About 6 months ago I pulled a 8 1/4 rear end out of a Vloare to replace my 7 1/4 in my Scamp. I finally am getting around to installing it. It's been so long since I pulled the hardware I can't remember where the hardware goes.

Do the differential welded tube supports sit right on the springs?

The hardware I have is the lower bracket (the one with the shock mount and holes for the u-bolts) which has an inner rubber piece, and a rectangular upper bracket with an insert rubber piece. It looks like the leaf spring is supposed to be sandwiched between the rubber but I cannot visualize where the welded leaf spring support is supposed to go. Is the Volare mounting scheme different then the a-body? Or is the 8 1/4 mounting different than the 7 1/4?

I hope this makes sense. BTW I did weld new brackets to the new diff in the correct location. Also the Volare rear end is a little wider than the A body but I need new wheels anyway so I will have to get offset wheels. I am aware of that.

A picture would be helpful.

Thanks

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Sweet Emotion

Yeah, the rubber isolated rear started with the 1973+ B-body/C-body, and in smaller cars the 1976 F-body...


This pic might help a little in showing how a stock 8 1/4" sits in an A-body:




-D.Idiot

So can I use the lower rubber bracket from the 8 1/4 Volare and just eliminate the upper rubber bracket? I think the center hole in the 8 1/4 was larger on the spring supports I cut off to accomodate the upper bracket.

The 7 1/4 lower bracket won't have the right spacing for u-bolts since the 7 1/4 tubes are smaller. BTW I haven't bought new u-bolts yet.

Thanks

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Sweet Emotion

OK I did this swap a couple months ago, here is what I had to do.
Go find yourself a set of spring plates from any car except an F-body using an 8.25 rear or an 8.75 rear and throw the ones that came out of the Volare' away. the ones from the Volare don't have studs for the shocks they use a different style of shock than your Scamp, they also lower the rear of the car at least 1/2". I was able to use stock wheels and 205/75R15's with the Aspen 8.25" rear that I was running. the only time that they made any contact with anything was aired down to 20psi (for racing) and carrying an 8.75" rear in the trunk. Then the rubbed slightly way up in the wheel well(not on the lip).
I hope this helps
Phil

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I guess I'll be hitting the bone yards this week. You are right about the shock mount. I forgot about that. Thanks a lot. Also I can see what you mean about lowering the car. Just curious but what was the reasoning behind the rubber mounting? If it's bolted down tight the rubber wouldn't serve much purpose would it?

Thanks

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Sweet Emotion

It's to give the little car that isolated big car feel like the old big Newports/Imperials/New Yorkers had... ("Road what road!?!?!")

They were made during a time when big cars were $$$ to have due to gas prices so older people were looking into 'economical' luxury cars (like the Valiant Brougham...a cheap A-body with deluxe interior power everything, A/C, and even a slant six...)


-D.Idiot

Ok I found some on a Plymouth Franken Car. This car/truck/ cattle hearder is a real beauty. More on that later. It has solid spring mounts with an 8 1/4 axle. It also has an additional leaf on the bottom that is really thick but doesn't rest up tight to the other leafs and it has a leaf clamp toward the rear of the car on the remaining four leafs. Should I get that extra leaf as well? What does it do for me? Also is there any harm in reusing the u-bolts? I've been told to buy new ones but I'm not sure why.

Thanks.

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Sweet Emotion

U-bolts can stretch and fatigue and can be a real pain to get off. the easiest thing to do is torch them off and put new on. they arent real expensive, besides the last thing you want after a rear swap is for it to get spit out on a corner.
It sound like the other car has an over load leaf. it is to add payload but not reduce ride quality.

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I got the correct brackets and they bolted right up.

Thanks a bunch guys.

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Sweet Emotion