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Hey guys
My original 8.2 pontiac rear bit the big one about a month ago. I really didn't see any point in trying to fix it. So, I bought a rear that was supposed to be out of a '67 Camaro. I cleaned it up and attempted to install it in my car this evening only to find that it really isn't from a 67 camaro. After finding the axle code and some serious searching on the internet it seems that the rear is from a 75 nova. My car has a TH350 still. I've read a bunch already from previous posts about what needs to be done to make this rear work in my car. Do I need to shorten my driveshaft for sure? Can I find a shaft from another car...basically will one from a 2nd gen F-body work? Also, I need some sort of a bastard u-joint too right? I'm trying to decide if I want to use this one or just pull it back out and take it back to the junk yard I bought it from.

Thanks guys

[[email protected]]

Hey guys
My original 8.2 pontiac rear bit the big one about a month ago. I really didn't see any point in trying to fix it. So, I bought a rear that was supposed to be out of a '67 Camaro. I cleaned it up and attempted to install it in my car this evening only to find that it really isn't from a 67 camaro. After finding the axle code and some serious searching on the internet it seems that the rear is from a 75 nova. My car has a TH350 still. I've read a bunch already from previous posts about what needs to be done to make this rear work in my car. Do I need to shorten my driveshaft for sure? Can I find a shaft from another car...basically will one from a 2nd gen F-body work? Also, I need some sort of a bastard u-joint too right? I'm trying to decide if I want to use this one or just pull it back out and take it back to the junk yard I bought it from.

Thanks guys

[tanksteve]

I'm impressed with the research! If the rearend is indeed out of a 75 Nova you may have a problem. Seems like 68-74 Novas had the same dimensions on spring perches as first generation F-body. They changed it in 74 or 75. Can't remember which.
I would say measure the spring perches (distance apart) and compare it to your old rearend. If they do match, there is an adaptor u-joint to go from pontiac drive shaft to chevy rear.
good luck
steve

[Kybird]

http://www.novaresource.org/axle.htm

This is the definitive source on Nova info. According to this, all 68-79 rear-ends were the same. All 75 rear-ends were 8.5's which is stronger than the 8.2 and have many ready available gears and posiunits!!

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Steve, the perches appear to be the same width. Actually, I think someone replaced them at one time because they are the shorter monoleaf perches. I also did a quick trial fit in the car to make sure everything was in the right place. Thats when I figured out the driveshaft/u joint trouble. It is a '75 axle I think because it has the two ears on the bottom of the pumpkin. Do you think I need a shortened driveshaft?

Ky Bird, Thanks for the link. Thats actually the site that I used to figure out what rear I had.

Thanks again guys for the info.