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Anyone out there have info to help me with the explorer rear swap . I have the rear and will be narrowing it but the brackets to mount it properly are an issue. Since Granny's is out of the picture is there any other source of mounting brackets or templates etc.. I have a spare GSLE rear that I could cut the brackets off of and weld on the explorer but they seem flimsy. I would like something a little stronger. I know that there must be something out there from Speedway or Alston chassis that might work. Any help would be appreciated.
I would take both the exploder rear and the GSL-SE rear to a speed shop / hotrod shop / chassis builder. They can make new brackets and fab up the ford rear end so it'll be a direct bolt-in for you.
Last edited by Maxwedge; Oct 28, 2021 at 12:07 PM.
I can do all the work and welding myself. What I am really looking for is a source for the actual brackets and mounts and their placement. I have a spare rx 7 rear and could cut everything off of it and place it on the Explorer rear but the RX 7 original brackets don't look like they will will take much abuse. I was also looking at how the Watts linkage pivot is handled on the Ford rear.
I can do all the work and welding myself. What I am really looking for is a source for the actual brackets and mounts and their placement. I have a spare rx 7 rear and could cut everything off of it and place it on the Explorer rear but the RX 7 original brackets don't look like they will will take much abuse. I was also looking at how the Watts linkage pivot is handled on the Ford rear.
Why cut it up when you know you want thicker metal? I use those plastic kitty liter totes to mock things up. They cut well and you can grind slightly as needed ........mock it up with plastic and use thicker metal with the new ones.
last time I contacted him I got a quicker response through his youtube channel. its under the same name. Doesnt exactly strike confidence in the business though. Hope he is still producing.
I can do all the work and welding myself. What I am really looking for is a source for the actual brackets and mounts and their placement. I have a spare rx 7 rear and could cut everything off of it and place it on the Explorer rear but the RX 7 original brackets don't look like they will will take much abuse. I was also looking at how the Watts linkage pivot is handled on the Ford rear.
Seems the only proper way would be to make a jig from the mazda unit and make your own brackets out of something a bit more substantial
Yeah unless I find someone to help with the rear end situation I'm considering giving up on the swap myself. Maybe I'll just swap to a carby 13b when the 12a dies and just get a different project to make a fast car out of.
Well I took the plunge and stripped the spare rx7 rear of all the brackets and spring cups I need to transfer to the narrowed explorer rear. I have one side tacked in place and I will just add some metal to the parts that look weak. The only thing that I have not figured out yet is the pivot for the watts linkage on the explorer rear. What would help is any photos of the 8.8 already in an SA for some ideas.
