Who has installed a solid rear end into an FC? Need CrisSpeed's FL email.
 

First of all..... no sh*t talking please. I'm doing this to withstand 700ft/lbs of tq and more for reliability sake.

I'm wanting to install an '87-93 Ford 8.8" solid rear end (from a Stang) into my '87 FC for drag racing. I would like to speak with someone that has done this. Doesn't matter what kind of solid rear you installed.... mainly interested in width of housing and rim offset plus whether a ladder bar or 4 link was used. I would like to stick with the Ford bolt pattern so that I can run an FD rim with 10.5" tire.... most likely 28" tall tire in stock wheelwells. Will be street driven. Want to keep sleeper look.

Does anyone have Chris "Speed" Anderson's email in FL or know the shop he works at? He has a low 9 second FC with 13BT-NOS and solid 8 3/4" Mopar rear.

Thanks in advance,

-GNX7

Re: Who has installed a solid rear end into an FC? Need CrisSpeed's FL email.
 

Sounds like the shit talkin already began ;)

:D he he he... gotta watch out being one of the lonely wolves on the rotary board :crazy: .

Good talking the other day Carl.

-GNX7

Don't you have other things to be worrying about right now...what are you doing with the Viper rear-end? IS that going in the 3rd gen?

I'm thinking of putting that in the 3rd gen. Rather have a wheelie popping drag car that won't break parts out back than one with IRS and isn't NHRA SFI legal to the 9's that breaks custom ($$$$) axles/CV joints.

Too many projects... not enuf $$$... and never enuf time.

ANyone have Crisspeeds email addy in FL or know which performance shop he works at? I think it is Orlando Performance or something like that.

-GNX7

If you want a reliable rear, why go with the 8.8? You'll have to spend a ton of money prepping it (31 spline axles, better than stock diff, c-clip eliminators, discs, etc.), so why not start with something that's already bulletproof? You know what I'm talking about...a 9". If you are concerned with weight, an 8" will take as much power and more than an 8.8.

Sounds like we gotta get you back out to Sears... :)

PaulC

I've found an 8.8" Ford diff for $50.
31 spline axles $219-299
Spool $199
keeping stock gears 2:73's
Cclip eliminators $?
............................

There are guys running low 9's/high 8's with a similar setup and 8.8" rear in 3200lb Mustangs. 9" is about 50lbs+ heavier which I don't need/want.

So for probably well under $1K I can have a stout freshly rebuilt rear end.

Anyone have Crisspeed's contact info?

Paul- I'm still roadracing... just have to actually finish the drag project and run a 9 second pass before selling it....

-Mark

i have a 9" in my fc

8.8 weighs considerably less than a 9 inch. 8.8 takes less power to run than a 9 inch. There are people running 9's on stock axles already. Rotaries don't put out much torque so breaking shouldn't be a problem.


8.8 all the way........

He doesn't have a rotary... :)

Flip side of the breakage problem: Rotaries don't have much torque so you have to launch them at higher RPM to keep the engine in its powerband and get the car moving until the engine can take over (instead of purely using inertia to move the car) and this is harsher on the driveline than a smoother walk-it-out type launch.

edit: homer no function well sleep without

Thanks for the reply on my question. (Body panels) Maybe I can shed some light on yours. E-mail me. Rich. (Sieben2)

Even though I have to launch my car at 7k, it's still not going to be as hard on it than a big torque car.

Yes it will. Shock loads are much more harmful than constant loads.

When you want to drive a nail, do you push it in or do you smack it with a hammer?

most high power v8's run auto's like me i have a powerglide even tho say a v8 has 1000 ft/lbs the whole drive line is loaded up before the launch so ripping off the line at 6000 stall is a way diff laod then a stick car with the drive line unloaded and bang clutch drop 7000k think of it as a tight bolt pull and pull wont pop free hit it with an impac gun comes right out thats why with a stick best to have a line lock foot on the gas foot on the clutch slipin it at the line to load up the drive line

old thread i know.

ok, anyone have pictures of an mopar 8 3/4 install on an fc?

just wondering? is it that crucial? i know someone in town taht runs about 575-650hp and its the stock rear end been using that same stock rear end and running 10.3's consistantly full car, stock panels full interioir. i dunno just wondering the reasons...why u would switch to a different rear end...\


thanx

gearing, ill be using an automatic and the 4.10 puts the highway speeds/cruising speeds at wayyy more than i would like. that and the torque i will be putting down, im shooting for 600ft lbs of tq and hp (v8 swap) and its just easier for me if i do the swap now. i dont want to do the solid rear but its the most effective way. i think i can go 3link without it being too difficult.

Razorback, I'd do truck trailing arms with a Panhard bar like old stock cars. You'd be able to keep most of the floor pan intact that way and the handling is good for a straight axle. I was considering this setup for my FC for the same reasons. With the T56 I the 4.10 gears are fine.

http://www.stockcarproducts.com/trkarm.htm
http://www.classicperform.com/tech_a...coil-overs.htm

http://www.classicperform.com/tech_a...oil-over/1.jpg

im DEFINATELY looking into that. thanks alot, better than the leaf spring setup.

im gonna have to pull my car out, and put it front in, so i can remove my rear subframe. not looking forward to that.

btw can i get differnt lug patterns for axles on my 8 3/4 like a mustang bolt pattern or something? i like the mopar tires they offer, but i want matching rims all around.

Holy shit, have you guys lost your damned minds? A solid axle will ruin the handling of a RX7!

What, are you guys a bunch of hill billies?

why the hell did you go to a solid rear end? your not making enough torque to break the t2 rear ends (maybe the fds)

Seeing that you know what I have, I thought you would know that I was kidding :)

Reason for me switching to a 8.8/ 4 link, I broke my stock diff and decided to go with a bullet proof rear end.

i sensed sarcasm;)

any pictures of your install or mounting points on your chasis? also is it that noticeable over the irs?

id rather sell my stock t2 diff before i broke it so i could get money out of it, to use to switch over to the solid rear. plus i can get lockers for this one, and the gearing i want.

whats your gearing in the 8.8?

Here are some not so great pictures, almost 3 years old. I didn't notice any difference in handling but I'm no drifter :)

Davinci Motorworks (D&R Autoworks) did the install.

The chassis mounting tabs for the control arms are attached to 18sq" plates.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...m/jul24341.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...m/jul24348.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...m/jul24340.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...m/jul24344.jpg

actually lupe, those photos help me alot. i think its eigher going to be between the 4link setup and the setup roadrace posted. thanks

ok, i cant find anywhere that sells those 4link bars, i can make the mounting brackets myself, i just need bars.

any links would be appreciated.

oh, lupe, is there a ladder bar mounted under there or is it mounted directly to the stock chasis?

i might just build one like the ones in this link, if it works out good, sell them as a kit.

http://www.swracecars.com/rearframes.asp#pro

Lower bars are mounted to the stock mounting area. Uppers are mounted to the body seems and are mounted to 18sq" plates.

Tubing is made by afco.

Hahaha, of course you didn't notice any difference in handling Eric ... you take all corners at half the posted speed ;)

That's very true. Just the thought of taking a corner makes me nauseas :(

They have drugs for that

The truck arm suspension will handle better that a 4 link that doesn't have compliant bushings. When one you try to lift one wheel on a 4 link that doesn't have equal length, parallel links the suspension trys to twist the axle housing. Dirt track racers get rid of the bind with bird cages. A 3 link is also good for suspension articulation. You can feel good an red neck with a 3 link since NASCAR Nextel Cup runs 3 'em.

how much would a coilover set like that cost?

Find out where your local dirt track racers go for theirs. They'll be able to make you anything you want and it will be cheap.

If you can't find anything that way give www.stockcarproducts.com a visit but you'll be better off finding someone local. Don't bother making brackets unless you need something special. Brackets are cheap.

aluminum tubes

steel tubes

brackets

Yes, I bought my aluminum afco tubing from a local circle track race car shop. I also bought all my heim joints their too.

josh, do you happen to have photos of how the truck trailing arm suspension is setup?

Thanks for posting that Nihilanthic. I was looking for that very site, but couldn't find it myself even having been there before.

I forgot to mention that their stuff is a bit spendy. I was looking at this web site for ideas, but not for products. I'd grab an original set of trailing arms from a 1960-1972 Chevy pickup and build my own crossmember. The mounting tabs and such can come from cheaper circle track suppliers. The trailing arms might need to be shortened, but that's a lot easier than starting from scratch or paying $220 each.

ok i can tell how the setup works there. im definatly going to call aroudn to junk yard and see what i can find. anyone know the length the solid axle would have to be, from the hub part (where the wheel studs go into) to the other hub part. i might have to shorten mine down a bit. im looking into my suspension tomorrow, to see how i would like to do it. for the rear the measure ments i got were 59 3/4 long. with the tires with pressure on them.

i pulled the solid axle the other day, its the 489 non posi with 2.76 gears.