Re: THe NAC Lots-O-Post Thread
Yeah naybe the 7.5 and 8.2" versions, but my 8.5" is supposed to have a 12b sized pinion. I'm buying a posi anyways so I can also go to 30 spline too, alloy shafts are cheap enough that I was gonna do them anyways.
How fast are you looking to go? LS right? Stick? Drag radials?
The 8.5s are pretty dam strong when built right. For reference Grand Nationals run those stock and with good axles (stock are 28 in yours and the GN) and a good carrier they go in the 9s @ 3400lbs. B-Body's (Caprice,Impala SS) run a 30 spline setup and with gears and axles they go low 11/s high 10s @4100lbs empty.
I ran a 8.5 10 bolt with an Eaton, 30 spline moser axles, and 4.56 motives in my monte, it went 11.50s @ 3500lbs all day. That rear is now in my dads car with a lot less gear.
When I built my brothers Nova, I had a 8.5 with Strange axles and GM gears in front of a 525hp 468 I put together. I only ran street tires and beat BFG drag radials and it had no issue.
The downfall with any GM rear (besides the 12bolt/10 bolt olds setup) is c-clip axles. If I were going thru the effort of putting ford ends on it I'd just buy a 9 inch housing. 60s eat up a lot of power and are heavy for a car. An 8.5 with gears, axles, housing ends, and a good carrier will do fine. But honestly doing a 9 inch will most likely be cheaper.
12bolts are over rated personally, people want retarded money for them and the ring gear isn't much larger than a 8.5 anyways.