I have a 68 vert and I'm ready to swap out the 8.2 rear end with a 8.5 from a 74 Nova with 373 posi and also replace single leaf springs with Hotchkis 3 leaf drop springs. I also have a new Amercian Thunder exhaust in the box and I thought I'd drop the gas tank while I'm doing all this and have it boiled. I just got the trunk open (from the inside) after 6 years. I'm ready to get back on it. Where should I start?

start taking things apart, then put it back together in the most logical order.

Take out the exhaust system first --- since your taking out the rear you can do that as you unbolt the leaf springs --- it may be easier than trying to get the rear out with the leaf springs still in the car

one option is to install the rear with the leaf springs already bolted on -- its just your prefernce on how you want to tackle the problem --- put the exhaust system on last

I would also have a couple of your buddies around to help

Well there's got to be a better/best way of doing this so I'll list what I think I'm going to do in order and if any of y'all with experience in doing this see a problem or have a suggestion, fire away. I shoud have mentioned there is no exhaust on it, only headers at this point.

1. So far I drove the car up on ramps, then jacked up the back about level and put heavy duty jack stands under the axel housings about 6 inches from the brake backings. Obviously I can't leave the stands there, so what is the best way to support the back of the car? I was thinking 4x4 across the entire car just in front of the front spring mounts and put the jack stands under the 4x4 in front of the springs. Will that be too much in the way? Should I drop the drive shaft before doing the above or just wire it up out of the way? If I remove it, will I have to plug the end of the Muncie or will I get a lot of fluid drain out?
2. Remove the gas tank. I assume I remove the round metal piece that the gas cap locks onto. Does that then free up the filler tube? Anyone know the size of that nut on the back of the straps? I'll need to buy a set of deep well sockets. They are way up on that bolt. When do I unhook the gas line and sending wire? I haven't seen how those attach yet. Should I do something to block off or cover the end of the gas line?
Once off I'll send the tank out to be boiled then I'll either wire wheel it to get all the rust off or sand blast it? I'll have to send it out to do that. Then I'l paint it with POR 15.
3. Disconnect the brake line somewhere. Since the junk yard snipped the hose going into the juntion box on the Nova rear I'm thinking about disconnecting the two brake lines going into the junction and plugging them. I'll have to remove one bolt on the rear end that holds the bracket that holds that junction. I'll just let it hang free.
4. Disconnet the emegency brake cable such that the entire loop will come out with the rear end. (Junk yard snipped those too on the Nova rear)
5. Remove the shocks
6. Remove the 3 bolts on the front spring brackets. Sounds like I'll need an angle grinder here. I'll have the floor jack under the pumpkin to hold it when the fronts come loose. I wonder how well that will work. (balance?)
7. When both fronts are down, undo back springs large bolts. Then I should be able to roll the whole thing out.
8. Get my 17 year old to help me put the rear end up on saw horses beside the Nova rear. It should be easy then to transfer all the brake stuff since it is all fairly new on the rear end coming out.
9. Installation should be about the reverse but I'm going to take some time at this point and clean off as much of the rust under there as I can and paint it all with POR 15. I have a rust hole just beside the drivers side front spring bracket going over to where the rocker meets the wheel well. I also see that the back of the floor pan has been repaired with bondo so I'm thinking about cutting that out and replacing that part of the pan. I am planning on buying a 220v Miller mig and finally hooking up the big 2 stage 80 gal compressor I bought used about 3 years ago. So I am really getting into some new areas here.

Also I have multi-leaf shock mount plates and 2 extra pieces I had Hotchkis send me that I don't remember why. They are plates about 5 inches long with holes in the middle and 4 inch bolts. I think these are for shimming if I used the mono shock plates. is that right? If I'm going to use the multi-leaf shock plates do I want to use those shims at all? What difference in ride height would it make it I do?