I bought this '66 Valiant V-100 about two months ago and am in the process of building it into a little /6 powered hotrod. This last weekend I had to do a brake-job on the rear (original brakes) and discovered that if I leave one wheel planted on the garage floor and lift the other, the suspended wheel won't turn. If I suspend both wheels, one turns forwards, the other backwards. Am I correct in thinking I have some kind of a "sure traction" or "positive traction" type of rear end? One guy said there were no 7 3/4" sure-tracs and that something is broken inside. Is he correct?

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It ain't what you buy, it's what you build!

If you lift one wheel and have the trans in park, no, the wheel won't turn.

You have a regular ole' open differential.

"DW"

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

Dang! I was hopin' for something special!

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It ain't what you buy, it's what you build!

You DO have something special... A 1966 Plymouth Valiant!

P. S. - I like your signature blurb... It reminds me of another saying I heard once at some car show: "If you didn't build it, it's not REALLY yours"

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

You're right about having somethin' special, DW! It's the only one I've seen in central Arizona! A little tweak here and a little tweak there and I'm havin' more fun than anyone else in central Arizona, too!! It sits right (a little rake) and makes good noises (2" exhaust with a 12" long glasspak) and drives right (fiberglass racing buckets and a Grant steering wheel...60's style). Next comes a Pertronix ignition and coil and a Clifford adapter and 2-bbl Holley. LET'S ROCK AND ROLL!!

P.S. My signature is also on a custom license plate frame on the back of the Valiant...thx for the flower....

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It ain't what you buy, it's what you build!

6gun, there are 7 1/4 suregrip units, but they are hard to find. I have two 7 1/4 suregrip rears. One has 3.91 gears, and the other 5.13's. Both gear sets are factory Mopar.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

Maybe I better check real close, Charlie...I may have something here...

To Charrlie S. or anyone who wants to jump in,, is there any easy way to identify a 7 1/4 sure grip at the wrecking yard? Also, what year cars should I be looking at? Thanks, Bruce J.

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78b4ramSnortbed/6

Well just to let you know, Randy's Ring and pinion sells suregrip units for the 7 1/4 rearends. I forgot the website but his ad is in every Mopar mag.

What did they come in? It's hard for me to imagine anyone bothering with 5.13's in a 7 1/4. It seems like anything that could use them would break a 7 1/4.

To be honest, I don't remember where I got the 3.91 S.G. setup. Have been using it since 1974. The 3.91 was available from the factory in the car. The 5.13 was available from "Direct Connection". In the "old days" stock eliminator, was required to run the correct rear for the car, and the lowest ratio available was 3.91, so DC cam out with 4.10, 4.56, 4.88, 5.13. I think that is correct. All of those gears are hard to find today. Randy's Ring and Pinion, does have some 4.10's. I use the 3.91 with a 22 inch tall slick for the 1/4 mile, and the 5.13 with a 26 in tall slick for the 1/8. I have changed to a 8 3/4 rear since last season. Figured I was pushing the 7 1/4 a little too hard. The Cuda weighs 3200 lbs, and goes mid 13's, with a 1.80 short time.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

Wow, I'm really surprised the 7 1/4 held up to what you were doing. I've never broken one myself, but I always read the horror stories about spider gears bouncing down the street. I have a '74 duster with a 225 that came with an 8 1/4. I've always thought that was kind of odd. Maybe they just were short on 7 1/4's that day.

Spider gears are a problem. I woudn't consider a 7 1/4 without a sure grip. Wth a suregrip the spiders do not handle all the power. Also I am running an automatic, which doesn't shock the gears like a stick would. You also want the minimum amount of back lash, and proper tooth contact.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

v8440, you know whats even more shocking? When I found out some /6 cars came stock with 8 3/4's even Odd isn't it? Apparently it was an availible option for extreme torque applications.

Damn, that IS shocking. What extreme torque? Did they offer a nitrous kit as an option? J/K of course. It's hard for me to imagine a stock slant six making enough torque to seriously threaten the life of ANY drivetrain part, no matter how hard you run it.