tire size? BIG!!

[SlimeGold 69 15]

Eventually, if you really like the wheels and want to lower the back a little more than those would allow, you could always custom order a narrower rear housing from Currie or the like. It's always an option for anyone that likes a particular wheel design with less backspace but also wants the back a little lower.

 

I thought about that. One cheap option ( I'm always looking for cheap options) Is to use 8 inch rear housing and axles out of a 65-66 stang. It measures the same for the spring perches but it's around 1 inch shorter on both axle tubes. I could use my chunk and be good to go. With my little 302 that might put out around 275 HP on a good day, I would not need a 9 inch rear. Later on I plan on some more mods ( heads and a hotter cam) but even then I would say a 8 inch would hold up fine for me.

[SlimeGold 69 15]

Eventually, if you really like the wheels and want to lower the back a little more than those would allow, you could always custom order a narrower rear housing from Currie or the like. It's always an option for anyone that likes a particular wheel design with less backspace but also wants the back a little lower.

 

I thought about that. One cheap option ( I'm always looking for cheap options) Is to use 8 inch rear housing and axles out of a 65-66 stang. It measures the same for the spring perches but it's around 1 inch shorter on both axle tubes. I could use my chunk and be good to go. With my little 302 that might put out around 275 HP on a good day, I would not need a 9 inch rear. Later on I plan on some more mods ( heads and a hotter cam) but even then I would say a 8 inch would hold up fine for me.

[bnickel 10,004]

I thought about that. One cheap option ( I'm always looking for cheap options) Is to use 8 inch rear housing and axles out of a 65-66 stang. It measures the same for the spring perches but it's around 1 inch shorter on both axle tubes. I could use my chunk and be good to go. With my little 302 that might put out around 275 HP on a good day, I would not need a 9 inch rear. Later on I plan on some more mods ( heads and a hotter cam) but even then I would say a 8 inch would hold up fine for me.

 

 

the 8" should be fine behind a fairly hot 302 so as long as it's not a big torque stroker or turbo/supercharged. so you should be fine doing that. i think the maverick and mustang II 8" rears would work as well.

[bnickel 10,004]

I thought about that. One cheap option ( I'm always looking for cheap options) Is to use 8 inch rear housing and axles out of a 65-66 stang. It measures the same for the spring perches but it's around 1 inch shorter on both axle tubes. I could use my chunk and be good to go. With my little 302 that might put out around 275 HP on a good day, I would not need a 9 inch rear. Later on I plan on some more mods ( heads and a hotter cam) but even then I would say a 8 inch would hold up fine for me.

 

 

the 8" should be fine behind a fairly hot 302 so as long as it's not a big torque stroker or turbo/supercharged. so you should be fine doing that. i think the maverick and mustang II 8" rears would work as well.

[Protowrxs 111]

Just don't underbuild for the future. I have seen more than one 8" end up with guts on the pavement. With an automatic, mild 302, and street tires it *should* live.

One of the above 8" was built by a friends grandfather that was a Ford guru performance builder. They built it as a posi and was truely put together "right". The car was a hot 289 / 4 speed and it only lasted a few months. A 9" in a 57 housing quickly followed... :surrender:

 

Just my 2 cents of what I've seen.

[Protowrxs 111]

Just don't underbuild for the future. I have seen more than one 8" end up with guts on the pavement. With an automatic, mild 302, and street tires it *should* live.

One of the above 8" was built by a friends grandfather that was a Ford guru performance builder. They built it as a posi and was truely put together "right". The car was a hot 289 / 4 speed and it only lasted a few months. A 9" in a 57 housing quickly followed... :surrender:

 

Just my 2 cents of what I've seen.

[SlimeGold 69 15]

Just don't underbuild for the future. I have seen more than one 8" end up with guts on the pavement. With an automatic, mild 302, and street tires it *should* live.

One of the above 8" was built by a friends grandfather that was a Ford guru performance builder. They built it as a posi and was truely put together "right". The car was a hot 289 / 4 speed and it only lasted a few months. A 9" in a 57 housing quickly followed... :surrender:

 

Just my 2 cents of what I've seen.

 

I agree.. I'm easy on my car:innocent: ( well 98% of the time anyway). But I'm sure if I tried hard enough I could tear out the 8 inch. I just cruise around most of the time but like most I plan on more power in the future. I'll see how a 8 holds up and If or when I do break it, I'll step up to a 9.

[SlimeGold 69 15]

Just don't underbuild for the future. I have seen more than one 8" end up with guts on the pavement. With an automatic, mild 302, and street tires it *should* live.

One of the above 8" was built by a friends grandfather that was a Ford guru performance builder. They built it as a posi and was truely put together "right". The car was a hot 289 / 4 speed and it only lasted a few months. A 9" in a 57 housing quickly followed... :surrender:

 

Just my 2 cents of what I've seen.

 

I agree.. I'm easy on my car:innocent: ( well 98% of the time anyway). But I'm sure if I tried hard enough I could tear out the 8 inch. I just cruise around most of the time but like most I plan on more power in the future. I'll see how a 8 holds up and If or when I do break it, I'll step up to a 9.

[69fstback 10]

all this talk about rears did 69 mach 1's come with 9 inch rears?

[69fstback 10]

all this talk about rears did 69 mach 1's come with 9 inch rears?

[SlimeGold 69 15]

Yep. If it's a true Mach then it would have at least a H engine code. All cars with 351 2V and up got a 9.

[SlimeGold 69 15]

Yep. If it's a true Mach then it would have at least a H engine code. All cars with 351 2V and up got a 9.

[MDinDestin 14]

Ok, I went out to the garage to get some pics showing inner and outer clearances of my 17x9, 5.5 backspace, wheels with 275/40/17 rubber. I know we are talking about 15" wheels in the thread, but some of these pics might be useful. 9" wheel with 5.5bs= 8" wheel with 5"bs.

 

http://gallery.mac.com/jbauder#100036

 

As a slight side note/hijack, given these pics, what would anyone vote that I should do if I get a custom rear housing length and I want this to be smack dab between the inner wheel housing and the outer wheelwell lip? I can always try the sandbags in the trunk / heavy buddy in the trunk trick, but any opinions here? I would love to go with a narrower rear by an inch or two. Axle snubber will probably be removed with my EvM rear when I get it done, but not sure on that point.

 

What you have now is not bad. It would be better with 6.0 backspacing, but not bad. Do the tires ever rub on the outside lip?

 

MD

[MDinDestin 14]

Ok, I went out to the garage to get some pics showing inner and outer clearances of my 17x9, 5.5 backspace, wheels with 275/40/17 rubber. I know we are talking about 15" wheels in the thread, but some of these pics might be useful. 9" wheel with 5.5bs= 8" wheel with 5"bs.

 

http://gallery.mac.com/jbauder#100036

 

As a slight side note/hijack, given these pics, what would anyone vote that I should do if I get a custom rear housing length and I want this to be smack dab between the inner wheel housing and the outer wheelwell lip? I can always try the sandbags in the trunk / heavy buddy in the trunk trick, but any opinions here? I would love to go with a narrower rear by an inch or two. Axle snubber will probably be removed with my EvM rear when I get it done, but not sure on that point.

 

What you have now is not bad. It would be better with 6.0 backspacing, but not bad. Do the tires ever rub on the outside lip?

 

MD

[70vert 17]

Thanks for the feedback, bnickel and MD. I'll keep that in mind about the Versailles rear, and I should also peruse the 9" swap threads on stangnet, etc., to look at my options. I don't want a pig of a 9" housing, though - I'd like to try to get something relatively light (unsprung weight there) and it seems like it might be cheaper to look at the housing and good materials on that to save weight rather than the gear case - AL gear cases can have issues and the ones that solve those issues are pretty expensive. (read: Moroso) But I can't say I'm familiar yet with the various weights of swap axles vs. Currie options - need to do my homework.

 

It's a little ways off, anyway - I want to make sure the EvM suspension is in there and working with the 8" and look at clearances before I go 9.

 

I'm pretty set on my wheels, so backspacing wouldn't change, MD, but the axle length could, and it looks like the consensus is that 1-2" total width reduction (.5" to 1" on either side) will work, but I could still throw a ton of weight in my trunk to check it. No, there's no rubbing on the outside as is, but as I go lower, it could happen.

[70vert 17]

Thanks for the feedback, bnickel and MD. I'll keep that in mind about the Versailles rear, and I should also peruse the 9" swap threads on stangnet, etc., to look at my options. I don't want a pig of a 9" housing, though - I'd like to try to get something relatively light (unsprung weight there) and it seems like it might be cheaper to look at the housing and good materials on that to save weight rather than the gear case - AL gear cases can have issues and the ones that solve those issues are pretty expensive. (read: Moroso) But I can't say I'm familiar yet with the various weights of swap axles vs. Currie options - need to do my homework.

 

It's a little ways off, anyway - I want to make sure the EvM suspension is in there and working with the 8" and look at clearances before I go 9.

 

I'm pretty set on my wheels, so backspacing wouldn't change, MD, but the axle length could, and it looks like the consensus is that 1-2" total width reduction (.5" to 1" on either side) will work, but I could still throw a ton of weight in my trunk to check it. No, there's no rubbing on the outside as is, but as I go lower, it could happen.

[bnickel 10,004]

light and 9 inch are 2 words that aren't often mixed :tongue: the stock mustang 9" housing is a light duty unit and the versailles housing a is a heavy duty unit like what was used in the trucks and big cars, i'd guess there is less than 10 lbs difference between the 2 units but the best place to beef up a 9" housing is right in the center where the chunk bolts in and the axles tubes get pressed in, the mustang unit is weaker in this area than the versailles unit is and it would definitely a good idea to have the stronger housing when you drop that stroker windsor motor in it, especialy with the power numbers you're planning on. the other option would be a fabricated housing from Chris Alston Chassis Works (TCP) or Currie and they're big bucks. BTW, when you buy a replacement 9" housing (not one of the fab'd units) from Currie or any of the other places what you will get will be the versailles/truck style housing anyway, i don't think they even sell the light duty housings.

[bnickel 10,004]

light and 9 inch are 2 words that aren't often mixed :tongue: the stock mustang 9" housing is a light duty unit and the versailles housing a is a heavy duty unit like what was used in the trucks and big cars, i'd guess there is less than 10 lbs difference between the 2 units but the best place to beef up a 9" housing is right in the center where the chunk bolts in and the axles tubes get pressed in, the mustang unit is weaker in this area than the versailles unit is and it would definitely a good idea to have the stronger housing when you drop that stroker windsor motor in it, especialy with the power numbers you're planning on. the other option would be a fabricated housing from Chris Alston Chassis Works (TCP) or Currie and they're big bucks. BTW, when you buy a replacement 9" housing (not one of the fab'd units) from Currie or any of the other places what you will get will be the versailles/truck style housing anyway, i don't think they even sell the light duty housings.

[70vert 17]

That's a great overview of the differences, thanks. Having a heavier '70 and a stroker windsor upcoming, the versailles style sounds like the right way to go. Coming from the bike industry (years ago), those cromoly fabbed units sound great - mild steel is a bad, bad word in that biz - but the price is just way out there, pretty much out of the question. An EvM suspension plus a cromoly fabbed housing would be a great way to get a stick axle rear as expensive as an IRS. :scared:

 

sorry for the temporary hijack!

[70vert 17]

That's a great overview of the differences, thanks. Having a heavier '70 and a stroker windsor upcoming, the versailles style sounds like the right way to go. Coming from the bike industry (years ago), those cromoly fabbed units sound great - mild steel is a bad, bad word in that biz - but the price is just way out there, pretty much out of the question. An EvM suspension plus a cromoly fabbed housing would be a great way to get a stick axle rear as expensive as an IRS. :scared:

 

sorry for the temporary hijack!

[bnickel 10,004]

actually i just looked at the new pics on the EVM website and i'm not real sure you'll be able to use anything but the stock 69 housing. it'll be close if you can use the versailles type housing. i'm sure Mike will know for sure though. i'd ask him before i bought the housing just to be safe.

[bnickel 10,004]

actually i just looked at the new pics on the EVM website and i'm not real sure you'll be able to use anything but the stock 69 housing. it'll be close if you can use the versailles type housing. i'm sure Mike will know for sure though. i'd ask him before i bought the housing just to be safe.