Hadn’t seen those before. Very cool. Thanks.

Don

 

Have you done a cost breakdown? Impala is coil spring so there is more than just shortening the axles. I know a 1st gen 12bolt as a starting point will be several hundred more than the Impala assembly, but enough that you are still saving after buying perches and dealing with the shortening of the axle tubes?

I have seen complete refurbished 12bolts for both and it's maybe $500 more for the 1st gen assembly. Based on that can you shorten and convert the Impala assembly, axles, bearings, perches, cutting and welding for $500?

If you already have an Impala 12bolt that's another story... If you are doing the work yourself I applaud the skills needed to do the job.

 

I use the Mittler Brothers fixture.

 

If you are going to go through all of that, go with the Moser Ford big bearing ends and axels. I did in on a Chevy 2. You are going to have to get axels anyway. If you don't have the rest yet, the 70 Monty Carlo had a 12 bolt too.

 

I'm aware of the Monte rear ends. I cut up a 65 Chevelle rear for another Camaro years ago. Still feel bad about that one. Swore I wouldn't do that again.
Where I'm from I've only seen a few 12 bolt Camaro rear ends come up for sale. In the 80's we had a guy that did a lot of narrowing of rear ends, mostly 9 inch Fords but he did a Impala rear for me and it looked and ran great. I've got another Impala rear in my shop with all the brackets removed. I wanted the same dude I had before to do it but he's closed shop years ago. I guess I'll give it a whirl.
The funny thing is we have nice 8.5 Nova rear axles for sale all the time on Craig's list in my area they cant give them away. I have 2 of them an nobody wants them. I'm seriously considering cutting the ends and perches off on and using them on this project.
One more question. Is Tom's differential still doing business?

 

8.5" with aftermarket parts is as strong or stronger than a 12 bolt stock....so I'm told.

 

I cut down a 69 Chevelle 12 bolt for a 71 Vega back in 1974. I drilled out the factory plug welds and cut the tubes to the length I wanted for the car. I used a piece of pipe as an alignment tool as I recall. In addition to the pipe, I checked the alignment with a string line. It worked well.
I used aftermarket axles and C-clip eliminator bearing cups that mounted to the stock flanges. I installed aftermarket MW axles and a Moroso posi.
I used a 4 link and even re-used the stock mounting brackets. It worked very well.
The main thing I was concerned about was welding brackets to the tubes and warping (bending) the tube with welds on only one side. I controlled the heat to minimize warpage.
I ran the car for over 25 years with no problems. The 3200# car would pull the wheels on the strip.

 

I can't find the Nova rear ends anymore. I sold them as quick as I could get them. I could still sell them if I could find them. Don't cut them up.

Tom's is still open, but I'm told that they are trying to sell off the inventory that they have and then close.

You don't have your location listed. Where are you?

 

The 1972 and later nova should have the 8.5 in addition other x bodies
Buick Apollo 73-79
Buick Skylark 73-74
Nova 68-79
Olds Omega 73-79
Pontiac Ventura 71-77
Pontiac Phoenix 77-79

No cutting required
The driveshaft May need changing

The dimensions are here

https://www.novaresource.org/axle.htm

 

Utah. I have 2 of them and a couple of fellows in the local ads had 2 for sale and they went 30 days without a sell at $200.00. I wont cut them up then. I'll have my son try to sell them. He has better luck selling stuff. Thanks, Brent

 

I would go with the 8.5" rear and sell the Impala rear.

If you are set on chopping up the 12 bolt, what do you think you will have in it when you are finished, money-wise?

 

I think the wisest thing you could do is buy a Moser rear end. Around 2800.00
Building out the Impala rear. Eaton posi, axles, bearings, installation kit, perches, housing ends, 1500 or so, possibly more. Add the stress from possibly warping the whole thing welding it up and the trouble setting it up. The 8.5 is good rear end. Hopefully someone locally here will want one. I'll try to pass one on to someone who can use it and keep one in case I screw this project up. Brent:wink2:

 

I narrowed a 69 impala 12 bolt I had from a car I parted out to use in a 69 Camaro years ago. The rearend was 3.31 posi so I had hung onto it for years thinking I would just rob the posi carrier and gears out of it but never did. So... one day i hatched a new plan. I cut the 12 Bolt tubes off & then cut the axle tubes to length off a junk 8.5 10 bolt and butt welded them to the 12 bolt rear end. The 8.5 tubes already had the multi leaf spring perches on the tubes, so I rotated them to set the correct pinion angle welded them on. I found a good set of used 12 bolt Camaro axles on ebay for 75 bucks, and used the 8.5 backing plates & brakes. The whole thing only took me a few hours and when it was done, it bolted it right in my old blue 69 and I headed to the track and beat the hell out it with a 4 speed and slicks. :yes: I ran it under that 69 for a few years until I pulled it out right before I sold the car. That same rearend has now been under our 68 convertible for 4 or 5 years now and never once given me any trouble. I would do it again, as it is a very inexpensive way to put a 12 bolt under a Camaro.

 

Like you, I am thinking of sourcing a cheap 12 bolt and cutting it down. Does it have to be an impala, or will any Chevy 12 bolt work? I know the video, same one I have watched multiple times, used an impala and cut everything off and welded new perches $60 or so, which is fine. I would prefer to find a posi unit with gears I want but may not be possible. Just curious at the price if you have started this at all. If the price is similar at all to a newer rear end from strange or moser I may just go that route, but costs are piling up and looking to save some where ever I can.

 

Any car 12 bolt. Truck 12 bolt is different.

 

Aww.

I thought maybe this thread would follow Chevy's brake guys path from 1967 and turn a B car 12 bolt into a disc brake rear end.

 

Same here. Will all 12 bolt cars work? I don't really have a walk and pick your part place. I have to call and they check if they have what I need. Any list of cars that would have a 12 bolt that would still be in a salvage yard?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

The car 12 bolt was only made from '65 to '72, and the Chevelle is the only car that got it after '70, so they are not easy to find, and none of them are cheap.

 

I watched the want ads for almost a year before I found one. I purchased a Eaton Posi, US Gears gear set, a pair of Toms Differential KA axles and installation kit. With the new axle tube ends and perches it comes to around $1400 give or take. A fellow in my area had a 1967 Camaro 12 bolt for sale for about $1500. Problem was it had a spool and c-clip eliminators which I didn't want. I admit, this is a pain in the butt. It would be a lot easier to buy a Moser ready made 12 bolt. I have watched the want ads and gone to the swap meets and have only seen a couple of Camaro 12 bolt axles come up for sale in my area over the years. There are two 8.5 Nova Axles for $200.00 in my area they cant seem to give away.

 

My take on it.

If you go the Impala route. Does it already have a posi unit. Is the posi in good shape or will it need a rebuild? Does it have the gears you want? If not will the carrier work with the gears you want.

Cutting, welding, axles, posi, gear change if you need it all what are you really going to save,

I hate rear end issues. I always go new with warranty. I bought a 12 Bolt complete ready to bolt in for the 66 Chevelle i built last year, JD Race about $2500 shipped. Extremely pleased with it.

Usually on my Protour Cars I use Ford 9". Cheaper than a 12 Bolt and I like that you can pull the pumpkin.

 

Over the years I have had probably a dozen or so Impala big car rear ends cut down to fit Camaro's and early nova's usually depending on the rear end date code so they were "Right" - early 12 bolts had the bigger 7/8" fill plugs and later had the 1/2" installed either mono or multi perches and sold them off - I do have one still fits 68-69 Camaro with multileafs . I used to be able to buy complete 12 bolts for about $100 and the guy charged like $175 to cut off brackets , weld new ends and perches so ready to assemble ahh the good ole days

 

Question for Freddie. Before I went the Impala 12 bolt route I was looking at Dana 60 rear ends. There always seems to be some around with posi geatsets for sale. My question is, how tough would it be to modify one to use under a first generation Camaro? More specifically, what axle ends, axle bearings, and what to do about axles. Thanks, Brent

 

The Dana 60 isn't any harder to put under a Camaro than any other non original rear end. They are very tough. You can use Moser axles and housing ends with the 9 inch Ford bearings. Just be sure that the differential has 33 splines or you will have to buy one of those too. The 60 was built with many different number of splines.