Carpe Diem

Hey guys, I am just looking for some opinions on what you guys would do in my situation..

Last year, I was pretty broke, and had to replace my whole rear end, well I have a 97 and sometimes that rear is hard to find(especially when you are in the middle of nowhere). So, I ended up getting a 2.73 rear for my year car. Well, I have an M6 and those two things together make for some interesting driving. I had to do it immediatly before I drove the car across country, so it made for some AWESOME gas mileage.. around 36 highway! Anyways..

I am trying to spend the least amount of money right now to get my rear end back to.. well, the spryness I knew and love. GOAL: 3.73. I am overhauling the whole car at the end of this summer.. more than likely putting in a moser or the like. So here is where I having trouble deciding.

I just want to have a 3.42 or a 3.73 in my car to tide me over until a moser, so what should I do?

I can get a stock rear with a 3.42 in it for about 500 bones from TACreations(without shipping)...

I can get a kit to replace the 2.73 with a 3.73 for about 300 plus labor(another 300-400+).. was qouted about $900 for a 3.73+kit install at Virginia Speed, the only place local to me that I know will be able to do the job right.

I can shop the for sale section and ebay for a rear, but that can go either way..

My goal is to have it in and solid before it starts getting warm around here... but the kicker is I wanna do it for cheap.. yea, yea, I know if I wanna do it right, I am gonna hafta spend some money. Help me out guys, talk me into spending more money..

Fast Caddie

I drove for about a week with the M6 (97) and 2.73s.... the worst part is starting from a stop in first. I hated how bad i had to slip the clutch to get moving. Funny how you can drive down the interstate at 80mph and only turn about 1400rpm. I was turning 2000 even with the 3.73s at 80. Now it's about 2500 with the A4 and 3.23s at 75. I miss my 6-speed!!!!

If you're a sprayer, i'd go ahead and plan for 3.73s in a 12-bolt rear ASAP. Sooner or later you're going to want H/C, bigger shot, forged bottom end, etc etc. The stock rear is living on a prayer no matter what you do to it. And spending any more money in it is lost money. Take the 5, 6, $700 or whatever that you'd spend in gears and install and hold out for the moser.

Carpe Diem

lol, yea... starting off is nuts.. I really hate giving anyone a ride in the car right now that is not car savvy, as they think that it is real slow for a Z28.. but it is nice only needing a couple gears to drive around and once you get going its nice..

Like I said tho, at the end of this summer I am getting the car completely reworked, top to bottom. and yea there will be spray and a moser involved.

I just need a tide-me-over until this fall.. I havent been driving my Z thru the winter months, but I am going to be driving the heck outta it here soon. I am just looking for a 3.42(at least) or hopefully a 3.73 for a decent price.

Fast Caddie

I can see that, i was about to die to get a steeper gear in the thing after the conversion. But i swear top end was stronger with the 2.73s... i could hit 120 in third gear and it was pulling harder than i ever remember with the 3.73s. Oh well, i loved doing 0-80 bursts with the 3.73s. i'll get that bitch put back in the car one of these days.

Maybe try to hold out a little longer incase a stock 3.42 rear end for a good price shows up.