Howdy, I just bought an '85 442 to replace my wrecked Cutlass and managed to snag an extra 80's 442 axle (a 8.5" 10-bolt with factory 4 link setup) for only $200 extra (the guy has a collection of 442s and parts). These usually go for about 4 to 5 times that much. It's already 3.73s with a cone-clutch posi unit. My question is this: I've searched and read a lot about putting 8.5s from trucks and 2nd gens into a 3rd gen, but has anyone tried/does anyone know about putting a 8.5 from a 442/GN/Regal T-type into 3rd gen. I will certainly get back into a 3rd gen at some point and I'm wondering if I should hold onto this or try to turn a few $$$ selling it to G-body enthusiasts and save for something else. If I remember correctly, the truck and 2nd gen units were designed for leaf spring setups. This one was not....it was designed for a 4 link setup that I can't imagine is much different than factory 3rd gen stuff...but...I don't really know. I can post pictures tonight if that would help. Thanks!

If you try to put this 442 axle in a third gen, you're still facing a lot of custom fabrication work.

First, the G body rear end is quite a bit narrower than a 3rd gen rear end. Second, the suspension is NOTHING like a 3rd gen. Third, if some G body people found out that you screwed up a G body 8.5 by trying to put it in a 3rd gen they might try to hang you.

Screw those people, they have NO right to say what you can do with your axle, nor punish you for what you do with / to your axle.

Yeah...and that's AFTER they put me in front of a firing squad for putting a built small block Chevy into a numbers matching 442 car. :P
So how much narrower is narrower? Could I pull it off with some longer studs and spacers? And what kind of differences are we looking at with control arms and such?

Why not just use a truck housing or a Caprice? Get some good money out of the 442 rear end and put it into another one. The 442 rear end has 28 spline axles and a Traction Lock. You can get something stronger than that. If you get the '99 or later truck housing you will also get larger differential bearings. You could also use a 9 inch Ford, which would be easier to fabricate the brackets and weld it together.

I just got a 10 bolt out of a truck for free. I want to build a rearend how I want it while mine is still in the car so it's still driveable. Then just swap them out and be done. The one I just squires is out of an 85 four wheel drive but I was told that it has six lug axles. I'm putting it in an 89 rs camaro. Is this an easy swap or not with it.

Far from easy.

You'll be switching from a leaf spring suspension to a torque arm suspension.

It'll take a lot of custom fabrication to get it anywhere near usable. And if your welds aren't good or you get the pinion angle wrong? Bye bye bearings....

It doesn't matter what diff it's from. If it's not from a third or fourth gen, it's not going to be a simple swap. The most difficult part of any foreign diff swap into a third gen is how to mount the torque arm. The G-body triangulated 4-link would be much harder to design and fabricate into a third gen. There just isn't a good enough framework or room under the car to do it properly.

Sell the diff to someone with a G-body and use the money to buy a nice aftermarket direct bolt in diff if you need something stronger than the factory diff. It will be a lot easier and cheaper in the long run.

Just curious will any of the internals work?? I have like 2.79 or 2.89 gears and it really isn't working for me,and my wallet is getting a little light. After the engine mods.

The 3rd gen F body uses a 7.5 inch 10 bolt rear end. None of the parts from the 8.5 rear end will work in the 7.5.