My 69 442 Holiday has a 70 rear end per casting numbers on it (one of the very few non original parts on it). I found a guy with a 69 type O rear with the 3.08 gears. Mine is loaded with 4.11 gears. He has it blasted and ready to install for $200. I really do not like my racey gears and feel like this would make sense to put back to original spec. Any advice, comments, on what to look for? I assume it would be a easy swap? Not from experience but blind ignorance. Help? Headed out to buy tomorrow afternoon should I?

 

Is his rearend a posi? If not you can always make it posi. I just changed my Vette from 3.73 to a 3.08 and I love it. Its still fast and cruises on the highway soooo much nicer. I live 25 miles out in the country, and everytime I drove it to town I had to put gas in it. Now its turning about 2800 RPM's at 70 MPH. I really love it!!! I dont care how fast it is anymore, and believe me, its still plenty fast. Before I could almost watch the gas gauge dropping, now the gas seems to last days, not just hours. 3.08 is a good gear, still good performance and good for cruising. I say yes buy it, I think you will love it. I have a 73 Trans Am, also has a 3.08 and I love it in that car too.
As far as the condition of the rearend you are buying, I couldnt tell you what to look for, except to see if the gears lool excessivly worn. Maybe some of the experts will chime in on this.

Steve

 

I have a 3.08 posi in my '68 4-4-2 and a 3.23 open in my '69 4-4-2. Both are a good compromise between economy and performance, in my opinion. But I'm not a racer so I wouldn't have anything to do with those 4.11 gears! I'm thinking that if you installed the 3.08 and sold your 4.11 rear end you could get a pretty good price for the 4.11, though.

Randy C.

 

One thing to consider is the early (67-69) O-Type rears used a sealed axle bearing vs. the open taper bearing in the 70 O-Type (same as the 71-up corporate 10 bolt rears). I had an issue with the axle bearings spinning on the shafts in my 68 O-Type and I had to replace the shafts. I don't think this happens as frequently with the 70-up open bearings that are lubed with the diff oil. I never had this bearing spin issue on any of my 8.5" 10 bolts or my 70 O-Type but it happened 2x within ~ 20 years on the 68 O-Type. Something to think about.

Is that $200 the installation labor charge or the price for the rearend? For $200 I would buy that rear whether I installed it in my car or not.

 

Jeez, a 4.11? Sounds like a good way to blow up a long-stroke 400G! As Fun71 points out, $200 sounds like a hell of a deal. I can't speak to the bearing issue he mentions -- never had a problem with the 3.08 Type O in my '69. Plus it makes the car a little more correct. I'd buy it too.

 

Thanks for the responses. I thought it sounded like a good deal as well. Includes everything but the wheels! But not installed. The 4:11 was fun for a block or two but man was it thirsty! Engines out for rebuild now and I really like the idea of getting a more friendly cruising gear to not abuse the 400.

 

For $200 you had better buy it!

 

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