have 8.8" rear, right?
Was thinking the T-Bird uses the same 3.8L V6 as the Taurus, but the T-Bird is IRS...
**** it. Just gotta gut a Mustang. They have 8.8" rear, right?
10-22-04, 02:26 AM
#4
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Thread Starter
Originally Posted by GavinJuice
That car just looks and probably is a european taurus, ish. What the hell is nolathane, and what's it's advantages to stock or a poly combination?
10-22-04, 02:38 AM
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
The mustang (from what I know) is an 8.8" unit. We don't see too many mustangs over here so I'm not 100% on that. I think directfreak bought a 8.8" unit out of a mustang so you might be best to ask him.
The diff tubes are narrowed on a lathe, and the axles are cut then resplined. The whole unit needs to be balanced and the brackets rewelded to the housing. It's not something you can do in your back yard, it needs to be done by professionals.
The diff tubes are narrowed on a lathe, and the axles are cut then resplined. The whole unit needs to be balanced and the brackets rewelded to the housing. It's not something you can do in your back yard, it needs to be done by professionals.
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10-22-04, 02:54 PM
#9
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
my mustang rear end isn't narrowed and works fine!!! i saved alot of $$$ not having to pay x-tra for custom length axles, or having my rear end housing shortened!! more cheese for me!!!!!!!!!!
10-22-04, 03:48 PM
#10
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ahhhhhh!!!! ROBERT what offset rims do you use in the rear then? i dont wanna fork with all this narrowing mess. i just wanna be able to launch the **** outta my car! 
10-22-04, 08:08 PM
#11
DGRRX
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Originally Posted by Pele
They don't make the Taurus in RWD over here.
Was thinking the T-Bird uses the same 3.8L V6 as the Taurus, but the T-Bird is IRS...
**** it. Just gotta gut a Mustang. They have 8.8" rear, right?
Was thinking the T-Bird uses the same 3.8L V6 as the Taurus, but the T-Bird is IRS...
**** it. Just gotta gut a Mustang. They have 8.8" rear, right?
The following Ford vehicles use the 8.8 rear end:
Ford Mustang (4 or 8 cyl)
Ford Thunderbird
Ford Aerostar (yes a minivan, basically a T-bird chassis, also a lot cheaper to scrounge cause its......a......minivan)
Ford Crown Victoria
Mercury Grand Marquis
Mercury Cougar (old school RWD models, all pre '96)
So they basically they are all the same except certain ones get disc brakes, look for XR7 Cougars, Eddie Bauer Aerostars, SVO (good luck) Mustangs, Turbo Coupe (good luck) Thunderbirds, and SC Thunderbirds. Also Crown Victoria Police Interceptors get discs out back.
Working at an auto parts store gives you all kinds of worthless info.
10-22-04, 08:57 PM
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Originally Posted by djmtsu
Actually the T-Bird has the same solid axle as any other RWD Ford car, no IRS unless you have a Cobra.
The following Ford vehicles use the 8.8 rear end:
Ford Mustang (4 or 8 cyl)
Ford Thunderbird
Ford Aerostar (yes a minivan, basically a T-bird chassis, also a lot cheaper to scrounge cause its......a......minivan)
Ford Crown Victoria
Mercury Grand Marquis
Mercury Cougar (old school RWD models, all pre '96)
So they basically they are all the same except certain ones get disc brakes, look for XR7 Cougars, Eddie Bauer Aerostars, SVO (good luck) Mustangs, Turbo Coupe (good luck) Thunderbirds, and SC Thunderbirds. Also Crown Victoria Police Interceptors get discs out back.
Working at an auto parts store gives you all kinds of worthless info.
The following Ford vehicles use the 8.8 rear end:
Ford Mustang (4 or 8 cyl)
Ford Thunderbird
Ford Aerostar (yes a minivan, basically a T-bird chassis, also a lot cheaper to scrounge cause its......a......minivan)
Ford Crown Victoria
Mercury Grand Marquis
Mercury Cougar (old school RWD models, all pre '96)
So they basically they are all the same except certain ones get disc brakes, look for XR7 Cougars, Eddie Bauer Aerostars, SVO (good luck) Mustangs, Turbo Coupe (good luck) Thunderbirds, and SC Thunderbirds. Also Crown Victoria Police Interceptors get discs out back.
Working at an auto parts store gives you all kinds of worthless info.
Why is is that I can buy CV boots for an 87+ T-bird/Cougar? They are IRS...
10-22-04, 09:34 PM
#15
mustang hunter
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Hell almost anything ford has an 8.8!! look under the *** of almost any mid 70's (eww, i know!) luxo barge. These can usualy be had for under $200 for the whole car and ya can scrap the rest of it or sell it
Excellent work by the way!!!!!!!
Excellent work by the way!!!!!!!