I have a 1971 8.5 in my 70 GS. Had to shorten the driveshaft about 1/2" I believe. The 8.5 10 bolt you are looking for was in 1971-2 Skylark/GS, and Olds Cutlass. It was bolt in axle. Here is Monzaz's page on the 8.5. It lists the supported cars. The guts interchange, but obviously, not all those cars will be a drop in swap. Just the 71-2 Buick and Oldsmobile. http://jdrace.com/diff_id/10b85.htm
I'm sorry. I was wondering about the drive shafts that will fit a 71/71 buick GS . Will pontiac and olds and chevelle fit the buick a body, are they about 54 and an 1/4" or so?
Wayyyy back in the day, I replaced a complete drum to drum 3:23 12 bolt Chevy posi rear out of a 1970 Monte Carlo. A perfect direct fit. Bought that car at the Dyer Indiana Auction with a rod through the block. After the engine replacement I found the rear end grenaded. Mustve been a bad day for that ol' girl! On another '70, stuck in some snow and rocking the car, the open rears' spider pin fractured and I had a shop change the whole rear with a junk yard unit of unknown origin. It was ready the next morning on a Sunday no less. Didnt even have enough to pay for the tow,repair and hotel room! Everyone sent me a bill, but a check went out Monday morning off the receipts. I even got a thank you call from the shop. That was in Mishicot, Wi. population 2000 in 1976. Trusting people dont get disappointed with me. ws
Probably not as the nose of the center section is a different length. The 8.5 is longer requiring a shorter shaft. Pontiac rears were closer to the 64-67 Buick 8.2, and Chevelles got the Chevy 8.2 or 12 bolt. They are different.
X2 what Larry is saying....there are a lot of variables in the shafts even across those few years and make to make. Trans makes a difference, manual, TH 350, TH400 There are solid shafts and shafts with a rubber damper inside (maybe not 70-72 Buick A bodies). Sometimes you get lucky and a different length shaft will work. Other times a a shaft can be like 3/4" too short and work...but leak like a sieve because the yoke doesn't reach far enough into the trans to seal with the o-ring inside. Your best bet is to figure out what you have, year...Skylark...350 ci...TH350...original rear/? Then somebody can look in the assembly manual and tell you the length so you know what you are looking for. Might be in the Chassis manual, I'm not sure......
I beg to differ... TSB 70-I-91 states that a limited use of rear axle assemblies were installed in approximately 300 of the 1970 Skylarks, Gran Sports, and Sportwagons to be built in Flynt beginning May 10,1970. Said TSB goes on to detail the method of ID for these cars (a triangular stainless steel tag to be installed under an axle inspection cover bolt.) and the applicable codes and GM part numbers for the axle ratios in use.
I have a shaft that has the rubber inside it that is the right length but u-joint is to small. and don't want to use it. Just thought that a salvage yard might have what i need. Thanx fellas
Honestly, I have never seen one that did. Not saying they didn't, just never seen one. Has anybody in v8Buick land ever? Be interested in hearing about it.
Considering that it was to be only about 300 cars total that were to get them, among Skylarks, Gs's, and Sportwagons, it WOULD be EXTREMELY unlikely to find one of them. What, less than one day's production, at best?
bonus,find a 71 or 72 cutlass wagon,8.5 no c clips,bigger brakes,backing plates were off set to the in side so they were the same width as a rear with stock brakes,put in any ring and pinion you want,carrier flange is wider than the old rears when you had to have a carreir that was in a limited rande,ie 323/342,had a 71 cutlass rear in my 67 for years with a 410,dont forget the 8.5 had the flat strap u joint so there ez to identify in the yard
