ive been looking around for an 8.8 donor vehicle for my 67 289 coupe.

ive come across some interestinly cheap and plentiful donor cars such as the old aero star vans and explorers.

my question is will the leaf springs be a direct bolt up or will the brackets need to be removed and relocated.

 

get one from a foxbody mustang. don't get the one from the exploder, the leaf springs don't bolt up. you have to cut the old perches off - line the axle up under the car and put the new perches on. relatively simple and a great swap. i got one in my 67. took about 2 hrs. if you need any other help just ask

 

Yes, get 1 from a fox body.

 

Yeah, the fox body rear is the perfect width. I have one sitting at a friend's waiting for my 67. You'll have to cut and weld new spring perches and pull axles and brakes from 5-lug donor vehicles (I'll try to post later with the correct vehicles), but it's not that big of a deal to convert over.

I would strongly recommend getting the rear end rebuilt, however, along with shorter gears. Most fox cars got something like 3.00:1 rear gears, and you can bet the Trac-Loc units are pretty much done after 15+ years.

 

Are the 72 and 67 axle widths the same??? I am looking at doing this swap to my car.

 

yeah but the fox will have a four bolt ill have to change that. and itll come with drum brakes. and some of the explorers had discs.


what about f 150s? how do those line up?

id like to find one with discs and a five lug.

if im going to have to weld the mounts on the fox body axle does it matter too much if it comes out of another car?

 

i bought used axles at the junkyard in orlando and they checked out fine and have held up great. i preffered the drums in the rear as i didn't care too much cus i got discs in the front. the pinion is offset on the exploders which is the only reason i wouldn't get it as it'd jack your driveshaft over. the only other thing you have to do is change the pinion yoke unless you ge another driveshaft made. your stock one will work, you just need a different yoke on the 8.8" - since you live in florida, near orlando i can direct you to Advance Driveline in orlando. hands down the best place for a driveshaft or anything else. i had my aluminium one made for less than 200.00 in 1 day. he stocks the yokes you need and run around 45.00 for em.

 

don;t forget to check out the other Ford lines (lincoln/mercury), im getting an 8.8 from a continental but it'll fit right up with my 72 which is of course wider than your needs but I would still check out those vehicles to.

 

I have an 8.8 out of a 92 explorer with 3.73 gears if anyone would like it.

 

The aero star is a 7.5 not a 8.8 basicly anything ford 1986 and newer thats a v8 is the 8.8.The odds of you finding one that don't need to be shorten is huge.Why use a 8.8 your 8 inch is a stronger rear end.Tyler no the 67-70 is one size 71-73 is wider.