What is a fair price for a 4.11:1 3rd member assembly (with positraction), including companion flange, in good condition, for a 1961? Same question for a 3.36:1.
EVERGREEN

 

Depends. Do you want a 4.11 posi and a 3.36 posi which will FIT your 61, or are you wanting CORRECTLY date coded rears for your 61?
If you are patient and a good negotiator, you may pick up a 3.36 posi from a 60-64 passenger car quite reasonable (Maybe $300-400). They were also availabe in 57-59 pass cars, but those will be VERY scarce. The 4.11s are not quite as common, but also, probably not as desireable as they were 30-40yrs ago.
Correctly date coded rears for your 61 will likely run $500-900. Since there were only 10,939 61 Vettes built, and not all of them with a posi rear, finding a date coded 4.11 and 3.36 posi may be difficult----------------and expensive.

Now, there are a couple of optional ways you can go also. There are both 4.11 and 3.36 aftermarket gears available now, plus, both US GEAR and Eaton are now manufacturing posi units to fit the 56-62 Vette and 55-64 passenger cars. So, you could also build the rears from scratch using a NON-posi case. Although, by the time you round up new gears, a new posi unit, bearings, crush sleeve and seal, well, you're back up in the $600-800 range.
And I forgot to mention, if you were to pick up a 3.36 or 4.11 for a super good price at a swap meet or whatever, you still may be out as much as $150-250 to rebuild it with new bearings, clutches, sleeve, seal. That is, if you want one in top condition. Aren't these old cars fun!!!


[Modified by DZAUTO, 1:08 PM 12/13/2003]

 

Parts costs: 2 axle bearings $110, axle to flange gaskets $7, differential to housing gasket $5, posi clutches and associated rebuild parts $175 = $295 parts total.

Labor costs: Press on new axle bearings $70, rebuild differential $200 = $270 labor total.

Icing on the cake appearance stuff: posi ID tag $6, Limited slip metal tag $9, differential housing nut and washer attaching kit, (includes special high nuts and copper washers) $10, SS rear axle vent line w/posi $13, rear axle vent line fitting $4, copper washer for rear end filler plug $2, rear axle flange bolt set $15, powder coat housing $150 = $209 additional parts total

Did I mention another $30 to media blast the housing, (be careful of those bearing and gasket surfaces) Plus, I discovered that sometime in it's life, mine had an internal explosion that carved a pretty deep grove in the inside of the housing, I had a friend tig weld it (no charge).

Total of $804 and she's like new. Yep, these old cars are fun.

 

DZAUTO,
Guess I should have been more specific. Currently have the 3.36:1 posi in good condition (no noises, clunks, etc.) in my '61 but with only 21 miles of paved road and top speed limit of 45 (went 75 once, heh,heh) I'm thinking that a 4.11:1 would be better for me. Not looking for matching numbers or any of the eye candy, just a good, reliable unit. Since this is an island with no machine shops or even a mechanic with knowledge of assembling a complete unit, my idea was to swap my "freeway 3rd member" for the "semi-drag strip 3rd member, I do know how to turn a wrench but I also know what is beyound my expertice!
Thanks for the come back.
EVERGREEN

 

Solid327,
Thanks for the info, Paragon wants $2000! Plus shipping!!
EVERGREEN

 

UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, I'm guessing that 55-64 type rears are kind of scarce in your area, right?
In that case, I'm also thinking that your best option is to hopefully find a 4.11 posi, ready to go, from someone who isn't looking to make a killing off of you.
Sorry that I couldn't be of more help.

 

Yeah, everything that is considered "garbage" is crushed and shipped out, no such thing as a "salvage yard" here.
EVERGREEN

 

You can get a new set up kit from Ratech manufacturing (www.ratechmfg.com) for $112.00 plus shipping, then get a used set of gears from ebay or buy them new and you can have you rear end at a reasonable price. I bought a 3.55 gear set from ebay for $75 bucks and with the new set up kit it wasn't to bad to set up.

 

When I was into the early GM cars I knew what to look for in the bone yard, which cars were likely to have which gear. A six banger chevy with a OD three speed had a stong possibilty of a 4.10 from the factory, non posi of course. GM had all sorts of odd ball combos, depends on where the car was sold.

But, most of the good stuff in the bone yards had been picked clean or sold overseas. There is a place near here in VA. that has a ton of this stuff, I got a rear for the 61 after I blew a tooth out the back of the housing.

Leon's Auto Parts in Leon Va. is the place.