I was checking out a '77 Newport with a 400 in it. (not sure whether it's 2 or 4 bbl, it still had all the (apparently functioning) leanburn stuff on it. I expected the car to have a 9 1/4 rearend in it, so I was quite surprised to see an 8 1/4 in it. Yes, I'm dead sure it's an 8 1/4 (or could it be like the trucks, and have an 8 3/8th?), not a 9 1/4. I would have thought a barge with a big block would have come with the 9 1/4. Is this unusual, or did many barges come with 8 1/4's?

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Everyone driving slower than me is a moron. Everyone driving faster than me is an idiot. With all these morons and idiots on the road, I can't get anywhere!

In C-bodies in 1973 (demise of the 8 3/4" in 1972 in passenger cars...and 1974 in trucks...), got the 8 1/4" for the standard rear axle and the 9 1/4" in the 'Heavy Duty' applications. So if it has a 400-4v (sometimes) or a 440 then it'll have the 12 bolt octagon cover 9 1/4", all other applications up to the 400-2v get the 8 1/4" rear (my grandmother's '73 Fury was optioned like that with the 400-2v, and a 1973 Newport I stripped down was the same way 400-2V with 2.76:1 8 1/4" rear...)
I always wondered if it would've been cheaper just to keep one style of axle (cost, machining, tooling, setting up the gears) like the 8 3/4" instead of having 3 different axles to cover all the applications...

In late B-bodies I've mostly seen the 8 1/4"...kinda strange....

FYI,

-D.Idiot

I've seen 318/360 powered '71 Fury's with the 8.25. So why did my slant six Satellite come with an 8.75?

The plymouth B-body still had Road Runner's in the line up (so 'performance/HD' axles still can be had on that platform) ...according to some sources the 8 1/4" was strictly used in B-bodies for the 318-2v (or other 'mild V-8' applications from 1971-1972 with no option for sure-grip.

Of course with anything mopar some things 'just happen in assembly', or 'can't be outmoded' like in the E-bodies...

-D.Idiot

DI,

Not to be argumentative, but I know for a fact that 8 3/4's were used in passenger cars in '73. My '73 Imperial had one. I don't know whether a '74 would have had one or not-I had always thought the 8 3/4 was discontinued in all lines in one year-1974. As for using the 8 1/4 in c bodies, I have to admit that makes me kinda nervous. I guess they survived ok, since plenty of them still have functional 8 1/4's in them.

_________________
Everyone driving slower than me is a moron. Everyone driving faster than me is an idiot. With all these morons and idiots on the road, I can't get anywhere!

Did some research...thanks for v8440

According to a few sources, the 8 3/4" could be had in 'certain' models up through the 1974 model year, but looking at things: 'performance' models (340/360-4v,some 400's B-body,E-body, other 'sport models'), the full size chrysler line and Imperial's last year for the 8 3/4" in the Imperial is 1973...(probably to handle the 400-4v and 440 optioned cars...as listings show the 'other' option as the 8 1/4"....for that year...)


FYI,

-D.Idiot

Your Imperial could have been an early production model (i.e. an August or September car). Just using the left overs. As with all things Mopar, never say never!