Quote:
Originally Posted by lust4speed
Almost everything is available to rebuild the big car rearend. I just received $340 worth of parts from Dave at Fab Craft which included new bearings, seals, gaskets and other parts for building a spare '65 big car limited slip rear. Anyway, Fab Craft is alive and well and they have become my only source for the big car rearend parts. No worries when ordering from them because everything will be correct for the big Pontiac. Summit, Jegs, Rock Auto and other retailers will try and sell you either BOP 8.2 parts or Chevy 12-bolt parts. Even Yukon and US Gear don't seem to have a clue that their catalogs are totally wrong. Dave's prices are decent and you won't be receiving a bunch of parts that don't fit. He hasn't made another batch of the 3.55 gears, but is compiling a list of interested people. I have a set from the first run in the '65 Cat wagon and they are excellent.
I think the GP confusion might be because of the 1969 and later Grand Prix's dropped down to the A-body chassis and share underpinnings with the GTO. I mix suspension parts and rear ends between the '65 & 66 Catalina, Bonneville, Grand Prix, and Vista models. I've also used carriers, axles, and other pieces from the 1967/1969 big cars. I can't comment on the brackets because the '67 and later use a different diameter spring perch and haven't had the need to experiment with the later stuff in the 65's.
The rear is quite similar to a Chevy 12-bolt with some of the internal parts being the same, and some just slightly different. Both have a 8.875" ring gear diameter (but different) and share the same clutch packs. Pontiac axles are a little beefier with 32 splines.
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That axle in the pic looks fantastic.! I raced a 66 2+2 with a 3.73:1 gear ratio and a 4-speed for years. Other than axle bearings and seals, never had to service anything on it. Ran those old 7" wide slicks that were available back in those days. It never failed me.