Rear end refresh

Camtron

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2019
Messages
1,814
Reaction score
1,376
Location
US
picked up a 8.25” rear end from, brotherGood.
Posi carrier, 3.21 gear set and rebuild kit will be at my shop Monday.
Need to get the rear all stripped down, cleaned, painted and drop it off to my buddy, Adams shop and have him assemble the new rear gears for me.
Order up some fresh 11” drums, shoes and hardware and such and throw the thing into the car; maybe grab a, rear sway bar from, FFI while I’m at things. Should make the car feel a little more peppy stop light to stop light while cruising around Chicago.
It will be nice to actually have some “get up and go” so I can try to keep people from using the, right turn lane to pass me at red lights. With how crummy local traffic is on the highways, it should still cruise pretty nicely too...in the slow lane.

Expected completion; mid December
 
Last edited:

Aspen500

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
7,030
Reaction score
2,759
Location
Rib Mountain, WI
You mean you can actually move in Chicago traffic? lol Last, and hopefully LAST, time I was there (no offense intended) it took almost 4 hours to get from the Modern Art Museum downtown to Belvedere. Then it only took 3 hours to get from there, all the way back home to here in the Wausau WI area. In the first 20 miles or so on I-90 we hit the break neck speed of 15 mph,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ONCE. I don't know how you people can stand doing that every single day. Anytime I complain about the traffic here, I think of Chicago and realize, our traffic is nothing. I suppose, Chicago metro area with 10,000,000 people vs Wausau metro area with just over 100,000,,,,,,,,,,makes sense.:)
 

Camtron

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2019
Messages
1,814
Reaction score
1,376
Location
US
Oh yea, you can move lol the trick is, throwing all basic traffic laws out of your memory and avoiding highways and main roads most times of the day. My girlfriend yelled at me all the time when I first moved here for not knowing that I should be taking alleyways and side streets about 85% of the time while driving here. I miss Los Angeles rush hour traffic. At least there, you’re sitting in the car for a few hours in traffic but you end up traveling 50+ miles; as to Chicago sitting in traffic 2-3 hours to go 7 miles lol god help you if you decide to drive around the, North Side during a Cubs game.
 

Aspen500

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
7,030
Reaction score
2,759
Location
Rib Mountain, WI
Yeah, it's insane there. I was really glad I made a "pit stop" before we left and hadn't had drank too much soda. To make it worse, it was late afternoon on a Friday. Heck, it was 4:20 when we got in the car, in the underground parking garage. Finally made it out of the garage and onto the street and it was after 5pm already. Then I forget how many lanes winding through downtown Chicago to get back to the Interstate, at a max speed of 4 mph. Worse yet, we had no idea where we were going and with all the tall buildings, the Sat-Nav was sort of sketchy at times (but we got lucky and made it). AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH! If I hadn't have been required to go there, I wouldn't have. It was when I was an Aud tech and Audi put on some deal that everyone had to attend. WHY they chose that location is a mystery. I've been in LA traffic too (again, "thanks" to Audi) and they can keep it. Had a wonderful time on the 405 parking lot, I mean freeway,,,,,NOT. Left Audi behind in 2013 for an EXCELLENT indy shop and it was the best career move I've ever made! But I digress.

Anyways, 3.23 gears should be a whole lot better than the ones you have now i would imagine. What are they, like 2.76 or 2.41 presently?
 

Camtron

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2019
Messages
1,814
Reaction score
1,376
Location
US
Likely a 2.41. It isn’t an absolute dog from a stop and can chirp the tire without standing on the brake so maybe a 2.76 but I’m not optimistic about that and haven’t opened the 7.25” to check the gear
 

Opticon77

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2018
Messages
306
Reaction score
213
Location
SE PA
2.41 here. There is no chirping anything ever.... but 2nd gear does hit 90mph GPS tracked.
 

Camtron

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2019
Messages
1,814
Reaction score
1,376
Location
US
I’ll pull the cover today and check. The cars had 4 owners including me. Someone had done a lean burn delete on it at some point; wonder if they swapped gears too.
I laid down about a 40-50 yard patch of rubber leaving a car meet yesterday from about a 15mph roll so, I’m pretty curious now.
 

XfbodyX

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
1,623
Reaction score
418
Location
Central US
What do you think you will have in this rear end $$ when all said and done?
 

Camtron

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2019
Messages
1,814
Reaction score
1,376
Location
US
About $700 and most of that was just buying and shipping it.
Carrier was a gift from a buddy, gears and rebuild kit were a little over $180 and I guess brakes will be about $200 for everything so, about $800 give or take all said and done
 
Last edited:

XfbodyX

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
1,623
Reaction score
418
Location
Central US
Thank you for the info, ive got to something of the like at some point. Hope it all goes smooth.
 

brotherGood

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2013
Messages
884
Reaction score
158
Location
Urbana OH
About $700 and most of that was just buying and shipping it.
Carrier was a gift from a buddy, gears and rebuild kit were a little over $180 and I guess brakes will be about $200 for everything so, about $800 give or take all said and done

You had something like that shipped? I bet that was a nightmare.
 

Camtron

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2019
Messages
1,814
Reaction score
1,376
Location
US
Monday’s aren’t all bad

81EEA4D7-E9A4-469C-B1DF-2B27D71B3E69.jpeg
 

Camtron

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2019
Messages
1,814
Reaction score
1,376
Location
US
It’s almost my 3rd favorite time of the year; 3rd quarter bonus time.
While I’ve enjoyed my 318, it’s well, a lack luster 318. While a swap won’t actually happen for another year or two, I want to start getting parts together for when the time comes.
I’m leaning towards two options;
Option one:
There’s a couple 5.9 magnums complete with transmission, harnesses, ect... their both over 150k miles and would need to be freshened up to be solid. Ones still in a running/driving truck, the other is on a pallet. Each going for about $600 and then any additional cost for rebuild/parts
Option two:
There’s a tanked and magnafluxed, 400 with crank, rods and pistons for $400 that’s ready to build...and then getting everything else to build it, shift it, ect...

Ideally, my long term goal with the car: have something reliable enough that can be driven on the street day to day but, still be a bunch of fun on a 1/4 mile strip any given weekend.

What would you do or what have you done when replacing your lazy, 318?
 

XfbodyX

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
1,623
Reaction score
418
Location
Central US
Jack in some compression, I had org. used some lightened 340 rods in this one but then rebalanced to a lightweight aftermarket rod for a low 1800 gram bobweight vs oem 2100 plus.

But you could do a ring and bearing job and a whiplash cam all on the cheap and have a fun combo as well.

Unless you have a reason to run a 318, id even say if your gonna buy pistons, bore/hone/balance, for equal money the 360 is a better choice

DSC00019.JPG


DSC00020.JPG
 

brotherGood

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2013
Messages
884
Reaction score
158
Location
Urbana OH
360 magnum, easily.

Ive got one on the stand waiting for me to finish everything else that's lined up in front of it. The 318 with magnum heads in car now make it fun.. and ive not even driven it with the 3.55s
 

Duke5A

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2018
Messages
1,640
Reaction score
856
Location
Michigan
It’s almost my 3rd favorite time of the year; 3rd quarter bonus time.
While I’ve enjoyed my 318, it’s well, a lack luster 318. While a swap won’t actually happen for another year or two, I want to start getting parts together for when the time comes.
I’m leaning towards two options;
Option one:
There’s a couple 5.9 magnums complete with transmission, harnesses, ect... their both over 150k miles and would need to be freshened up to be solid. Ones still in a running/driving truck, the other is on a pallet. Each going for about $600 and then any additional cost for rebuild/parts
Option two:
There’s a tanked and magnafluxed, 400 with crank, rods and pistons for $400 that’s ready to build...and then getting everything else to build it, shift it, ect...

Ideally, my long term goal with the car: have something reliable enough that can be driven on the street day to day but, still be a bunch of fun on a 1/4 mile strip any given weekend.

What would you do or what have you done when replacing your lazy, 318?

Decisions...decisions...I've been here. My car has had four different builds in it over the years. Need more information on what your expectations are, but don't even screw around with a 318. Too many better options out there if you're pulling the motor out.

Do you eventually want an O/D transmission?
Got an expectation of quarter mile times?
More of an emphasis on handling than power?

The 400 is going to give you more power obviously, but it'll also add weight to the nose and complexity if you ever wanted to tackle an O/D transmission conversion. It'll need conversion mounts and a new transmission as well. Seeing as how all 400 motors were smog dogs the static compression will be in the toilet, so new pistons on top.

360 Magnum motors are stupid easy to build to 400HP and 400 ft/lbs of torque utilizing a factory rotating assembly and heads. You can reuse the transmission you have and not have to modify motor mount tower to get it to fit. It also won't add any more weight to the front end than what you have now. If you want more though, then the 400 begins to be more practical.

Going with what you gave us already though I would also vote 5.9 Magnum. If you're looking at one with a transmission too then it needs to be no later than 1995. Starting in 96 the transmissions are completely computer controlled and will be garage art unless you plan on using the factory computer; which is no fun.
 

Oldiron440

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2017
Messages
3,048
Reaction score
738
Location
Iowa
That smog dog 400 with a 440 crank even with iron heads can make 525 hp and 550 tq. even more with decent aluminum heads.
 
Back
Top