Wondering how many people would rather just transplant a plug-n-play rear end that has parts more readily available. Looking at maybe doing Dana 60's (9-3/4" ring gear) or 9" Ford, ready to bolt right in. Cost would be between $2k & $3k. Options would include almost any gear ratio, limited slips, and give you the option of race oriented internals as well. Also would be able to offer it with disc brakes as an option. I would be looking towards doing the `67-`70 Riv as I have a good sample and some spare brackets. If we did Dana 60's, you can even get a TA rear girdle!
Yo Dave! If I grenaded my rear, I swore I'd look at doing this. I know someone who did it with a rear from a '76 Lincoln. It was 1" wider than our rears, but that kinda makes the track better. The issue is having a competent welder cut off the brackets from a Riv rear and welding them on the Ford rear in the correct location. The other thing is the halo (the drive shaft yoke). I forget what he did, but the Buick halo didn't fit so he had to come up with one that did. I don't know how many you'd sell, so I don't think stocking them up would pay, but if you could build a jig or do the computer design for the making and welding of the brackets, it'd be a nice item to offer to the Riv community so you can supply one when a buyer ordered it. KUDOS to TA!!!
It would be nice, but a very small market. These rears rarely fail, so someone wanting more ratio flexability would probably be the main customer...of course I'm the oddball that goes for road gears!
i ended up doing this for my 70 electra.....i bought an extra 9 3/8 rear axle and had the local rear end guru fab me up and assemble a 9" using its dimensions and brackets......i'd love to tell you how it worked out, but its still setting in my garage looking pretty....i think there would be a much bigger market for new 9 3/8 ring and pinions and posi carriers....of course the cost of bringing something like that to market would no doubt be prohibative
The 1971 and newer rears are 2" wider than the 1969 rears. The track only increased by 1" because each wheel's backspacing have been increased by 1/2" in 1971.
Hi Dave: Some thoughts... 1) I'd upgrade to a rearend that would let me change ratios easier in a heartbeat! 2) It probably would be a small market - maybe a better decision would be to manufacture gear sets and a replacement "bolt-in" posi for the current 9 3/8" units that are already out there. There still are a lot of them around, they're just not posi. In my opinion, replacement gear sets would be a hot item for these cars. 3) Don't let your consideration of this project take you away from continuing development on exact fit, no-nonsense headers for our big Buicks. I already have 6 sets of headers sold for you! :laugh: :laugh: :laughsorry -I couldn't resist - I still need to answer your PM...) Paul
Dave: There you have it - another one sold, if only they were available!!! I think there's a need out in the market that's waiting to be filled! Give us big car guys the right headers - you'll sell 'em, believe me. Paul
I want a set of the headers if they will fit my 73 STG1!!consider this an order if you are taking them. And I would be interested in a slide under rear axle especially if it weighed less than original and had good disc brakes!! And easy ratios to boot. ED
Guess I stumbled on that one! Thanks for correcting me! I guess I must ask which headers are you all running on your boattails? Thanks ED
I actually bought a 78 Mercury Marquis 4 door and stripped out the entire 4 wheel disc brake setup, including the spindles and 9" rear axle, to put under my 67 Riviera. The ford setup used the power steering pump to run the power brakes, so a bigger cam could be used without worrying about the loss of engine vacuum. I figured if it could stop a car that big, it would work fine for the Riviera, and the 9" rearend is easy to find parts for. The late 70's full size Fords & Mercury's also used the 5"X5" bolt pattern. Unfortunately, I never got farther than trying to work out the steering geometry differences between the 2 vehicles, and eventually sold all the Mercury parts to a friend who just had to have them, instead of completing the conversion. I am looking at the scarebird disc brake setup now, and I think it will work fine on both ends of the 67. Cheap factory parts make it that much more affordable to maintain as well. Later, Randy
if i was going to put a different rearend under my car it would have to make the car handle better as well as having lots more gear and other option's. so i guess it would need to also upgrade the suspension and have options for disk brakes and such
I'm all for it. Been looking at going to a Dana 60. Also would like to get rid of the constant velocity joint, so the 14 degree pinion angle would have to go. Not sure how to go about this without a geometry change though. You could set it to more like 7, but then it would go past zero under power. These cars have a ton of vertical travel.
