-------------------------------------------------------------------------- I need help. Don't know much about rears ends so I need input. I have a 65 skylark Gran Sport, automatic. It now has a .273 open rear end. I found a 65 olds 442 parts car with a posi rear end. Drum to Drum. Haven't seen it yet so I want to know what I am looking at. Apparently, it has a sway bar. Would buick have done this? What are the advantages/disadadvantages? Is this the same rear end buick would have used? I know about the BOP thing but what else should I look for. Any codes, stamps etc.? He doesn't know the ratio-is it stamped anywhere? I believe the stock posi rear for an automatic is .308 what ratios should i stay away from? Will people be able to tell it is not a buick rear end? Will it fit properly without modification? Can anyone attach pics to guide me? I heard that there are different spring pads. What am i looking for? Thanks in advance. Steve
Have parted quite a few '64-66 442's & Cutlasses. The original 8.2 rearend in the early Olds A-bodys that I've pulled, used the single rib 8.2 Buick cast 8.2 housing... one could say that's great from resto point, but it is a weaker design than the Pontiac 8.2 housing with two converging ribs per side. I personally won't build the single rib Buick 8.2's for higher performance, too much flex in the pinion area for higher torque loads. The Buick 8.2 should hold up though for many resto uses. Gear ratio & stamped #'s, best to pull rear cover & just count the teeth or ck for numbers inscribed in the edge of the ring gear. No a/c 4speed 442's of this era often had 3.36's. Not sure on a/c versions, 3.08's, 2.93's, 2.78's were all common 8.2 BOP ratios of this time. R/e will be exact same width. Spring pads did not change till '67 models. Rear drums were of bell shaped design on the Olds, but these are usually worn thin, or a nightmare to remove. Your Buick's r/e uses exact same backing plates, so can transfer them along with rear drums or use later model alum drums. Rear sway bar & factory boxed lwrs will bolt into your GS. Later GS's used the same rear swaybar. Carefully ck the '65 boxed lower control arms for cracks on side of the lwr arms near the reinforcements. The '64-65 style are bad about cracking at this point. If really nice & unpitted early boxed versions, you may want to blast them & sell them on e-Bay. Nice early style should go for a MINT. Then come back & box your open lwr arms with $25 repro inserts. Other areas to ck: These early style 8.2 bolt-in axles used RW507CR sealed axle bearings. They are notorious for the bearing seizing & chewing up the axle under the bearing. Was very common even within 1st 50,000 miles. Every original sealed bearing axle that comes through my hands gets the original axle bearing removed & replaced with a quality new sealed bearing. Always advise others to do the same, nothing worse than have a near 40 year old axle depart from a r/e under mild cornering, tearing up a rear wheel house & 1/4 panel. Good luck. :3gears: Roger
Wow! Thank you so much!! What a wealth of knowledge. I have been putting this guy off until I heard from someone. So in other words, this is the exact rear end that Buick would have put in? Nobody could tell?? I want authenticity. She is primarily a cruiser-the ocassional street light race. Should this be fine? What do you think a rebuild SHOULD cost? I won't hold you to it just want a ball park. The 442 is a stick car so will a 336 ratio be too stout for my automatic SP 300? Thanks again!! Steve
The stamped two letter r/e ID code will prob be different between each division, but the rear is the same if built on the Buick single rib housing. On a rebuild, best to pull the rear cover & take a look at the ring & pinion. If they're not deeply rust pitted, you will be out price of basically tearing down the rear & reasssembling with new crushsleeve, new nut, new seals & bearings & races. With axle bearings & axle seals & professional R & R (recreating correct pattern), you should be able to get out for under $375, give or take $50. Good luck, if you'd like I can ck 41st Hollander & see what the ID codes are for '65 Skylark-GS & '65 442 r/e's. :3gears: Roger
