Can anyone tell me the size of the rear end on a 96 T-bird, w/a 3.8.

Yes, the ratio might be different, but the parts are interchangable.

Well I have a 66 coupe. 289 4 speed. I have the stock 8 inch rear with 3:73 gears. Not even a Posi YET>>My 289 is bored 40 over and makes in the neighborehood of about 320 hp... I have had NO probs with my rear at all/ I use traction bars and MAYBE if you use drag slicks you may get some REAL good traction which may hurt the rear but I use 15x10 tires on the back of my car and have NO probs. Never ran slicks tho. So for racing use a 9inch but for street and some romping you should be fine with the 8inch. Pat

Jason, If you're talking about 8.8" rear-ends, they'll handle a hell of a lot more than 300HP and they're certainly more common. Jennings

jennings, i was actually talking about 8" rear , but will an 8.8 fit? which cars will swap into my '66? thanx, Jason

yes I did replace the gears. My car is a 4 speed (T10).. On my tach at about 65 I was turning around 3krpm.. Not TOO bad really. But I do have a T5 conversion in the works soon. WHEN I get the money for it I am stepping up to a 4:10 rear posi. Then I can get MUCH better cruise night ripping and still have the 5th gear for highway. I have a few guys in my club that have the T5 conversions with pretty tuff gears and REALLY enjoy the 5th gear with the rompem stompem gears. As far as gas mileage. Well I did notice I lost a few mpg but with just being able to drive my car that isn't something I had worried about. But with the prices now of gas.. ????????? The T5 is sounding better and better VERY soon.. Pat

Thanks for response about rear end ratio. I recently put in a manual steering conversion kit. I got sick and tired of PS hoses, control valves, etc. leaking, especially on my ceramic coated headers so I just replaced the control valve with a MS kit. I challenge anybody to rebuild an early Mustang PS system so that it doesn't leak somewhere, especially with equal length headers. I'm an engineer and whoever invented 60's Mustang power steering ought to be caned!!! Unfortunately, with MS, it is rough to drive now at low speeds. I can't imagine trying to shift and steer at the same time; it's hard enough to steer with two hands on the wheel. Therefore, I'm sticking with the 3-speed automatic tranny. I don't race, but I'd still like better than 2.79 gears. Maybe I can find something in the 3.40 range. P.S. General hints for everybody: 1. For anybody out there who wants to believe this stuff about Praise Dyno Brake Kevlar Drums = they don't work as the Mustang Illustrated magazine says they do. They are slightly better than stock drums, but still exhibit all of the problems with Drum brakes. Please don't waste your money on them - or if you want to, contact me, and I'll send you some almost-new pads cheap! Spend some extra dollars and get disc brakes. Be suspect of everything Mustang Illustrated Magazine says. They get their advertising money from the same suppliers they evaluate. On more than one instance, they've said a product was good when it was junk. 2. If you want your Mustang to run on the street, get an Edelbrock or Carter carb. If you want to race it, get a Holley. In most applications, the Edelbrock will be just as fast as the HOlley, but give you much more streetable manners. 3. Don't think that brand new leaf springs will raise the rear of your car. Mustangs were designed with sagging asses. 4. Perfect street wheel and tire combination for 67 Mustang: 15x7 American Racing Torque Thrust D,s with 60/225 BFG Radial TAs. 5. Replacing seat vinyl is the most frustrating thing I've ever done. Who invented the hog ring ought to also be caned! 6. The $ 285 shoulder seatbelts for Mustangs is not a bad kit. I installed it and I think it will protect me to some degree from being impaled on the steering wheel. 7. Keep stock steering wheel. Grant steering wheels suck if you're concerned about turn signals and horn. 8. Fireproof your back seat/trunk interface. I did it in a few hours with some sheetmetal and rivets. The horror stories about this are true horror stories. I can't believe I once let a 7 year old daughter of a friend ride in my back seat before I did this. If something had happened to her, I wouldn't have deserved to live any longer. 9. Installing new weatherstripping does not decrease noise. Neither does installing asphalt-impregnated underlayment. Neither does anything else. 10. Does anybody own a 60's Mustang up north? How do you keep warm in the winter? Brand new heater cores and 180 degree thermostats and fan on high and I still freeze my butt off.

I agree. Thank GOD my car is manual everything.. but I know a few who have the power sterring wooohss. aswell.. I was at Carlise today.. (a BIG car flea market).. here in PA.. I tried to get parts from CJ Pony Parts.. and dam near EVERYTHING I needed they didn't have there.. DAMMIT!!!!! ALL I want is the bolts to hold in my door latch for the drivers side so I can put the dam doors back together.. GRRRR AT THEM>>> Ok I am done now.. I am HOPING and praying to have my car back together around a month or two.. My shock tower gave way on me a while back and well a LONG time later and TONS of cash and my sweat it is slowly comming back to life once again.... I did find today a nice 351 that I am gonna redo and put in the '65 tho.. that should be some nice power in a few years.. No hurry.. the 289 I built is one strong little momma.. pat

I don't know if any of these will fit. You should check some of the local junkyards for the rear-end you need. (around here) There are two or three Aerostars in every junkyard. ~John