hello
i am restoring a rear for a customer and it is a Olds 12 bolt/10 bolt carrier
we are looing for 3.23 gears if anyone would have a set i would purchase them
thanks again
www.jdsautorestoration.com
215-938-9270 if possible to call---
thanks in advance for any help

 

If you still need these, call a local parts house that handles Dorman.
Look a set of gears up for a 70 Cutlass with an 8.2 rear. They won't
have them on the shelf, but you can order them. You'll like the price.

 

thanks and i will look into that today

 

I have the 3.23 gears, already removed, and an open carrier if needed. Gears are in very nice condition. I have pics. Also have axles and a housing. Email me direct: drolds1@bellsouth.net. Thanks, Bob.

 

The 8.2" gears are different than the O-Type 8.5" gears.

And I didn't think the 8.2" rearend was used in the 1970 Cutlass lineup.

 

I was a GM Parts guy in those days. My memory is not infallible,
but here is how I remember it....

64-70 F-85s (as the product line was referred to) used "O", "B"
and "P" type rear ends for domestic built cars. There was a diag-
ram of the cover gaskets for ID. Canadian built used 12 bolt Chevy.
I personally never saw a "P" or "B" type under a 68-70 Cutlass.
And all W-27s are "O" type.

71 came around and brought the Corporate 8 1/2 rear end, an end
to high compression, aggressive cams, and detuned motors across
GM. We used to joke about it being the death of performance at
GM.


There is a legend that Ed Cole, then recently promoted Top
Dog at GM, walked through one of the Olds facilities on a
Friday, where, among other things, the experimental, prototype
hi-perf stuff lived. He said that Monday morning he "didn't want
to see one single hi perf. part, let alone car, come Monday
morning. Cole had been head of Olds. He got his wish, all
the magic SOHC, DOHC Hemi head motors, big and small
block went home with the engineers who conceived and built
them. Those guys saved the stuff we drool and dream about
at the OCA meets. Oh what might have been if they had been
left alone. God bless Dr. Olds and his merry band of creatures.

But I digress......The 8 1/2 rear is the same one used in every-
thing from C1500 trucks to 442/455s. Sure the housing is
different and the side gears may have different splines, but
the insides are the same. They are what's used in the 84 H/O,
85-87442s, and some Grand Nat's, and Monte SS.

Lastly, that legend is true. I knew some of those guys. The
first time the parts emerged from hiding, I got to help carry
them out for display. My heart was pounding and my hands
trembled as I handled the stuff I'd read about in the 68 Hot
Rod magazine with the article all about them. The Hemi
head DOHC engine was too wide for the F-85 frames from
those years. To test, the engineers fabbed up a front frame
section to accommodate the monster, then hung 70-72 fen-
ders on it. Next, off they went to drag race against the folks
from Ford, Mopar, Chevy and Pontiac. Incidentally, one of
the Ford engineers retired into my area, we are friends, and
he was one of the guys that did some street racing for Ford.
I was told the main problem the Olds guys could never lick
was the engine made so much power it would spin the tires
all the way through the 1/4. Gotta wonder what todays tires
and suspension systems would do.

All for now,
Owen

 

Great stories!!!

 

Gears went out on Saturday. Thanks JD.