Clever Idiot

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Yay, more surfing (wife's at work and I'm bored, can you tell? ) You're right, Sam, it's a BOP with an 8.2" ring gear, judging by this picture on Car Craft compared to mine.

Pulled the cover, that's how I got the ring gear bolt head size and the tooth count - but I don't know what I'm looking at Doesn't look like any posi units I've seen pictures of online, though.

Ok, dove into the rear and got some more info. Definitely 10-bolt. The ring gear bolt heads fit a 3/4" wrench, which confuses me. According to what I could find about identifiying 8.2" vs 8.5", neither one has bolts that big. The 11/16" wrench was too small to get on the bolt heads, which is what that link is saying the 8.5" 10-bolts used. Huh? The bolt heads weren't all gunked up, either, so I don't think build-up might have caused the bigger wrench fit. Also, I found 39-14 stamped on the ring gear, so if those numbers are what I think they are (ring gear tooth count-pinion gear tooth count) then I have 2.78 gears in there. That also confuses me b/c I thought the different possibilities were 2.56, 2.73, 3.07, etc but no 2.78. Just to make sure I'm not completely off here, I spun the passenger axle one way and observed the driver axle spinning the opposite direction. That *does* mean non-posi, right??

Related to this, I'm tearing my Monte apart (obviously), and have done more window shopping than I care to admit. I'm torn between what would be what I think might be the 'best', and just getting the damn thing back on the road. The best = $$$ = even more delay. Engine and trans are gone (or will be tomorrow), and I know exactly what I plan on replacing them with when it comes time. A Year One crate engine Part # CT350PC1 (350 rated at 400+hp/400+ft-lbs) and a 700-R4. I don't plan on racing regularly - I *might* take it to the drag strip once to see what it can do. It's going to be a cruiser/weekend blaster, so it's not going to get a lot of (or any) abuse. My stock rearend is the standard non-posi 10-bolt, don't know the gears. I was thinking of going with a 12-bolt posi or a Strange unit... but now I'm tired of looking at a pile of parts and want to turn it into a car again without blowing money I don't really need to. What can a 10-bolt withstand? Will I end up with shrapnel if I put the stocker unit behind that engine/trans combo? Eventually I'll go to a posi unit and steeper gears, but I'd like to know if that's money I can spend *after* I get it on the road. And I'm wondering now if a 10-bolt will handle that power in a non-abuse situation. I think new axles, posi diff, and gears would be a boatload cheaper than a 12-bolt assembly (kind of like I think rain is wet). And money saved is less time to putting rubber down.

Just for my two cents, it looks like a Strange S60 runs about $700 cheaper than a comperable Moser 12-bolt. Strange Moser

I just emailed them. Can't wait to hear back from them Anybody get theirs installed with pics yet?

I think I just shorted out my keyboard drooling on it

Noticed my pic had expired b/c i rearranged my photobucket, so here's one that won't get rearranged. The day I tricked her into staying. Marianne and me going out for our 4th anniversary 6-19-08 -DJ

I know this post is kinda old, but when I was running the Monte as my daily driver: I have a 350 with stock internals, Edelbrock performer intake and Holley 600 4bbl on top with Hedman Hedders running to dual 2-1/2" 'custom' bent (as custom as a fairly straight shot gets) pipes running Flowmast 40-series mufflers and mandrel-bent 2-1/2" tailpipes. The idle was nice and mellow, no resonance, and purred nicely when gotten on. I didn't ever stop at a stop light and not have people look over.

Just a small point - don't the use of Vortec heads require specific a intake manifold? I could be wrong, but I thought I remembered Vortec heads not matching up with regular intake manifolds. *shrugs* Never used em, not speaking from experience. -MCB Oh, and as for under 2K for heads, Trick Flow makes 23 degree aluminum heads for a small block for 1200, but I just looked up their big block heads: right around 2K. Never mind. ------------------ MCBeast's Lair 1970 Monte Carlo 350 4bbl, (supposed to be) Maroon w/ black interior Now accepting donations for a paint job! [This message has been edited by MCBeast (edited 06-18-2003).]

Trunk - just thought of something. The only place where there's rust appearing is very small, along the top edge of the fenders (unless there's some hiding under the lower trim, which there probably is). I already had the rear window completely (primered) repaired professionally as a Christmas present (he filled with all new metal, no Bondo, very happy). With such a small area, what if I did just that small area in one day/weekend (it almost never rains in South Florida) and primered that? Also: 1) I don't have an air compressor. 2) What is/where do I get a 'long board sander', or is that only for compressors? 3) What grit sandpaper, and what kind of primer/where to get? RAPID FIRE!! POW POW PA-POW!! hehehe... sorry, it's late, I'm punchy. Thanks again, MCB P.S. here're pics of the rust damage and window repair completed: (that grey area is where the paint has dusted off, not primer I put on. Somebody slapped a $300 job on it a couple years before I got it) Rear window repair Rust damage driver Rust damage passenger ------------------ MCBeast's Lair 1970 Monte Carlo 350 4bbl, (supposed to be) Maroon w/ black interior Now accepting donations for a paint job! [This message has been edited by MCBeast (edited 02-21-2003).]

Trunk - thank you very much for the incredibly detailed reply. With those directions, I would feel confident going at it myself, and I have so far flat-out refused to touch body work (since I wasn't about to 'learn' on my Monte). Unfortunately, from what you're saying, I should start selling my blood and body for a paintjob, as the only place I have to keep the Monte is at my mom's driveway in the swamp where I grew up (where it's pictured). knight - All I have to say is my girlfriend is a SAINT. Over 2 years of putting up with me assaulting her ears and she still takes it with a smile. Bought the ring today -MCB ------------------ MCBeast's Lair 1970 Monte Carlo 350 4bbl, (supposed to be) Maroon w/ black interior Now accepting donations for a paint job!

Awesome, a new forum! And congratulations Lloyd, as well! Anybody wanna offer tips on halting surface rust on my front fenders before it becomes holy metal? I swear, one day somebody's gonna ask a question that I *know* I know the answer to, and when that happens, I will feel much better about always asking questions and not saying too much else KnightTime mentioned being able to give back. Is there gonna be a forum started up dealing with how to tell when non-car-obsessed people are tired of hearing you babble on? If so, I could definitely help on that one lol -MCB ------------------ MCBeast's Lair 1970 Monte Carlo 350 4bbl, (supposed to be) Maroon w/ black interior Now accepting donations for a paint job!