Well it seems I can't weld worth a dam as my 8.5" 10 bolt Chevy axle I put in my 67 Firebird parted company with the rest of the car last night! It took out the fuel tank also spilling petrol everywhere! Shame it never caught fire and went up in flames the way I feel about it at the moment. Then I could have claimed on the insurance as it's insured for £12.500($18,750)
The prop came out and the car jumped up at the back a couple of times before grinding to a halt! I jumped out and then saw fuel pouring out and waited for but no fire. There is some damage to the wheel arches and it ripped the side wall out of the passenger side rear tyre. No one was hurt just my pride. I done a few quick lauches before with the car with no problems and I decided I need to give the car at least one almost full throttle launch before I go drag racing to see if the axle install would hold up!
Oh boy was that a mistake but it's better the it broke 5 miles from home than 45 mies from home at the drag strip on the start line. I got the car recovered home ok because I'm in the RAC. They just brought a truck out and loaded it on the back. The police stopped and helped out putting their red lights on directng traffic around me and the highways agancy came out and put stuff on the spilled fuel to soak it up. No oil came out.
It seems my welding was at fault, I had a 2.56 open diff in my car and I needed a LSD axle. I found a 1979 Trans Am axle which is a Chevy 8,5" 10 bolt axle for a reasonble price I put some 3.73 gears in there. 1st gen Pontaic axles are hard to come by in the UK. Because I have a 67 Firebird it has mono leaf springs so I ordered the mono leaf spring perches and TIG welded them on.
On reflection I think the should have been ARC welded. Anyway I could just put my 2.56 Pontiac axle back in with a new fuel tank and a new U joint to get me back on the road but I really want to have the LSD and 3.73s im there so I could mount the Chevy 10 bolt using U clamp bolts through the spring mounts under the shocks.
Has any one put a Chevy 10 bolt in there Firebird using U clamp bolts and if so what size u clamp bolts do I need?
Last edited by ineedalager; 06/03/1105:38 AM.
67 Firebird 350, TH350 auto Convertible, B&M 3000 TC, 4bbl Edelbrock Performer carb and intake Black Jack headers,disc brake conversion. 10 bolt chevy axle with 3.73's and B&M Rachet shifter.
