[mistersir]

My brother turned me on to the idea of take the trans and carrier (rear end) from a 350z on the back side of my 1973 340 Chrysler small block.
I can understand the trans part just get a custom bell housing but, the carrier is what i have trouble figuring out. The rear ends for my car or everything I've see has leaf springs and is a solid axle. The carrier from the "Z" has spring towers and a cv jointed axle (cv joints).
I just wonder how hard or how possible it would be to do or if i could get the same thing out of a Ford 9" or 8.8"?
Thanks.

[cranky1]

What are you trying to do? What rear does the car have in it now?

[mistersir]

I'm trying to cause trouble lol. I know the 350z rear ends are really good and not super expensive and the supensension is a lot better.
Right now I have a built 340 and I'm estimating it would push 375 hp to the tires. I've talked talked to some people and they say that I need a new rear end and the the 7-1/4 will snap the first time I get on it.
Thanks for all your help

[joe_padavano]

And yet, you still haven't told us what kind of car this is going into...

"Just get a custom bellhousing..." OK, sure, cause the Nissan-to-Mopar swap is a common one.

And as for swapping the independent strut rear suspension from the Z-car, you'll essentially need to cut out the rear floor and inner fenders from the donor car and weld them into your car to transfer all the suspension attach points and geometry.

[cranky1]

I've been 'playing' with Mopars since the mid 60's and this is a first for me lol. I know there are some out there that are totally redoing the suspensions but I haven't been following that too much so I don't know what they are using. I'm not that much into corner burning but do like a good handling car and have been able to satisfy that with stock based parts. Yeah, I'll change sway bars, wheels/tires etc but I like the simplicity of the basic suspension design....and why bother with the 8.8 or a 9? The 8 3/4 will handle 375 at the wheels with no problem at all and it's pretty much a direct bolt in...and a stock 9 really doesn't have that much more over the 8 3/4 unless you like being able to use just about any gear ratio imaginable.

[joe_padavano]

I've see a Supra rear suspension swapped into an early Mustang. As I noted, they used the rear floor pan and strut mounts from the donor. Fit great, looked great, but it was a lot of work. Of course, the track width of the two cars needs to be similar.

[mistersir]

Originally Posted by joe_padavano

And yet, you still haven't told us what kind of car this is going into...

"Just get a custom bellhousing..." OK, sure, cause the Nissan-to-Mopar swap is a common one.

And as for swapping the independent strut rear suspension from the Z-car, you'll essentially need to cut out the rear floor and inner fenders from the donor car and weld them into your car to transfer all the suspension attach points and geometry.

Oh sorry, that might help, its a 1965 Barracuda.
Also, when i say "just get a custom bell housing" I don't doubt someone will make me one.

Originally Posted by crank1

I've been 'playing' with Mopars since the mid 60's and this is a first for me lol. I know there are some out there that are totally redoing the suspensions but I haven't been following that too much so I don't know what they are using. I'm not that much into corner burning but do like a good handling car and have been able to satisfy that with stock based parts. Yeah, I'll change sway bars, wheels/tires etc but I like the simplicity of the basic suspension design....and why bother with the 8.8 or a 9? The 8 3/4 will handle 375 at the wheels with no problem at all and it's pretty much a direct bolt in...and a stock 9 really doesn't have that much more over the 8 3/4 unless you like being able to use just about any gear ratio imaginable.

The reason I'm saying 8.8 or 9 is I can't find a 8-3/4 where I am to pull of a donor and bolt on to my car, or even to cut it and make it fit. The guys at the chrysler scrap yard don't know what i talk about when I go there so I have to walk through everything to see what i want and looked for a 8.75 rear. Can't find.

[cranky1]

Where abouts in Texas are you? I build rear ends. I also just sold an 'A' body housing about a week ago for 150. Yeah, a bit cheap for an 'A' body housing. They are out there but the price for an original A body housing isn't cheap and you can probably pick up a housing on Craigslist for a B body and have it shortened to what you need for about the same costs as buying the 'A' housing. If you're not too far from the Houston area, find a housing and bring it to me and I'll make it as skinning as you want it...

[mistersir]

I'm up in Dallas so Houston is a little bit of a drive and my truck gets horrible milage lol. Also I don't trust my truck to make it there at back I have a buddy that lives in Austin that might be able to help me out. How much you think I could buy a rear end from you for? PM me if that's easier. I'm very interested.

[joe_padavano]

Originally Posted by mistersir

Oh sorry, that might help, its a 1965 Barracuda.
Also, when i say "just get a custom bell housing" I don't doubt someone will make me one.

And my point was, that won't be cheap. It's usually MUCH easier to use an engine, trans, and bellhousing that match (or for which commercially available parts already exist) and then build a driveshaft to mate the trans to the rear axle.

[FmrStrtracer]

Why not put the 340 and a mopar trans in the 350Z, much easier and probably way less costly.

[cranky1]

Originally Posted by mistersir

I'm up in Dallas so Houston is a little bit of a drive and my truck gets horrible milage lol. Also I don't trust my truck to make it there at back I have a buddy that lives in Austin that might be able to help me out. How much you think I could buy a rear end from you for? PM me if that's easier. I'm very interested.

I've seen complete B body 8 3/4's for around 200 bucks on CL and I have a B body bare housing that I'll sell for 100 and will skinny it for 150...

[mistersir]

I'm looking right now, i'm also wondering what a good ratio would be, just a good all around, not for racing and not a pansy, just in the middle

[cranky1]

A 3.55 is a decent gear for giving the car a little extra kick plus it's not bad for highway use. What's better is to go with an OD trans and deep gears. I ordered a 92 318 Dakota with 3.90 gears and it could have used more but the 3.90 is it from the factory. Also, I ordered our 2000 Durango with a teen and 3.90 gears. At 65 mph, it gets 17 but only 13 at 80. My Dakota was never driven for mileage and it averaged 15. The Durango isn't a blaze of fire at 4600 lbs but runs a 16.40 at the track. The Dakota ran a 15.30 but only weighed 3300. Both are totally stock...and I really like the OD transmissions.

[mistersir]

I found this one
http://dallas.craigslist.org/sdf/pts/2394339183.html
I don't know if it needs to be skinnied.
Is that ratio good or is it higher the number the faster it can go. How does it work? I don't know anything about them. I will be googling it right now but if you would be so kind to post something about it I would be greatful.
Thanks