Thread: best ford rear end for installing in 1938 sedan

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I just purchased a 38 sedan. I have a TCI, IFS fot it, a 350,350 chev motor and trans and I'm going to use a leaf spring set up for the rear. My question for you all is which is the best rear end(ford) to use for this car?

The 9" Ford of course.

9" has a lot of gear ratios to select from.

What do you guys think of the later model 8.8 out of the ranger?

Just to go for a counter flow, since I've done a couple of them, whoever you get the rear spring setup from will have some suggestions. Typically they have the same spacing as an 8" from a V8 Maverick, 56" drum face to drum face. Some are also made to take a Nova 10 bolt, 57-8" depending on year. Yeah, not as many ratio choices with the 8" but good enough for what it sounds like you're doing, and there's no modification necessary, it's a bolt in.

I agree with Bob. The 8 inch would be the way to go. There is one other 56 inch though. The one out of a Mustang II V-8. And some of them even came with Equal Loc.

'95 and up Explorer 8.8"

Strong

Cheap

Plentiful

Factory 11" discs

Factory posi

Factory 3.55 or 3.73 gears

Solves e-brake problems

31 spline axles

Do a search on this, it's been discussed at length. I have one under my '36 Chevy with a triangulated 4-bar.

What do they usually go for SinistrV6?

I bought mine w/o posi (trac-loc) from a 2001 Explorer with 48k miles for $250. Bought a trac-loc unit on eBay for $75.

I have an 8.8" in my ranger and it's a good little axle. Of course, if I had my drothers I'd go for a 9". The 8.8" stock has good torque to it.

I have an 8.8" in my ranger and it's a good little axle. Of course, if I had my drothers I'd go for a 9". The 8.8" stock has good torque to it.

I found a wrecking yard near here that has a pile of 9" fords he says that he'll sell for $100.00 each. What is the best way to tell if it's a true 9" ? I haven't worked much on fords so excuse the dumb question. If anyone has a pic or numbers it would be appreciated.

Junkyard checking for a 9" can be done two ways, read the info on the tag if it is still there on one of the studs that bolt the center section to the housing. Another way to tell an 8" from a 9" ford is on a 9" there are two of the nuts that connect the center section to the housing have to be removed with a wrench and can not be accessed with a socket. These two nuts are on the bottom of the assembly. On an 8", all the nuts are accessible with a socket.

Very cool, thanks Dave I will check it out tomorrow AM, I hope that it's a posi too, that would be cool.

Good luck with your 9" rear search. It's reputation speaks for itself. Especially if cost is no object. Even if you buy one for $100 from a wrecking yard, by the time you rebuild it, put a posi in it (or rebuild the one it's got), narrow it, put disc brakes on it and buy new axles for the narrowed housing you'll have somewhere between $1000 and $1700 in it.

That's why I suggested the Explorer 8.8". It's plenty strong (the upgrade to 31 spline axles is one of the few the Mustang guys have to do to make it live in 10 second drag cars). Supposedly it also has less rotational resistance than a 9".

Unless you're putting 800rwhp to it, I'm not sure the additional expense is justified.

Just my .02

If you do look through those 9" rears, I think the '79 Lincoln Versailles is about the right width and has factory disc brakes. Search this site. It's all been covered before.