which differential for 5OOhp
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,077
Likes: 0
From: westmoreland N.H.
depends on what you are going to do with it. i've got 500 hp small block ,and have a rear from www.duntovmotors.com i've beat the snot out of it for the past 3 years with no problems.burnouts, banging gears you name it..
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Piece of crap Dana 44 I got in my 80 holds 600 + ft/lbs and 600 + HP, very underrated diff for some reason, don't know why or how it got such a bad rap. Been here 10 years and never heard of anyone blowing one ( not that it hasn't happend ) . Been at the track with it too. It is a damn good rear end as far as I am concerned, was looking at Duntov Motors and they have one now for racing applications 
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
The later 44s are pretty hefty units and can be made to hold a tremendous amount of HP. Yours seems to be holding up quite well under the pressure you are putting on it. His will be put to the test in a few weeks. He is coming up to NJ for some drag racing against some of the C1s and C2s at Island dragway.
If he is having a custom frame made the early 80s rear would not be the rear of choice. It seems to be the 44s from the later stick shift C4s that are the choice for this.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,727
Likes: 38
From: Fremont CA
Every C3/C4 Dana 44 I have ever seen has aluminum differential bearing caps, I'll take a cast iron C3 differential over one of those ANY DAY! I am in the process of building a 30 spline side yoke differnetial (with a Chromemolly driver's side retainer cap) for my 72 LT-1 that should hold up under the 500+ HP I expect to be making when the new "bullet" is installed. One of my buddies with a 510RWHP C6 Z06 just went through the warranty process for a new differential on his 4300mile car, hope GM stays in business for his sake.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
I have seen more C5's and C6's blow up there rear ends at the drag stripthan I have ever heard of aluminum Dana 44's coming apart.
They are made by Dana, a good company. Sure the iron diffs are probably stronger, but how much ? ( we are talking stock here ) I don't think anyone can come up with any solid data. I wouldn't launch my Vette on slicks with either
They are made by Dana, a good company. Sure the iron diffs are probably stronger, but how much ? ( we are talking stock here ) I don't think anyone can come up with any solid data. I wouldn't launch my Vette on slicks with either
