anyone ever swap a solid diff into your c3?
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Parksvegas BC
anyone ever swap a solid diff into your c3?
just wondering how many people have done it, or if anyone has ever done it. iv got an 8.5" ten bolt from my camaro that would work well for my corvette (1980). or would a better solution be to just find and swap a cast 79 vette diff? i know it would not be an easy swap, i know there would be alotof fabrication.
i plan on drag racing it.... new to corvettes .
thanks
i plan on drag racing it.... new to corvettes .
thanks
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,993
Likes: 1,136
From: League City Tx
just wondering how many people have done it, or if anyone has ever done it. iv got an 8.5" ten bolt from my camaro that would work well for my corvette (1980). or would a better solution be to just find and swap a cast 79 vette diff? i know it would not be an easy swap, i know there would be alotof fabrication.
i plan on drag racing it.... new to corvettes .
thanks
i plan on drag racing it.... new to corvettes .
thanks
All in all, its probably cheaper to covert to straight axle if your gonna be racing a lot.....I am currently dumping about $5k in my IRS and it will still be a 10 bolt....albeit a strong one...... I am sure I could have done a 9" install for much less...
Racer
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 300
Likes: 0
From: Toms River NJ
The company is actually called AutoFab. He'res a link to their 4-link solid axle conversion kit.
http://autofabcart.net/1968-1982corv...4-linkkit.aspx
I bought mine with a Strange 9 inch housing and had the guys at autofab weld the brackets on it at their shop so i didnt screw it up. car isnt running yet, so i cant give a review, but if you search "autofab" or "4-link" you'll find their build threads. I decided to go with this kit instead of upgrading the IRS because its a couple grand cheaper. another plus for racing is that its also lighter.
http://autofabcart.net/1968-1982corv...4-linkkit.aspx
I bought mine with a Strange 9 inch housing and had the guys at autofab weld the brackets on it at their shop so i didnt screw it up. car isnt running yet, so i cant give a review, but if you search "autofab" or "4-link" you'll find their build threads. I decided to go with this kit instead of upgrading the IRS because its a couple grand cheaper. another plus for racing is that its also lighter.
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Parksvegas BC
The company is actually called AutoFab. He'res a link to their 4-link solid axle conversion kit.
http://autofabcart.net/1968-1982corv...4-linkkit.aspx
I bought mine with a Strange 9 inch housing and had the guys at autofab weld the brackets on it at their shop so i didnt screw it up. car isnt running yet, so i cant give a review, but if you search "autofab" or "4-link" you'll find their build threads. I decided to go with this kit instead of upgrading the IRS because its a couple grand cheaper. another plus for racing is that its also lighter.
http://autofabcart.net/1968-1982corv...4-linkkit.aspx
I bought mine with a Strange 9 inch housing and had the guys at autofab weld the brackets on it at their shop so i didnt screw it up. car isnt running yet, so i cant give a review, but if you search "autofab" or "4-link" you'll find their build threads. I decided to go with this kit instead of upgrading the IRS because its a couple grand cheaper. another plus for racing is that its also lighter.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,993
Likes: 1,136
From: League City Tx
LOL
I like the IRS for the fact it's a "corvette thing" and it helps maintain the originality....aside from that you can get these ******* to hook up in wet grass but.....after that, straight axle has the advantage. Stronger, cheaper, easier to tune, less parasitic power loss, probably safer over all.
Last year I put a full works 9" in my 99 Trans Am...pretty much the best of everything(for a street car anyway) and with a new chromoly drive shaft I had $3600 in the setup. I thought that was high until I started pricing out the IRS stuff....basically double the cost...
I like the IRS for the fact it's a "corvette thing" and it helps maintain the originality....aside from that you can get these ******* to hook up in wet grass but.....after that, straight axle has the advantage. Stronger, cheaper, easier to tune, less parasitic power loss, probably safer over all.
Last year I put a full works 9" in my 99 Trans Am...pretty much the best of everything(for a street car anyway) and with a new chromoly drive shaft I had $3600 in the setup. I thought that was high until I started pricing out the IRS stuff....basically double the cost...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
Likes: 72
From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
FWIW, the Corvette IRS 10-bolt diff can be modified to accept a 12-bolt chunk and gears, but if you insist on a "solid axle" I'd suggest you go for a 12-bolt over any 10 if you're going to beat on it very often. I've broken all sorts of 10-bolts over the years, 8.2" and 8.5" as well as Corvette IRS ones, and without slicks. My $.02
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Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Parksvegas BC
yea yea lol... iv built a few 8.5" ten bolts that can handle some serious power. i have one built sitting in storage with a 4.10 posi. for now it will work well into the high 11s, but with more power it will need better axles, a locker or spool, and c-clip eliminators. just because it is really cheap for me id like to use the 10 bolt. i had the axle tubes welded by a well known shop aswell.
plus the 8.5" ten bolt is lighter than a 12 bolt, and waaaaaay lighter than a 9".
im trying to get the vette around 3000 pounds, right now it is 3150.. not sure what the irs stuff weighs.
this is the diff ill be putting in. mostly stock guts.
and yes. id plan on using the drums if i can make them work in the vette.
plus the 8.5" ten bolt is lighter than a 12 bolt, and waaaaaay lighter than a 9".
im trying to get the vette around 3000 pounds, right now it is 3150.. not sure what the irs stuff weighs.
this is the diff ill be putting in. mostly stock guts.
and yes. id plan on using the drums if i can make them work in the vette.
Last edited by andrew1977; Sep 3, 2010 at 12:23 AM.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 300
Likes: 0
From: Toms River NJ
I hear ya on keepin the costs down. and honestly, once youve done the conversion, the parts are easy and cheap to replace. run it, blow it up, do it again. Theres something like 150lbs weight savings by going to the 9" autofab setup over the IRS stuff I think. its on one of the build threads (SEARCH).
