I found a 12 bolt rearend that I'm going to look at Monday. The owner says it is opened up and the gears are real rusty. What else should I look at before I buy it? I'm not sure of the gear ratio that is in it now. How can I tell if the carrier is worth saving? I'm sure it will need at least all new bearings and seals. I believe the rearend has been stored inside,unheated, for several years, I'm just looking for some good advice before buying. What's a 12 bolt housing and axles worth?

Check the parts section, there are usually some for sale. You can buy a complete 12 bolt axle etc from someone like Moser or Currie for 1800-2k. So unless you are set on being original then you might want to check the aftermarket. It sounds like what you are looking at is pretty beat up so I wouldn't give too much because you will dump some coin into a rebuild. Figure $500+/- for an Eaton posi, couple hundred for axles, then several hundred more for the labor to assemble it. So....a new one might not be a bad way to go.

As long as you can get parts out, and they aren't rusted in, the housing should be alright. I don't think I'd pay more than $150 bucks. Once you get it apart, you can take it to a driveline shop, and they can mount it up and check it for straightness. I had a similar housing that cleaned up very nicely. I trashed everything and started with:
New axles: $225
Posi Carrier: ~$450
Ring and pinion: ~$125
Complete rebuild kit (bearings, etc.): ~$120
Extra shim pack: ~$20
Original cost of housing: $100
Sandblasting, prebaking, and powdercoat: $100
Check straightness: $80
Labor: set up myself but going rate may be $200-$300

So by the time you add it up, you could be $1400 to $1500, pre tax, S/H.

Anything under $250. is a GREAT deal on a Camaro 12 bolt housing around here!

Mike

I have seen Camaro 12 bolt housings go for $450. I have also bought them for $50. The Eaton posi is $350, Moser axles are $225, a complete installation kit with all of the bearings and shims is $125 and a ring & pinion set is about $170. Installation is somewhere around $200-$250 in most areas.