1965 Fastback


Registered: April 2003
Location: Starkville, MS

another question...

i wanted to know. instead of changing the complete rearend, could i just change to 5lug axles instead?? i was looking over at Currie Enterprises and i saw some 5 lug axles. so now i'm thinking could i go this way instead of just changing the whole rear end. if so what info would i need to know in order to do this? if anyone could help me i would really appreciate it. oh yeah, right now i have an 8in. rear with 28 spline. i hope this makes sense. thanks.

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1966 Mustang GT, 4-speed, A-code


Registered: July 2000
Location: SoCal

I've never seen an 8" that didn't have 5-lug axles. Can you explain a bit more about what you want to do?

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1966 Mustang Coupe


Registered: January 2002
Location: Originally from Maine, now in Louisiana

Based on his other post, I'm assuming he has a 6cyl car with 4 lug 7" rear end and is wondering if 5 lug axles would fit his pumpkin.

65fastback65 - Definately need more info! What kind of car, what axle you have now, what your goals are with the car....etc.

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1965 Fastback


Registered: April 2003
Location: Starkville, MS

here are the numbers listed on my door plate... Axle-2 , Trans-6
so that would make it a C4 Transmission with 2.83:1 gears right?? my goals are just go get it converted to 5 lugs wheels that's all. i'm sorry i didn't mean to post a new topic. i mistakingly hit the new post button instead of Post reply. Sorry. I hope that this helps. thanks.

Oh yeah, the car has a 289 in it. It's in a 1965 fastback.

Last edited by 65fastback65 on 04-02-03 at 01:26 PM

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1965 Fastback


Registered: April 2003
Location: Starkville, MS

I have another questions about rear ends. i have someone trying to sell me a 9in. rear. he says that it's open and not posi. what does that mean and is there a big difference? if anyone could explain i would really appreciate it. thanks.

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67 Mustang Coupe


Registered: May 2002
Location: Charlotte, N C

open=1 wheel wonder,posi or limited slip means lots of fun, both tires usually spin together orhook up really well, as far as axles you can just buy the 5 lug axles and everything else will work,backingplate,brakes, etc, about the only thing diff between 4 and 5 lug axles is that one has 4 and the other has 5,assuming you get the right lengthmif currie has them for 8" I'm sure they have the length for um

Last edited by sand1man on 04-02-03 at 06:35 PM

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Smoochy is the face of EVIL!!


Registered: November 2002
Location: Port Orange, just south of Daytona Beach, Fl

whats better a 9" rear or a 8" rear?

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67 Mustang Coupe


Registered: May 2002
Location: Charlotte, N C

9", you won't see to many drag cars with 8's in um,plus things are cheaper and more plentiful for nines

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1968 Ford mustang FB 302


Registered: October 2002
Location: Orange, CA

9" for any kind of power is the ultimate rear end for any car. even the chevy guys cant deny it and use them in their street rods and drag cars. 8" is lighter and will eat up less hp if you have a low hp set up go with 8".

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1965 Fastback


Registered: April 2003
Location: Starkville, MS

so would it be alright to go with an open 9in. rear? or do you think i should keep looking for a posi rear? i'm just curious because i don't want to get something then have to change it because i don't like it. thanks for the help guys.

Last edited by 65fastback65 on 04-02-03 at 07:34 PM

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1966 Mustang Coupe


Registered: January 2002
Location: Originally from Maine, now in Louisiana

If you really want posi, then don't settle on a open axle. I think it's the gear ratio that makes the biggest difference though.

Is your car originally a V8 or a I6?

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1965 Fastback


Registered: April 2003
Location: Starkville, MS

yes it is an original v8 car. this rear end stuff is really tough. i didn't think this car would be so much trouble. but once it gets going i know that it's going to be sweet. if any of you guys run across a 9in rear with posi please let me know. thanks.

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1966 Mustang Coupe


Registered: January 2002
Location: Originally from Maine, now in Louisiana

What's the VIN of your car, or at least the engine code? If your car is an original V8 with a 8" rear, you should already have the 5 lug pattern on both the front and back. I don't understand why you have a 4 lug pattern.

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1966 Mustang GT, 4-speed, A-code


Registered: July 2000
Location: SoCal

Bingo!
Give usthe entire VIN#. Thanks.

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1965 Mustang Fastback


Registered: March 2002
Location: Northern VA

65fastback65

If your car was an originally equiped 289 V8, it should already be an 8" rear with 5 lug axles. 4 Lug wheels were original equipment on 6 cylinders, only.

A 9" rear is significantly stronger and able to deal with a greater amount of torque. What is your end game for your car? What are your future upgrades? If your building a good solid street car, an 8" will be plenty.

Posi or Posi-traction is a Chevy product. Trac-loc is the Ford version.

Tim

ps: You may want to reconsider your title?

__________________
'65 2+2
302 - 351 heads, Performer RPM, 600 cfm 4bbl.
JBA shorty's, 2.5" tubes, Dr Gas X-pipe
T-5 world class 5 speed, w/ .80 OD
9" rear with 3.55's & T-loc
4 wheel disc brakes
15" Torq-Thrust D's, 225/50 g-Force T/A's
full TCP/Global West suspension
subframe connectors, Traction Masters, Panhard bar
TCP manual rack & pinion

Last edited by 65 fastback on 04-05-03 at 11:59 AM

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1965 Mustang Fastback


Registered: March 2002
Location: Northern VA

Sorry, double post.

Last edited by 65 fastback on 04-05-03 at 12:00 PM

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1965 Fastback


Registered: April 2003
Location: Starkville, MS

i'm working on getting the title right now. Well i was wrong. the car was originally a 6 cyl. that's why it has 4 lugs instead of 5. So what rear end comes with an original 6 cyl.? this place is very educational. i think i'm going to like it here "forever" (if you guys don't run me off first for so many questions)

65 Stang
So you think that an 8in. rear would be plenty for a nice solid street car. that's great. are you sure?? i'm just curious. if so i'm going to just get that. my main goal is to just get the thing 5 lugs. i want those Torq Thrust 2s. I love those wheels.

EDIT
I want to thank you guys also. So THANKS!!!

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1966 Mustang Coupe


Registered: January 2002
Location: Originally from Maine, now in Louisiana

Ah, no wonder I was so confused!

It's a little more work to swap the entire suspension over...The entire front end suspension should be swapped to V8 suspension, especially if you plan on swapping the engine some day. I've been trying to get rid of my V8 drum brake parts (everything) for a while, PM me if you want them. Most V8'ers swap the front brakes to discs using parts from mid 70's Granadas and Monarchs (another popular thread topic - search for Granada). I did the same, which is why I have the parts. The rear is easier - just find a 8" or even some 9" fit - Mustang Steve (?) has a great website listing what 9" will fit a 65-66.

Best bet is to search (yes, it's working again) for "swapper" - 66Blake96 marked every good swap thread with that word.

Edit: The car already has a 289, right? Are the front hubs 4-lug or 5-lug? If they are 4, swapping the front suspension is almost required for safety reasons - beefier components to handle the weight and power of the engine.

Last edited by Maniac66 on 04-04-03 at 07:12 PM

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1965 Fastback


Registered: April 2003
Location: Starkville, MS

8.8 in. rear question...

yes the car already has a 289 in it. it has 4 lugs on the front now. i'm going to buy the parts from mustangsplus for the for the front. i'm going to buy the rear from currie. i wanted to ask another question. i was looking at the 8.8 rearends. i want to know if they will fit my car, which is a 65 fastback? and would it be better (performance) than an 8 in rear? thanks.

Last edited by 65fastback65 on 04-05-03 at 01:10 AM

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65 Mustang Coupe


Registered: August 2002
Location: Burbank, CA

8" vs 9", open vs. trac loc, 28 vs. 31 spline axles...The answers to these all depend on what you want the car to do. If all you want to do is drive around town and more or less obey speed/exhibition laws then a plain old 8" will work just fine. If you're mildly working your engine the 8" will still work. If your engine is going to put out abusive amounts of power and unleash it all at once, like launching at the drag races, then everything needs to be strong enough to handle it.

If cost an availability were even then you'd probably want to go for the 31 spline 9" with trac loc. No real reason--just because you could get it. But cost is going to be an issue--especially if you buy from Currie. My whole car cost less than one of their plain-Jane 9" rears. Just figure out the car's role in the world and get the right parts based on that.

~Dan

__________________
1965 Mustang -- Very stock.
1950 F1 -- 351C/C4/Very not stock.
1998 Explorer
85% of the time the answer should be "you don't know what you're doing and shouldn't even be opening the hood on your car, let alone changing things!" The people on this board are helpful and very very understanding.

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1965 Mustang Fastback


Registered: March 2002
Location: Northern VA

I think the original equipment rear end for the 6 cylinder cars is a 7" housing. You could go to the Six Cylinder Tech forum to check.

Like everyone has been saying, you need to decide how you want your finished car to be set up.

If you are looking for a solid street car or mild restomod, then an 8" will be plenty - it should easily handle around 280 flywheel horsepower.

If you want to build a high horse power car or want to get to the drag strip, autocross, or open track event then you should go ahead and get a 9" with a Traction Lock differential.

If an 8" seems like it would work for your application, you should be able to pick one up very cheap at any Mustang restoration shop or junk yard - they are a dime a dozen. If you want or need a 9" the junk yards have been pretty picked over by this point and you are most likely looking at a full rebuild. Currie is the place to go, but they are not inexpensive. I got my 9" with traction lock and 3.55 gears, as well as rear disc brakes from Currie and have been very pleased.

Welcome to Stangnet and keep the questions comming.

Tim

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'65 Coupe


Registered: February 2000
Location: Richmond, VA

quote:

---

yes the car already has a 289 in it. it has 4 lugs on the front now. i'm going to buy the parts from mustangsplus for the for the front. i'm going to buy the rear from currie. i wanted to ask another question. i was looking at the 8.8 rearends. i want to know if they will fit my car, which is a 65 fastback? and would it be better (performance) than an 8 in rear? thanks.

---

The latest issue of Mustangs and Fords has an answer to a tech question concerning using an 8.8" rear in a classic mustang. There is a lot that has to be done, such as adding leaf spring perches and grinding off trailing arm suspension mounts, not to mention reworking emergency brake mounts. Sounds like a lot of work to me unless you have experience working with rearends.

A second note about getting any rear end. Before buying, make sure you measure the backing plate to backing plate distance as well as the spring perch to spring perch dimension. Try to find a replacement rear end with the same dimensions. Ford has made quite a number of rear ends, in any given number of widths and suspension setups. If you just buy any rear end from a junk yard, you may end up spending enough money on things like shortening the tubes to make it fit your application to cover the cost of a new Currie (OK, maybe not that much)

Just research what you are getting, and know ahead of time what it will take to make it fit. Who know's, you may just get lucky enough to find a 9" with discs that are a perfect fit

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