[wd45gto]

I have a 64 tempest.I picked up a 61 Bonneville rear end non posi.wanted to build a strait axle mid ten seconds car.with all the work involved would I be better off doing a 9in or would the cool factor of a big Pontiac rear be worth it ......would it hold up???

[tom s]

Might be too wide,might be better off with a 58 housing if you want to run one.Tom

[brut4s]

Try these guys. http://fabcraftmetalworks.com

[jimmy daniel]

Fa craft can fix you up with everything you need. I have one of those rear ends (narrowed) under my 63 Tempest. I've had everything from a IA 505 to a 565 BBC 1040hp to the Butler 461 that's in there now. Never had an issue. I did use the billet caps.

[wd45gto]

Sweet !!! Thank you guys !!!

[straycat]

Keep it Pontiac. Brad and Dave will walk you thru the conversion.

[65nss4spdGTO]

Originally Posted by tom s

Might be too wide,might be better off with a 58 housing if you want to run one.Tom

I used a 57 housing in my 65 GTO, was about 1/2 narrower vs the stock 10 bolt. We've broken more than a few of these, but once I added billet main caps made by Mark Williams, the breakage has been greatly reduced.

Calvin Hill
Hill Performance
708-250-7420

[brut4s]

@ Calvin, still stock type rear suspension?

[tom s]

Calvin,the reason I said 58 is I believe it has coil spring pads and 57s had leafs but were the same width?59 went wide track I think.Tom

[Mike Davis]

Originally Posted by 65nss4spdGTO

I used a 57 housing in my 65 GTO, was about 1/2 narrower vs the stock 10 bolt. We've broken more than a few of these, but once I added billet main caps made by Mark Williams, the breakage has been greatly reduced.

Calvin Hill
Hill Performance
708-250-7420

Calvin can you post some pics of this set-up? I have been thinking about switching from the 12bolt to the O/P style rear. Still running factory type mounts?
Thanks

[65nss4spdGTO]

Originally Posted by brut4s

@ Calvin, still stock type rear suspension?

Originally Posted by tom s

Calvin,the reason I said 58 is I believe it has coil spring pads and 57s had leafs but were the same width?59 went wide track I think.Tom

Originally Posted by Mike Davis

Calvin can you post some pics of this set-up? I have been thinking about switching from the 12bolt to the O/P style rear. Still running factory type mounts?
Thanks

We used a 57 because that was what we had and the width was perfect. We cut the mounts off a 10 bolt rear end and had them jigged up and welded. The springs, shocks and lower control arms all bolted up. For the uppers we welded steel U-channel, once we mocked it up, I drilled mounting holes in the channel and added adjustable upper control arms.

I added an anti-roll bar a few years back, the car didn't really 60' any better, just launched without the twist these cars are known for.

Mike, I can't post pics as the car is in storage about 500 miles from me.

Calvin Hill
Hill Performance
708-250-7420

[Sirrotica]

Originally Posted by tom s

Calvin,the reason I said 58 is I believe it has coil spring pads and 57s had leafs but were the same width?59 went wide track I think.Tom

Good memory Tom, 58 is the only year that is the correct width and the lower control arms from the GTO bolt right into the 58 mounts. The upper mount from a 58 is different and has to be fabbed to use the GTO upper arms, but with the lowers fitting without modifications get you half way there. If memory serves the spring pads are in the correct place too.

This was a common swap in all GM A bodied cars in the 60s like the FX and early funny cars.

[Bill Eveland]

57 and 58 use the same axle shafts, width is the same only the spring set up is different.

The 61 housing is usable but may need the housing and axles shortened. Or find a 57-58 housing and shorten the 31 spline axles from the 61 rear. Fabcraft should be able to handle that for you. The 57-58 axles list in the MPC at 29 21/32" long for both sides.