What is this rear end worth: 1974 Nova 3.08 posi with disc brakes. It is for my '67. The rear end is reported worthy. I am really perplexed on what to offer. The owner wants $800. Do you think that $800 is fair, too much or am I getting a deal.

Dave -

"reported worthy" is pretty vague. Does the seller have any receipts for parts or rebuild? Do you have to pay shipping or is it local? What are the discs from, and what style emergency brake do they use?

The 8.5s are getting harder to find, and a good quality rebuilt rear with discs is probably worth $800. I paid $600 for an 8.5, 3.42 posi with drums, completely rebuilt by a GM mechanic. That's about the going rate here.

If you found one in a junkyard for $50, you'd put $500 to $600 in it with a new Eaton posi, gears, and an install kit. If you have to pay someone to install the parts and set it up, and redo the brakes, you get into the $800 to $1000 level of investment.

It's still cheaper than a 12-bolt, but now that they are more in demand, the 8.5 isn't quite as low buck as it used to be.

Dave -

"reported worthy" is pretty vague. Does the seller have any receipts for parts or rebuild? Do you have to pay shipping or is it local? What are the discs from, and what style emergency brake do they use?



Thanks for the quick response. I am getting this from a salvage dealer, so he has no idea on condition other than appearance of the gears, which look fine (to me). I would be picking it up 120 miles from my home, so no shipping. I have seen the brake cable attached to the calipers, but have no idea the 'style'.

I was fine at $700, but $800 has me hesitating.

I am looking at it the same way you described. Cost of rear end, possible shipping, making it posi (if non-posi) and the disc brakes are already installed --> what would all that cost?

I'm confused! :confused:

You're sure it is a 74 Nova 8.5? It would not have come with discs from the factory, so someone would have added them. It isn't a 7.5 with spring perches welded on, is it?

Discs aren't hard to add, but I'm not sure why someone would have added them to a 74 Nova. Until the relatively recent Pro-Touring craze hit, putting rear discs on an old musclecar was not real common.

I decided too many unknowns, and thanks for pointing many of them out to me. I think that even if I need to start with a non-posi and build it up, at least I know what I've got.

It could be a '79 to '81 Trans Am rear end. The WS6 TA had disc brakes and it would look like a Nova rear end to someone who didn't know. The spring perches on the TA rear end are about 3 inches too far apart for your Camaro.