Topic: Has anyone put a mustang or ranger 3rd member on a station wagon rear end???

[Rep]

I need to lower the rear gears in my 75 sedan with a SW rear end...
    Okay.. I didn't give the right info or enough... So let's start over... I have rechecked the gasket fit and it doesn't... What I have is a 8" complete rear end out of an unknown wagon... I have found a 4:50 3rd member out of a ranger 4X4... I was hoping to do a plain swap but I do not believe it is going to work... Does anyone have a 4:10 or lower wagon (8") rear they want to get rid of or swap for a 3:18 chunck??? In answer to your next question, I am building a little auto crosser / 1/8 mile drag car... I have in the past done this to some sucess but now have again lost my mind and are trying it again... all I have it the car and need everything for it... Like a twin DCOE webber set up. koni shocks etc... What have you??? I am 60 miles east of Dallas... Any help would be appreciated... Rep...

[Wittsend]

The Pinto rear is either a 6-3/4" or likely in your case an 8". Earlier Mustangs (probably up until they were Fox bodied) had an 8" in most, but not all of them. The later Mustangs and the Rangers I believe (hopefully someone know better than me) either had 7-1/4" or 8.8 rear ends.  So, yes if the Mustang rear end was an 8" . The Ranger, probably not.

[russosborne]

Well, not all wagons came with an 8inch. Mine didn't.

To the op.
It is a must that you find out what rear end you have before making any plans. If it is in fact an 8, you have lots of choices. If it is the 6.75, you pretty much are sol.

Some Mustang IIs came with the 8 inch that is a bolt in swap. Early Mustangs (64 to 70) can be used, but need a little modification to the leaf spring perch. And there are others. Anything from a fox body up would need spring perches added.

Russ

[dianne]

My wagon didn't have the 8" rear, but it's a 73. I'm putting a Mustang 8" into mine.

[Wittsend]

For clarification; I was assuming since the OP stated "same gasket" he was referring to swapping the center section and not the whole rear end. But that is probably a wrong assumption on my part. Yes, as Russ stated you must know what rear end you have first (and so must we to assist).  Do you see the cover bolts from the rear of the car? It is a 6-3/4". If you see the bolts (actually nuts) from the front of the car it is an 8".

I checked and as suspected the Rangers came with either a 7.5 or 8.8 rear end. http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/axle_codes.shtml  and  http://www.fordification.com/tech/rearends_ford12.htm. Sadly while the year data is likely correct in link #2 they show an 8" style rear end in the image even though both the 7.5 and 8.8 are non-removable center section types.

So..., based on the post stating '(the Ranger) has the same gasket' I'd assume he has a 6-3/4" rear end. And on that basis I'd recommend swapping the whole rear end for an 8" rear. Likely why he never found anything on swapping 6-3/4" innards with a 7.5 is because it is an obvious "no go."  Sorry.

[dianne]

<---- Slaps head

There are IIs in bone yards Easy to pick up an 8" and an easy swap.