I dont have a Camaro. I have an 80 El camino but it uses the same style rear end. You guys with healthy motors....what did you do about your rear end? 7.5" 10 bolt. I'm currently building a Chevy 454 and I'm scared the stock rear end isn't up to the task. Limited slip 7.5" with 2.41 gears. I would run a spool but i dont know of anyone that makes a full spool for the 7.5" rear end plus it has to be driven everyday.

 

your gonna annilate (sp?) that rear with that motor. get a 12 bolt

 

Your lucky. It's easier to swap in a different differential into the El Camino than it is into a third gen. Start looking for a car 12 bolt or a Ford 9". Not just any diff will do. You're going to need one the same width if you want it to fit properly.

There's nothing wrong with the 7.5" that can't be beefed up. When I still used on I ran low 11's at 121 mph. I only switched to a 9" when I added a transbrake.

Even finding an 8.5" 10 bolt that could be a direct bolt-in would still be better than the 7.5". The G/A body cars have a lot of interchangeable parts.

 

yes a 8.5 should be all you need. I got a buddy that has 3rd gen firebird w/built GN eng., th400 w/transbrake, slicks, ladder bar susp., and 8.5 rearend and he goes low 10's. he's been 9.90 but that setup wouldnt live so he backed off the boost alittle.
since the 8.5" rearends are available bolt in, I would nt spend any money on your stock rearend.
chris

 

I have access to a second generation Camaro with 8.5" 10 bolt. But it is a leaf spring setup. What exactly do i need off of it? Can you use swap the carrier and differential.....What about axles, ect?

Would buying an aftermarket Auburn Gear differential to fit into my current carrier hold up?

 

how built is your eng? how fast do you expect to go? you would have to cut off the leafspring perches and weld on the corect susp. brackets, but the hard part of that is getting the pinnion angle correct. so its prolly best left to the pro's. the stock axles should be fine as long as there in good shape. but I believe 10sec. requires aftermarket axlesw/c-clip elimenaters, not sure. Id still look for a bolt in rear. I think grand nationals used the 8.5" ten bolt. you need to measure the width of your current rear end and compare to what you lookin at cause it will need to be close, unless your getting aftermarket rims anyways. then you'll need custom backspace rims.

 

It definatly is not a race car. Its a street cruisier. But I am expecting in the neighborhood of 350 hp and upwards of 450 ft/lb of torque. Will see track maybe once every two months or so. I will be using aftermarket rims. But what is the best route to take regarding the rear end. I know its the torque that kills tranny's and rearends. But is it the "limited slip" functioning that fails or is it the small ring gear thats not exactly acceptable.

 

its the ring gear that breaks. the teeth just shear right off. I wouldnt be afraid of that eng. breaking anything. if you dont have any further plans for the eng., then the stock rear end will do.

 

Alright. So i'll be fine with the stock rearend. What affect will the limited slip have on takeoffs. I have a 2500 rpm stall converter to put in for the occasional showoff launch. Will that cause it to take off akwardly? I know several friends of mine at the track switched out to posi rear ends, but none actually knew why they did it. They just did it because it was "expected"

I ask "is there a specific reason you switched out your LS for a posi?"

They answer "no real reason i guess. I dont know. Cause your supposed to"

A little light on the subject would be appreciated

 

A limited slip differential is the same thing as a posi, just two different names.

You'll need to replace that rear end, as the best gears you can replace a 2.41 rear end with is 3.08's. As was said above, the A/G bodies interchange with a lot of great cars, like the Monte Carlo SS and the Grand National.

 

What a coincidence. I was wanting to drop in 3.08's because it will be a street vehicle. Well if limited slip is the same as posi.
Why when i spin tires in my 79 T/A both tires leave black marks which i thought was because of the posi. This is a factory rear end.

But when i spin with my El Camino it only leaves one streak on the passenger side tire.

 

Either the El Camino has an open rear end, or the posi in it is dead.

 

how do i tell the difference?

 

wanna beef up a 10 bolt rearend, here ya go

http://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/tech/beefinguprear