Hey y'all, been a minute since my last post, but I'm trying to begin the Pinto project in earnest and so am doing some planning.

I've long planned on a T5 conversion, so I know I'll have to shorten a driveshaft. But I think I've decided to go the turbo EFI route... or at least I hope I have, since there's a Merkur engine sitting in my garage. I guess I'm in it now. I've reasoned that if I'm doing this, I'd better plan on eventually upgrading brakes and rear end, which means 5-lug and an 8.8" rear-disc swap might be in the future.

Does anyone know the difference in the pinion length -- or the measurement from pinion yoke u-joint centerline to axle centerline -- between a 6.75" and 8.8" rear? Online I see figures of either 11-5/8" or 11-11/16" for the 8.8, but I can't find any such info on the 6.75.

I hoping that if there's a small enough difference, I can get away with just cutting my driveshaft once of course anything about yoke compatibility would be helpful too. Thanks in advance!

Thanks for the link, Wittsend... lot of good info in there! Crossing my fingers for a *little* less steep of a transition, but I know it never works out that way.

Ah, the 8"... I've definitely barked up that tree. Not ruling that out, but they seem to be much harder to find now than they were a decade ago. I've seen quite a few 8.8s making their way underneath Pintos lately; I find them attractive because they're plentiful and inexpensive, even with limited slip and disc brakes (two features I find very appealing). Sure, I'd have to narrow it and swap over spring pads, but for my trouble I get those features and 5-lug axles to match my Granada rotors up front. (I prob wouldn't even bother thinking about switching from 4-lug, if I didn't strongly suspect I'll want better braking down the line.)

It's worth mentioning that I'm coming from a 4-speed here... I know the T5's a little bit longer (how much exactly I don't remember, I found a great write-up on such a swap that I'll have to dig up... or I could just measure mine once it's out).

Same with the rear end itself... anyone know the best way to get this measurement for my 6.75?

That's great advice, thanks!

And I think you could be right about the truck 8.8... it seems they come in low- and high-pinion versions, where the pinion centerline is either above or below that of the axles, probably to facilitate better driveline angles with the greater ride height of the trucks. There may be left-right offset on different models too, but I can't be sure. I'll be sure to consider that when it's time to narrow the thing.

There was a 2000-ish Saleen Mustang at a nearby wrecker with a 3.27:1 LS 8.8 I could've had for $200 pulled, but I had to pass since I don't have the room to have it sitting around until (probably) next spring when I get around to the swap :/

Right now I have stock springs. The wheels you see in my profile image are not what is on the car now. Those were 225-60-15" on an 80's 5 spoke wheel. Currently I'm running 205-60-13" on factory Rallye wheels in the rear and 175-70-13" in the front. Trust me the car looks FAR better in pictures than real life.