ctual police package cars should have 8.25" no matter the engine.
In theory I would agree – but will have to disagree, though.
Tulsa (Oklahoma) Police dept. and Wagner county (Oklahoma) Sheriff’s dept. F/M body police cars - most did not come with 8¼”, back in the day.
I know because I replaced/repaired a large number of them. It could be they didn’t get the AHB package, maybe most were 318 2 bbl cars – I have no idea – but both departments purchased their cars in mass. At the time, I mostly worked suspension, brakes, differentials and some transmission work on them (not much under hood).
I do remember seeing the cars did have 11” brakes and blue hoses on them.
Wagons had finned HD 10" drum brakes and 5 leaf spring packs to go with the 8.25.
I’m not in a position to agree or disagree with 10” HD brake drums (finned).
My 37k mile ’77 Volare wagon has non-finned drums and an 8¼” differential I removed from a ’80 Aspen wagon yesterday has 10” non-finned drums.
I wonder if it was a year of manufacture thing or an option (trailer towing), maybe?
It might also be that both above mentioned wagons has had their drums replaced.
It might be what the factory had (or didn’t have) on the shelf at time of manufacture. Me shrugs.
Correction: the '77 Wagon does have 10" fined drums.
I believe the 3" axle tube 7.25 came along in 1980.
I couldn’t remember the year the small tube 7¼”. I was thinking ’78 – but couldn’t remember.
I just know finding a “good” small tube 7¼” is harder than finding a large tube one.
It might also be that Tulsa Police dept. and Wagner county sheriffs dept. ruined most of them (again, me shrugs).
BudW