How much power can I send to the stock axles, and are there certain upgrades that are essential? 72 skylark, 455, 10 bolt posi with 3.73 gears and ET Drag radials. Thanks for any help, trying to save money so I can go racing! Is that an oxymoron?
power What kind of stall speed or is it a 4speed car? well, if your saving money axles and a yoke and a posi will run you 200.00 75.00 and 350.00 at the very least...!!! That is over 600.00 dollars does not sound like saving too much there...lol. How often will you be making trips down the 1/4 mile? I have seen a ton of GN's do 11's with stock stuff. They are C-clip type rears and 28 spline with the stock clutch style posi. The weakest link in the rear is usually the spider gears on a hard launch. That is if everything is kept up to spec on the rear. If you have a bearing eating a axle or a sloppy ring and pinion or old u-joints anything can give at any time. Stock parts will hold good as long as they are just that- GOOD. Alot of keeping any car parts alive is maintainence. Things always need a check for tolerances... esspecially when we punish them. Even the strongestest rears wear and break when they are not kept up to snuff. All the stuff mentioned to switch will work, but at a price. If you have the money go for it. Slapping slicks on a 30 year old rear with out any inpection is a risk. If the rear was recently overhauled(new bearings and ring and pinion reset or changed )give her a shot. Don't forget the drive shaft loop which might be required with slicks at some tracks and if you like your floor boards intacted. The little parts like to snap and that is all right ...there needs to be a fuse in the system and that is a cheap one... sometimes... sometimes not? Get the loop. Good luck with your car and have fun. If it does break something it can always be fixed. Just remember, do it safely. We can not fix the flesh as easy. Jim
Thanks Jim, this car will be limited street and 1/4 mile as often as possible. I live 15 miles from LACR in Palmdale, Ca. so I hope to beat a path there. The 400 trans has a 10 inch converter that is supposed to flash at 3500. I'm planning on new gears, bearings, and a posi. Sean
posi Hey sean, If your going to be using the thing for mostly track use. maybe instead of the posi go with a power traxx/ lock right unit. you can sell off the used posi on ebay and have almost half your money of the lock right unit right there. find a open 8.5 3 series(just about any junk yard for dirt cheap even free sometimes depending on who you know.) These units are designed for hard straight launching. The cross pin puts all the pressure on driving the units gearteeth to lock up tight...The harder you push the rear with torque the harder the teeth will press together. I is about the closest you'll get to a spool on the street and not have the axle bind that a spool will deliver. Just another option to check out. I have installed alot around here and no one has complained about the performace at the track. These guys do alot of weekend racing though and cruises during the week. We have 1/4 miles tracks in any direction you go in north central Ohio. Good luck with it. Jim
