I feel your pain. The costs of these kind of projects get WAY out of hand!
By the time the 383 was done, the $$$ I had budgeted for a rear end was already spent, (and then some)

My car is an M6.
I've been running around on the stock 10 bolt with aftermarket 3.73 rear gears (superior) for a year now. In an effort to make my rear last a bit longer, I had it tuned for 5 pounds of boost and decided to cross my fingers and hope it would last. (traction is still a problem.) The car has never seen a track and has never been launched. As it's currently set up w/ only 5 pounds of boost, I still dyno'd at over 520 ft/lbs of torque to the rear wheels. A bit slippery on street tires when ******* on it... but do-able.

We put a set of drag radials on it last summer, and promptly bent the stock steel drive shaft during a spirited 1st to second gear shift at about 5,500 rpm. She sure did hook though.
After that the gears started to groan.

We replaced the DS and put the street tires back on, and still beat on the car fairly regularly. I shift around 5,400. The rear has lasted for almost 4,000 miles total now, but is on it's way out. The gear whine has become increasingly louder and incredibly annoying. I don't feel a bit cheated though, it has lasted a lot longer than I ever expected it too. (granted, It has never been "launched" from a dead stop. Not once.)

I've been lucky.

Finally had the cash a few weeks ago, and ordered a Moser 12 bolt from thunder. It was here in less than 2 weeks. I was shocked! Figured it would take a lot longer than that.

Personally, if I was you I'd go ahead and get your car running, get all the bugs worked out, get the tuning straight, and spend some time driving the thing first before you beat on it. Even AFTER the motor is done, you're still a ways from seeing a track. dyno tuning, tweaking, dyno tuning, tweaking.... that'll probably be the rest of your summer. If $$$ is an issue, I suggest you wait until you KNOW the car is running perfect before springing for a rear end. Lots of little things can pop up. $$$$
Just got to drive it nice for a while, that's all.

Best of luck.

 

Teek -

Hey, thanks for the advice. I really appreciate it when someone who has been there really goes the extra mile to help us that are still back here in the dark out.

your advise was on point, I guess I am kind of losing sight of what's important - geting the bitch running.

Here's a new twist - get this - I found a used (3,000 miles) strange 12 bolt with all the add-ons from a board member for 1500.00 - does that make a difference in rather I should jump on it or not?

The way I look at it - I will in all reality need one sooner or later, and if I get this one - which seams like a killer deal - I could sell all my stuff I have for the 10 bolt - probabally make 500.00 or so and only be into the 12 bolt for somewhere around 1000.00.

What do ya think?

Paul

 

Paul,

A deal like that would be hard to pass up! Had I had something like that come my way a year ago, I would have gone ahead and jumped on it.... budget be damned.
I do not see used 12 bolts come up for sale very often, and IMO that's a very good price. One things for sure, a deal like that will NOT be around when you REALLY need it.... so honestly, in this case you'd end up paying MORE in the long run if you waited until you break and end up having to buy new.

I say go for it.

Best of luck.