8 3/4 Center Section

[Rory McNeil]

[QUOTE=Dwight Southerland


Recently, I was helping to build a Dana 60 for a friend and he had an opportunity to buy a brand new empty housing. Out of curiosity, I weighed the housing when he brought it to me and then weighed an empty 12 bolt '67 Chevelle housing in my shop. There was only 12 lbs difference.[/QUOTE]
Agreed, when I switched my bracket car from an automatic to a Jerico 4 speed, I felt the 9" I had would marginal without replacing just about everything. Pricing it all out, it was cheaper to build a new Dana 60 that upgrade my 9". So before I sold the 9", I weighed it. And when it was finished, we weighed the Dana 60, The Dana was only 6 lbs heavier. AND, that was with the 9" having 33 spline axles, a factory Ford N case, and an early non braced housing. The Dana had 35 spline axles, and was a truck housing with thick axle tubes. I`m sure if I would have braced the 9" , bought a Strange iron case, plus bigger 35 spline axles, the weight would have been about identical. Both rear ends were the same width, and used the same brakes. I know the 9" could have been lighter with an aluminum case, but that would have added more cost. And in 15 years since the change, the Dana gears still look mint. I have never raced a car with a 8 3/4, but I do know many guys who have, and it seems most of them have dealt with broken gear sets for years, before biting the bullet, and switching to a Dana, or a 9" if legal. The only downside to a Dana 60 is ratio selection and availability in the steeper ratios, but I don`t know that the 8 3/4 is any better in that regard. I think the mindset that the Dana 60 is terribly heavy is when in a street car, the limited slip unit is about 40 lbs, but a Dana spool is about the same weight as a 8 3/4 or 9" spool. A drop out rear like a 8 3/4 or 9" is nice if you have extra chunks already setup with different ratios.

[Rod Greene]

If you go with the S60 center section for your dana, it is very easy to have extra gear sets set up and ready to go. They can be changed almost as fast as 9" or 8 3/4. Molly tubes and 40 spline rifle drilled axles make the dana even lighter and totally bullet proof.

[bill dedman]

Can anyone tell me how the Mopar 8.25" unit stacks up against the drop-out 8.75" in terms of efficencty and weight? I know that a lot of small-bloch Dodge anbd Plymouth racers have replaced the 8.75" rears with these lighter Chrysler Spicer types in the past, but I am wondering about total weight, aftermarket axle availability and strength.

This would be for my 2,700-pound, turbocharged slant-six powered, 904 equipped, bracket car.

Any information would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance...

[Rsmith38]

Can't help on the 8 1/4 but the DANA 44 is supposedly as efficient as the Dana 60. Moser makes aftermarket axles, spools and gears are available. 4 89 5.13 5.38 5.89 that I know of. I have a Summ ers Bros spool available.

[Rod Greene]

Hey Bill, we have a brand new 8 1/4 Strange spool and 5.38 gears. Would let them go cheap.

[GTX JOHN]

Bill: The 8 1/4 lasted several years in our 11/12 Second stockers in the
70s. They are lighter and a bit faster. Gear supplies dried up in the
80's with the deepest gear available 4.50. and no 4.80 to be found anywhere.

The slant 6 should be fine unless you re using transbrake and 7 inch convertor.

[Rick Blake]

Originally Posted by GTX JOHN

Bill: The 8 1/4 lasted several years in our 11/12 Second stockers in the
70s. They are lighter and a bit faster. Gear supplies dried up in the
80's with the deepest gear available 4.50. and no 4.80 to be found anywhere.

The slant 6 should be fine unless you re using transbrake and 7 inch convertor.

CK Here for 4.88 ... not sure how well the Brand is...???

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/spz-36268/overview/

[GTX JOHN]

Last time I ran one was early 1980's. Only gears then were from Mopar
Perf. that I could find. My 1980 Dodge Mirada O/SA is still running a
8 1/4 to this day in stock competitively on East Coast.

I do not know of anyone else in stock although there may be others. The Mirida runs mid 12s at 3620 lbs. and has the same ring and pinion for at least 30 years and three owners.

Larry Shephard told me back when these cars were new when Chrysler changed
from 8 3/4 to 8 1/4....they saved about a dollar a unit!