[71 Ventura]

I know that I have a ten bolt rearend on my car, but I don't know if it is an 8.2 or an 8.5 inch. Does anyone know how to identify which it is?

[lmsport]

What year and model? If not original, check pinion nut size. 1.25" is 8.5. 8.2 is smaller, I think 1.062".

[71 Ventura]

It is the original rear end. It is in a 71 Pontiac Ventura II, which is the same thing as a nova, but Pontiac. It came from the factory with a 307 V8 and a Turbo 350 trans.

[tinman386]

http://novaresource.org/axle.htm Check this sight out I know that alot if not al of the nova stuff is the same so this might be of some help.

[John Chapman]

http://www.pontiacventura.com/index.html

Might be some help there. Check the links. Don't automatically expect the Nova rear end to be the same, as BOP frequently specified different running gear.

Cheers,
JMC

[F-BIRD'88]

differential cover pictures to ID your axle type PDF

[TANGO]

most 8.2 rear ends had the C cuts on both sides of the cover . By 72 all had 8.5 or a 12bolt . But I did see 1971 GMs with 8.5 rear ends . The 8.2 also has bolted in axles . The 8.5 uses C clips .

[71 Ventura]

Thanks for the help guys. I am pretty confident that it is an 8.5 from all the little specs and pictures.

[curtis73]

Did the 8.5 exist in BOPs in 71?

Keep in mind that in 71-76 chevys there was an 8.75" 12-bolt with only 10-bolts on the cover, and in earlier cars there was a 10-bolt with 12 on the cover. The true count is the number of bolts on the ring gear, just make sure its not one of those oddballs. I had an 8.75 in a 73 station wagon and parts were difficult to find.