What's a fair deal on an 8.5" 10 bolt posi rear with 3.73 gears?

A friend of a friend has one for sale, he wants $300 for it. My friend Jeff picked it up from the guy and dropped it off at my house last night so I can check it out and decide if I want to buy it. It's out of a 72 Camaro, it has an Eaton posi. Jeff says this guy takes good care of his stuff and didn't seem too negotiable on the price. I've spent less on a 4.11 8.5" 10 bolt posi rearend before but it's been a while, and I'm sure I could easily spend more, so it seems like $300 is a fair but not spectacular deal? I'm planning on removing the rear cover, inspect the oil, check the contact pattern on the ring and pinion, probably remove the axles and see how they look where the wheel bearings sit along with checking for straightness and twist. What else should I look for?

I told Jeff the rearend will probably have to just sit in my garage until after this Holiday weekend before I can really look at it. I can post pictures of it if necessary. It's going in a 71 Camaro that will have a mild 350 sb (9.6:1 cr, x262 cam), TH350 with maybe a 2500 converter (or just use the 3000 converter I have to put the stall speed closer to the estimated torque peak).

All comments/opinions/experiences greatly appreciated. http://www.camaros.net/forum/smile.gif

Sounds like a fair price to me. Are you sure it has a Eaton posi and not the Traction Lock? The stock posi was a Traction Lock, which has a S shaped spring in the center instead of the 4 preload springs like the Eaton.

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'69 RS/SS396 pro street
427/4spd/9"
Byars Performance
High Performance Drive Train Parts And Service
www.lubedealer.com/biggearhead (http://www.lubedealer.com/biggearhead)

That is a very fair deal. It is actually a pretty good deal, as long as it is in good shape.

Royce

I just paid the following:

73 Nova open rear $100
8.5 series 3 posi carrier $100
3.73 gears $85
diff rebiuld kit (plus wheel cylinders) $150

Yours sound like a good deal.



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Brad
68, 327, TH350 (assembly in process)
Godspeed #3

Sounds fair enough

I came across a 3.42 gear 8.5 stock posi at a swap meet for $100 then bought a housing from a nova at a pick a part for $50

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by big gear head:
Are you sure it has a Eaton posi and not the Traction Lock? The stock posi was a Traction Lock, which has a S shaped spring in the center instead of the 4 preload springs like the Eaton.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm told it has an Eaton posi but I don't have the rear cover off yet. That's one of the things that I'll be sure to check. I sure hope everything checks out ok, it would be just about a perfect match for the rest of the drivetrain. I had two 2nd gen Camaros and sold one of them without engine/trans a few years ago, it had an 8.5" 10 bolt posi with 4.11 gears. The rearend in the Camaro I still have is a 8.5" 10 bolt non-posi with either 3.23 or 3.31 gears, I forget. I'm still kicking myself for not swapping rearends before I sold that Camaro. Oh well, 20/20 hindsight.

Thanks for all the responses.