Rear end swap

[chad72duster]

Hey Guys.

Its been awhile since i have been around. To broke to do anything and just needed a break. Now its time to get back to work and where would be my first stop. A bodies only for sure.

This is the set up.

Working on my 68 dart. Mint body. Orginal 273 with 904 now sports the following.

Engine is a 73 340 over 40 KB flat tops. 0 Deck . Eagle SIR rods , stock steel crank. Cam is comple comp set up. Solid Mech 236 @50 495 lift. head are J head 2.02/1.60 Bowl blend and polish not flowed matched up to a port mach RPM Air gap with a BIGS 650. Crane Stainless roller rockers. HI6 box into a MSD Billet Dist handle the fire. Set TTI step headers let it breath.

Tranny is TCI street fighter with a TCI 2500 Stall.

What we are working on is the rear.Currently is has the orginal 7 1/4 with 2:73 gears. I have a stock Len 8 3/4 out of a GTS. Moser axels and Several sets of gears. The mission is to get the 8 3/4 in place and make it hook up as cheap as possible.


It has the orginal rear leaf springs in place and they are in decent shape. Is it cheaper to leave those in place and go with some cal tracs or do i need to do a SS leaf swap and go with a snubber? I just need to keep it cheap. Im not planning on moving the springs inboard at this time just so yall know.

They have a burn out kit for about 7bills, thats kinda out of my budget at the moment. its has the SS spings and all the BS to go with it.

I also need to tie the the body but would like to be able to remove it if I have to. How good are the bolt on ties? are they worth it or should i just make plants to weld some square tube.

I want this baby to hook hard and pull straight but NOT warp the old UBody. The doors on the baby close like new and thats the way i want to keep her.

Im also not sure if i want to change the stance of her to much as she is the perfect sleeper. How much would the SS spring alter the stance??

I know this a bunch of chatter but atleast Im geting motivated.

Any help would be great from you MOPAR gods. I know several of yall have walked both of these roads.

Thanks Guys.

 

[rumblefish360]

The 7-1/4 in my '73 Duster was replaced with an 8-1/4. The axle tubes are smaller on the 7 and the springs were narrower.
Your going to need new U-bolts and a shock mounting plate set.
I would not go with S/S springs. The height would be raised alot. (If thats OK with you) But would rather do a mono spring set up from cal-trac and there bars together. IMO, That would be your best bet hands down for going fast and straight.
Weld in the frame connectors. Bolting them in is oK, but they will wear out. (AKA, ob-longing the holes) A removable set is more of a pain than it's worth. No casual looker will ever notice they are there.
A set of BFG drag radials or the like tire will do you right.

 

[chad72duster]

thanks Rumble.

Dont know if the Full cal-trac set up is in the budget.

I have some shock mounts and need to order some Ubolts. I guess Im stuck changing the springs. didnt know that about the spings, good looking out.

I guess I will just have to figue it out some how. Any low $ options?? Of course not. You ever noticed how any time your buy something its at least $500.

Well guess i will be selling my soul to the devel for a cal-Trac set up.