I have a 69 Camaro with a 10 bolt peg leg. I need to upgrade and have heard that an 8.5" 10 bolt out of a Nova is a decent upgrade. Is a 8.5" 10 bolt non-posi worth $125 or even worth getting? I'm not gonna be puting out more than 420 hp.

Thanks in advance.

You should get a very good core with axles, carrier and gears but I would expect to go through it with new bearings and seals for that price. I would spend some extra money and invest in a posi carrier for it.

JMO but it's not the HP but how you apply it that kills a rearend. You can break a rear with 200hp yet it could live with 400hp or more depending on how you drive.

Price is high compared to what I can get here in PA; we can generally get a rebuildable 8.5 inch 10-bolt open rear for $50 to $75, with posi bringing a little more. Maybe that's market price in CA though. For $125, I would hope that the gears that are in the rear are a decent ratio and can be re-used.

Then like Dennis said, a good used or new Eaton posi, a rebuild/gear install kit (bearings, seals, etc.), and a couple hours of shop time and you'd have a rear that is much stronger than the stock 8.2 inch.

The best deals are pic-n-pull but novas are few and far between and there are never camaros sitting around. I spent just over $200 plus several hrs of labor each put in by Farmboy and myself. I came away with an a 3.08 posi 8.5 multi-leaf rearend and leaf springs for my Nova. We could not find a truck in the lot with a posi carrier and anything other than 3.08 gears. Seal and bearing kit was about $100. From there it was several more hrs of labor cleaning and going through the rearend.

If you can walk up and carry away a ready to paint, ready to rebuild core for $125 in CA you found a great deal. Over on the Nova side of TC there is a nicely setup 8.2 listed for $950 and I have seen open 8.5's listed (ebay and craigs list) for $500-$600 and they are not rebuilt but advertised as drivers. Because they fit the 1st gen and are almost as strong as a 12 bolt the supplies are limited. Considering a 12bolt gone thru will cost you almost 2 bills these days it's driving the 8.5 prices up.

Eric if it wasn't a couple hundred to ship a rearend half way across the country you could make some money...

Alrighty fellas. Time to sneak some money out of my wifes purse.

Thanks to all.

In addition to what has been said already, if you are buying a new posi for it anyway, I reccomend getting the newer 30 spline version and buying a set of 30 spline axles. It will hold up to a lot more than 400 horse after that and you won't have to worry about the 28 spline factory axles if it hooks up.
It's a bit more mony now but well worth it.

Sleep in late Sat. morning and "sweet talk" her and leave her sleeping and go get it that afternoon and she won't know the difference!!

He, He!!

pdq67

Is a 73 Nova a direct bolt in for a 69 Camaro?

Yes.

Sleep in late Sat. morning and "sweet talk" her and leave her sleeping and go get it that afternoon and she won't know the difference!!

He, He!!

pdq67

Even easier if you bring breakfast to her in bed, and while she is eating....run out the door!

Even easier if you bring breakfast to her in bed, and while she is eating....run out the door!

Not that I have ever done that......;)

Lol. Yall kill me! Allrighty. I'll have to get it now. Crappy part is her birthday's comin up and I gotta sneak this in without her seein. Maybe I'll have to find a Rohibnol connection. Sweet dreams baby.
:boring: