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Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: azz101462 on January 29, 2017, 07:02:46 AM

Title: 9" rearend
Post by: azz101462 on January 29, 2017, 07:02:46 AM
1974 Pinto Wagon.
well my son and I have beefed up the engine (stroker 408) and decided to swap out the T5 to a C4 manual, now we are in the market for a 8.8 or 9" posi that will bolt in without too much fabrication. does anyone have any suggestion on a replacement rear end?
Title: Re: 9" rearend
Post by: russosborne on January 29, 2017, 11:29:00 AM
A 9inch from a 65-66 or a 67-70 Mustang will fit with a slight modification to the spring perch. The widths are slightly different between the two sets of years, I believe the 65-66 are closer to the Pinto stock width.
I believe if I remember correctly that a Maverick rear will also fit with little work, but again very rare.
However, these aren't that cheap
Might be cheaper to go with a Currie or Moser rear that is made to your exact measurements.
Or get one out of a pickup or other model Ford and have it narrowed and spring perches installed.

I don't think there are any 8.8 rears close to fitting without mods, and none came with leaf springs. I personally hate these rears anyway, so I don't pay attention to them.

Lots of people will tell you that an 8inch would be plenty. I am of the opinion that more is better and overkill is perfect.

When you say C4 manual, are you talking about a manual shift valve body in the trans, as the C4 is an automatic.? My end goal is now a Toploader with a Gear Vendors overdrive.

Russ
Title: Re: 9" rearend
Post by: pinto1955 on January 29, 2017, 07:41:00 PM
57-59 Full size Fords, Mercury, and Edsels will fit nicely. You will need to move the spring perches. I believe the measurement is 42 1/2 inches from center to center on the perches. I just finished putting the same rear end in my wagon. Only drawback is that it's an open 28 spline but I put a spool in mine. I ran one of these in my drag car for years and never had problems. Hope this helps.
Title: Re: 9" rearend
Post by: azz101462 on January 30, 2017, 04:45:51 AM
Thanks for all the info, it does help and still searching for a rear end.
Yes its a C4 Auto with a soon to be manual shift, reverse pattern with possibly a trans break (not sure about that just yet).
Title: Re: 9" rearend
Post by: 65ShelbyClone on February 04, 2017, 11:00:44 AM
'57-59 fullsize Fords, '65-66 Mustangs, Mavericks, Pintos, and I think even Fox3 Mustangs ('79-93) all have the same rear end width. You might find one in a Granada-based '70s car since they were also built on that old Falcon platform.

'67-68 Mustangs are wider by about 0.75" per side. I have a '58 Ranchero 9in in my '68 Mustang and the wheels are visibly tucked in. Funny thing, I had a '65 Mustang with a '67-68 Mustang's 8"(not my doing) and the wheels stuck out. It was promptly replaced with a Lincoln Versailles 9in. 8)

As an FYI, a regular two-pinion/28 spline 9in isn't going to be stronger than a similar 8in. For all the difficulty of getting a 9" into a Pinto, it may be more worthwhile to retrofit a '91-98(?) Explorer 8.8. It's going to have 31 spline axles already and at least 3.73 gears if not 4.11s. '95+ have disc brakes, so that's an "easy" way to get rear discs at the same time.

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Explorer8_8.shtml