80 rearend issues
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,640
Likes: 3,103
From: Shamong, NJ
They're completely different rears. The 79 (actually all 63-79) rear end center sections mount to a cross member. The 80-82 center section and cross member are cast as one unit. The crossmembers and the way they attache to the frame are completely different in 79 and 80. To mount a 79 or earlier rear in an 80-82, you would need the earlier crossmember and the frame gossets on the frame to hang it from. Also, if your 80 is an automatic, I think you would need 79 and earlier half shafts as the 80-82 autos used different stub axles and universals than the earlier rears. 80-81's with a 4 speed use the same half shaft universals as the earlier rears, so they should work with the 79 rear.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,640
Likes: 3,103
From: Shamong, NJ
Sorry, I miss read your post,
you want to mount a 79 pumkin to an 80-82 rear, I guess. No it still won't work. The rears are different in shape. The 79 rear mounts to the rear cover with 8 bolts, the 80 with 10. The 80 pumkin is wider and flatter on the bottum, than the 79 rear. The 79 rear is an Eaton, the 80 is a Dana.
you want to mount a 79 pumkin to an 80-82 rear, I guess. No it still won't work. The rears are different in shape. The 79 rear mounts to the rear cover with 8 bolts, the 80 with 10. The 80 pumkin is wider and flatter on the bottum, than the 79 rear. The 79 rear is an Eaton, the 80 is a Dana.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,000
Likes: 1
From: Minneapolis, Mn USA
You can mount a 63-79 iron unit to a 80-82 batwing. It can be done.
You will need this BOM:
Iron Pumpkin
Correct side yoke
Earlier Halfshafts
Correct trailing arm spindles
Get ahold of Van Steel for help in this. They were putting out a post a while back on what they do to make this happen. There may be a few items I'm not including due to lack of my own experience in this conversion.
Gary (gtr1999) can also probably help in this matter.
Good luck and have fun.
Brent.
You will need this BOM:
Iron Pumpkin
Correct side yoke
Earlier Halfshafts
Correct trailing arm spindles
Get ahold of Van Steel for help in this. They were putting out a post a while back on what they do to make this happen. There may be a few items I'm not including due to lack of my own experience in this conversion.
Gary (gtr1999) can also probably help in this matter.
Good luck and have fun.
Brent.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,135
Likes: 3,939
From: Connecticut, USA
Sure it's done alot. You'll probably have to fab a DS though. Some of the front brackets are different. You can build the 79 diff a lot stronger. Get rid of the snowflake clutches,side yokes,& ring gear bolts at a minimum. You'll need the brackets,shafts, and rods from the pre 80's.
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Instructor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 227
Likes: 0
From: Dallas Texas
It can be done but you will need:
63-79 strut rod mounting bracket
63-74 or 75-79 strut rods X2
2.5 or 3 inch half shaft assemblies X2
63-79 spindle flanges X2
front differential mount
The driveshaft will also need resized with a different sized u joint. Im not sure if there is an offset u-joint that can mate the new pinion flange and your current yoke.
All of the parts are available on my website at www.duntovmotors.com
or you can just give me a call at 972-243-3838
Edward Sevadjian
Duntov Motor Company
63-79 strut rod mounting bracket
63-74 or 75-79 strut rods X2
2.5 or 3 inch half shaft assemblies X2
63-79 spindle flanges X2
front differential mount
The driveshaft will also need resized with a different sized u joint. Im not sure if there is an offset u-joint that can mate the new pinion flange and your current yoke.
All of the parts are available on my website at www.duntovmotors.com
or you can just give me a call at 972-243-3838
Edward Sevadjian
Duntov Motor Company