Deep gears

Discussion in 'Junkyard Jewels' started by EEE, Dec 31, 2012.

  1. EEE

    EEE Straight out of lo-cash!

    I rarely make it out to the yards these days - there's usually nothing out there and I'm not looking for anything in particular for my car except for an axle housing, and selling stuff isn't as hot as it once was. But a couple of weeks ago when I was taking the cat to an event there was a yard on the way and I thought I'd take a look. There was a '72 Riv sitting in there with a replacement motor in it (distributor in back), and I didn't think there would be anything particularly useful to pull from it. Then I spot a tag on the diff cover and it get a bit interesting.. Hmm.. What ratio? Then I spot the GS badge marking on the fender, bingo - it's the big one.. 3.42:1 It's too late to go home and head back out there, so it will have to be the next day which is a Sunday.

    I'm at the gate at 8:30 when they open and I only have until about 10:30 to get it done, then I have to head home to get cleaned up and go to a birthday party.. I get the yoke off and I'm counting the minutes.. I can't lock up the tires which are still mounted to get the axles from rotating - there isn't enough traction from the tires I try to jam under them and the parking brake isn't functioning. I get the tires and drums off and try to wedge some pry-bar and screwdriver in the axle holes to lock it up, but there's to much flex and it's difficult working on the pinion nut. Hmm.. I take the diff cover off and try to lock it up with a large pry-bar jammed in the carrier housing, but it bends.. Now I'm running out of options and time. I decide to pull the axles out and take the carrier, which I hide in a newer car located nearby which has a recent arrival date scribbled on it. There's no real value to it separately since it's unique to this ratio. The diff cover goes back on and I'll have to return with a new strategy. It would have cost me $100 to have bought the carrier and gears, but there is a half-price day or two around new year's, when it would only be $50. I'm unable to make it any earlier anyway due to travel the following weekend and Christmas week, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed it will still be there after a couple of weeks.

    A new strategy is hatched with some suggestions from work. By running the bolts I'm planning on using for the puller for the "pinion side yoke?" through it and jamming a pry-bar between them against the floor.

    So I go back out there today and both the Riv and the newer car with the carrier is missing, all being melted down as I type this. This was a coin toss deal, and unfortunately this was a loss. The only good thing was that I scored these black seat belts from a '69 Cutlass which had arrived a day or two ago for half-price.

    Oh well, you win some and lose some.
     

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  2. Jim Jones

    Jim Jones Wretched Excess

    Did you consider buying the whole thing drum-to-drum? It may have been easier that way.
     
  3. EEE

    EEE Straight out of lo-cash!

    It crossed my mind, and if I would have had my old car where the axle would have fit, I would had have bought the whole thing in a heartbeat. It would still have been worth it, but a drum to drum axle is like $180 at this place.
     
  4. GStage1

    GStage1 Always looking for parts!

    $180 for that axle set-up is a steal...easily easily worth $500.
     
  5. 65specialconver

    65specialconver kennedy-bell MIA

    That's what I was thinking.Half price day would make it $90.WOW!!!
     
  6. EEE

    EEE Straight out of lo-cash!

    Second time I was out I had my wife's car which couldn't have fit the whole thing, and time was out. It was gonzo on the half price day. I should just have taken a day off work and harvested the gear/carrier set.

    I still have the 3:42 posi axle from my Centurion, it's been wrapped in plastic for over five years now - yikes..
     
  7. Roadmaster49

    Roadmaster49 Well-Known Member

    Hindsight is always 20-20 but somehow I would have gotten the drum to drum off, paid for it, explained to the yard I did not have an appropriate vehicle and could you come back for it (paid for). Look, probably not too many folks going to try and steal a drum to drum out the front door. If the yard was like "NO" then you know. But the local U Pick It here in Des Moines Iowa those guys are pretty cool and they would have been OK with it.

    I applaud you for taking care of your cat and the birthday party 1st but like George said these 3.42 posis are getting so rare, $500 is about the going rate.

    If your 3.42 out of your Centurion would fit in my 73, I'd easily give you $1000 for it plus shipping. It's the last piece to my puzzle and are unobtainium (for Centurions).
     
  8. John Codman

    John Codman Platinum Level Contributor

    H"e who hesitates is lost" - Joseph Addison
     

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