79 would have had either 8" or 9" for sure. The oddball 7-point-something inch rear was used for a time, but I am not sure if that timeframe covered 79. The widths would all have been the same. Measurements are the same as the Maverick in every way except overall length. This part is just over an inch wider. Almost 3/4" per side if memory serves. I will give a quick visual check for each rear in case you don't know, if so, disregard... 7" rear has a rear cover like a GM rear or later Ford rear (8.8"). 8" rear has a removable 'chunk' and no removeable rear cover. All nuts holding the chunk in can be removed with a socket. 9" rear is much like the 8", but at least one nut on the chunk has to be removed with a wrench. No room for a socket. Good luck Dave
Thanks, a buddy has one and he dont know and I hadnt had a chance to go look. Just trying to figure it out before driving 100 miles. Trying to swap to a 9 inch, keep breaking 8 inch parts
If you can get it cheap, it is worth a look. Around 79 is when Ford started dumping it's inventory of 9" parts. So it's a good candidate for having one. Also, there was a rare rear disc brake option for that car... ask your bud if it has drums or discs out back. Check into it. Short of getting a custom rear end, this is the very best fit of a stock rear available for our cars. Dave
Good advice; look before you buy! I have a 77 Granada I bought for the engine several years ago to put in my pickup, A 351 W with a C-4 tranny, You would think it would have the 9 or at least an 8 incher in it, but no. It had a 8.8 style like a late model has! Or maybe it was the odd 7.5, didn't use it after I seen it anyway!
I got my 9" out of an I6 Monarch! Trust me, there is no rime or reason to where you find them... Funny story: I would not have got my 9" out of that car if the hood release had worked! When I cruised the yards looking for a 9" Granada/Monarch, I would always pop the hood and check the engine first. Most of the time the rear wheels are gone and you have to lay in mud and weeds to identify the rear, so I would see if it had a v8, then if it did, I would lay in the dirt to check the rear... if it was an I6, I would just pass! I couldn't see the engine on this car, so I took the time to actually dig weeds from under the car so I could see the rear. It was a 9". When they brought out the big fork lift to raise the car and pull the rear, I saw that it was a 6! Never would have found it if the hood worked... Dave
I hear tell that you can cut the center out of your 8" housing and weld in the center from a 9" housing. Use your 8" tubes, axles, brakes, etc... it's all 28 spline 9" stuff anyway. Now just dump in your chunk and you are 9 inched. Dave BTW: I sold my 9" before I put it in, I was offered $200 more than what I had just paid for it, so I sold it. I have a 9" housing center and intend to do this mod to mine. Then a set of Exploder discs while I have it apart and I will be done.
I think the 8inch conversion will not be an easy cut and weld deal. The 9in pinion and carrier are not located in the same centerline as the 8in, and some critical measuring must be done to get the tubes the right length on each side to fit the axle length. I have a 9in truck housing, which has a bit thicker tube walls, under my drag car. Am using 8in axles in it with Moser or Strange( can't remember) small bearing housing ends. They run around 75.00 for the pair, if you do not have an alignment set to do this, I have done some using a carrier and diff gears or spool, in the chunk. No pinion or ring gear. After you get your measurements correctly and cut the housing tubes, you can insert and axle and bearing into the ends and put them on the tube and tack it. Looking thru the pinion support can see if things are lining up fairly close. Have to have the axle turn freely and no binding etc. Same for the other side, this is a backyard way to doing it but essentially the same thing as the alignment tool does. Try to use a good set of used axle bearings so that when everything is lined up, you can weld the housing ends on and not damage a new bearing. This keeps the bore of the ends from distorting by welding on them without a bearing in place( learned that the hard way). Most rearend housing have a little bend in the tubes from use or damage, new tubes are the correct way to fix it but the ends I mentioned can be adjusted up or down etc. to compensate for minor tube problems, and still will keep the axle free inside them and the aligned with the carrier. Sorry for the long post but thought that some of you guys with the welders and cutoff saws would like to try this method. New spring pads are less than 25.00 and total cost of the deal less the purchase of the housing and axles is around 100.00 plus your labor and welding wire etc.(use a stick welder on the ends for good measure). Maybe thats why my race car is sponsored by Backyard Motorsports, Just happen to be the CEO of said racing stable. hehehe.
