[streetk14]

I have a 68 Camaro with the stock 8.2" 10 bolt. I also have a 70 monte carlo 10 bolt posi rearend, and would like to swap all of the internal parts into my camaro rear. My only question is: how do I tell a 8.2 from a 8.5? I know that the 2 sizes aren't interchangable. They made the 8.2 and 8.5 in 70, so I am stumped. By the way, it is a factory posi rear with 3.42 gears.

[Ruggs66]

I just went through this with my 69 Camaro.
Pull off the big nut on the pinion ( behind
the driveshaft ) & the washer. The 8.2
will have 25 splines & the 8.5 will have
30 splines. The guts do NOT interchange!!
You can get a 8.5 from a 73,74, or 77 Nova!!
It is a bolt in rear end for 67-69 Camaros.
Hope this helps you! Gene S.

[MikeDF80]

Aren't those Nova rears wider than a Camaro rear? The information I had said they wouldn't interchange?

[Ruggs66]

No it's not wider. I have one in my 69
Camaro. It's from a 73 Nova . I have a friend in the parts business, we found out
a 73,74 or 77 with a v-8 Nova is a bolt in
I just did it this past summer. You can
even get a carrior out of 70-81 camaros or
firebirds to get a posi. The carrior must
be a 2.73 or higher ratio to install up to a
5.13 gear without a spacer. I put 4.10 gears
in mine . It is a bolt in, and works great!
Make sure it has a 30 spline pinion ( 8.5 )
before buying it from the salvage yard!!

Gene S.

[MikeDF80]

Thats some great information that I never knew. That will help me out a lot. Don't 75's or 76's fit? Also, aren't there some older rears from Nova's and a few others that will fit. Thanks for the information!!

[Ruggs66]

From information from friends old GM parts book, some 75 and 76 Novas did not have an 8.5 rear. 73-74 and 77 V8 Novas should all have 8.5 rear unless someone else has changed them. Hope this helps you.

ps, Nova rearends are cheeper than camaro rearends from most yards. Gene S.

[Ruggs66]

Mike
Early Novas , most had 8.2 rears, some 70-72
novas had the 8.5 I found out it was easier to find them in the 73-74 vintage
v-8 cars. Also look in 73-74 pontiac
venturas ( pontiac nova ) Hope this helps.
Gene S.

[jm69ss]

Be careful to measure width before buying a '73 or later Nova rearend. I got a great deal on one from a '73 Nova for my '69 and was told it would bolt right in - wrong!! It is too wide and won't fit. Every one I've talked to says that the only rearend that will fit first gen camaros without modification is a 8.2 from a pre '72 Nova, Skylark, etc. Kurt or Dave might be able to shed more light on this.

[Ruggs66]

Someone must have forgot to tell my car it does'nt bolt in. I personally have one in
my car ( 69 ) from a 73 nova . I showed a friend it works and he bought one from a 77
nova, put 3.73 gears in his and bolted it in.
NO moving spring perches, Both cars have stock G.M. rally wheels! Friends car is a 68.
Only might consider getting the drive shaft
from the nova with the 8.5, shaft will be about an inch shorter, Because 8.5 pinion
is a bit longer. It IS a BOLT IN !!
I didn't read it in a hot rod book, I researched it and did it. Mine worked out great! NO MODS were done to the nova axle
and it bolted right in.

[Ruggs66]

JM69SS maybe someone lied to you telling you it was from a nova, when it was not,maybe
they just wanted to sell you a rearend. I don't have one to sell, just trying to help on a subject I just had to deal with this past summer. Gene S.

[drptop70ss]

I was big into novas before I got into chevelles and camaros, and here is some info I got hands on, not just article stuff.
8.5s came in some 72 novas, and were in novas straight up to 79. 73-74 nova rears will bolt in a 67-69 camaro, 75 and later rears will not. In 75 the platform changed to share the suspension of the 70-81 camaro. If you want to put a 75 and up nova rear in a 67-69 camaro you have to move the spring perches. The rear will also be 1/2" wider on each end, but it will fit. Same deal if its a 70-81 camaro rear, but again 8.5s didnt show up until 72. Cheapest way to go is find a mid 70s z28 rear, most were 3:73s and are way less money than a 12 bolt. Move the perches and youre set, just did this with a 69 camaro a few years ago.

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66/70 chevelle ss396's
69/71 camaros