will a 8.5 ford rear end fit on a 85
 

i was wanting to put a new rear end on my 85rx7 and i was just wondering if any one knew if any one has done this before

You mean Ford 8.8 right?

Either way - Use 82StreetRacer's link.

Yes it will, and yes I have.

But pretty much anything will fit if you make it.
But an 8.8" from a mustang is a pretty good fit.

It is not a bolt in, but it is the right width for a gls-se.
You will have to strip all the brackets off the 8.8" and strip the brackets from a mazda rear. Then weld them onto the Ford rear in the correct location.
You will need to have axles made for the lug pattern you want, or redrill/tap the stock ones for the pattern you want. (This is what I did)
Then have a driveshaft made.
Figure out the brake lines, and emergency barke cable.

But once you get this done, feel free to lauch off the rev limiter on slicks pretty much as much as you want.

Later
Randy

evansville?
I'm in owensboro, and i know another guy in e-ville, rotofire. we'll have to run 'em sometime.

Cool, I hope to be out and around once the weather gets better. Do either of you ever hit Chandler or Windy?

Later
Randy

I go to windy hollow, now and again, only on fri test and tune to get times, don't care much for bracket racing.
My shop is close to there, little further down 431.
e-mail me if you go this spring.
like to go to chandler, i think i'm closer to bowling green though, hate to break stuff so far away from home. hehe.

Ford explorer v/8 is a great choice. Rear disc and limited slip.

Also a bad fit, the pumpkin is off center and would require quite a bit of work to fit.
Mustang rear is within a 1/4" of being the same width as a se rear. It will be a traction lock center. And Lincoln Mark 7 rear disk are an easy bolt-on and cheap.

Later
Randy

I think no matter how you go about it, a bit of fabrication is going to be required here. Just adding a suggestion.

thanks guys

So you're saying he maliciously and intentionally ran you over?

So you're saying he maliciously and intentionally ran you over?

Yeah, that's just a question of how well you can fabricate things. I'm sure that will be awesome if you put one in there!!

Enlighten me on what you mean by the pumkin is off center?

The axle length is longer on one side than it is on the other.




What years of mustangs are you talking about? do they need to be 5.0 cars or is the rear in a 4cy the same? I have a 94 or 95 in my junk yard that was a 3.8 car. Is it the same style/type as the early cars? I think that it has disk brakes.

What about a rear from a truck or van?

Has anyone ever had a custom 9" built or maybe a Dana 60 :D

Alot of the 4cyl mustangs will only have a 7.5" Rear end whereas the 5.0L's will have the 8.8" This will also depend on year though. And the rear end in an explorer is going to be offset like eville140 said. Ive actually seen one friend put a nissan independant rear end into his rx7.

87-93 musatangs have the width rear that I used.
94 and up will be 3" wider.
87-88 Thunderbird turbocoupes also have 8.8" rears that are 1.5" wider.

4cyl cars all have 7.5" rears and open center sections

Later
Randy

Being the skeptic that I am I checked the rear end of an explorer today. Low and behold you are correct, 18.25 inches from inside edge of spring perch to center of pinion bolt, and 21.25 inches on the other side. You were correct. I would have sworn they were they same distance. I am pond scum.......

Guys I thought us imports were supposed to hate american autos? I thought us imports were above the rest? Dony we always talk about how poorly mustang are made? Dont we always trash talk?
What wrong with just upgrading your current rear end?
Or why not just but a mustang? They are twice as cheap. They are faster. Ford parts are ez to find.

Take two of them and make you one short one. and one long one.

Cheep!!! I have bought 3 7's for the same price as I spent on my wifes 92 lx.

Not everyone hates American Iron or Ford. Even Chevy guys build Ford 9" for their musscle cars.

Oh, go cry yourself a river, ya boob ;)

The only reason you'd even have to consider this level of rear-end upgrade is if you've got 3 or more times the stock hp level. Even then, the stock rear will do OK if you don't beat on it.

I heard that the rear disks widen the track an inch or so, is that true?

You can use the mark 7 disks with the mustang length axles. But you have to mount the caliper brackets on the inside of the backing plates. The width of the caliper brackets is just the right width. On the lincoln they are monted on the outside, swap them to the inside and they are 3/4" further back. Works great..I had this setup on my mustang for a few years.
The only downside with the rx7(and reason I am still running drums) is you would also need a different master cylinder and a proportioning valve.. The lincoln caliper's pistons are quite a bit bigger than the mazda rear disk pistons.

Later
Randy

Randy,

Would the t-bird rear be my best choice?
They come with discs already.

Seems easier to find than the
93 Cobra rear..