Yes, I have searched, and read quite a few topics, but I have two questions still.
For one, not including the e-brake hookup, what will I need to order as far as cables hookups go if I have an '88 drum brake car, with a '97 disc brake rear?
And also, is there a number decoder to see what gears I have in this rear? It's from a Z28, it's posied, with disc brakes, but I pray I didn't just buy a 2.73 rear end. Oh man would that suck

 

I know what you need for cables if you had an LS1 rear and brakes, but I never got the ebrake to work when I had the LT1 rear and brakes.

If you know what the car had in it transmission-wise, you can usually figure out the stock ratio.
6 speed car of that year had 3.42
Auto had 2.73, 3.23, or 3.42, if the shifter went to 1st gear it could have 3.23 or 3.42, if it only goes down to 2nd, then it had a 2.73 rear.

 

3.42s were only available in 6 speed cars, though they are a popular swap into automatic cars. The standard gear ratio for an automatic was 2.73, though you could get 3.23s. You could get a close aproximation by turning it over by hand and counting the revolutions, or better yet just take the cover off and count teeth.
If you use the cables from the 97, it shouldn't be too hard to make work on your car...88-92 cables from a rear disc car should work fine also.

 

Autos got the 3.42 if they got the performance axle upgrade, sort of like the G92 package that we got. My friends 96 Trans Am has that option.

 

If they are like 3rd gen rears you could just check the axle code stamped on the front of the drivers side axle tube. That is assuming no one has swapped the gears already. But if they did you probalby don't have a 2.73 anyways.

 

order brake cables from advance auto or kragen or wherever, for a 91 Z28. you'll need to get 2 cables. should cost $40, at most. as far as gears, if it's posi, it hsould be 3.23's if it's from an auto car, it it had traction control, it has 3.42's. I don't think you could get posi and 2.73's, but i could be wrong.

 

No, the performance axle ratio was 3.23, and optional only on automatics (93 6 speeds got it standard, since their T56 was geared differently). 3.42 was never available in any automatic-equipped 93-97 4th gen, and I don't think it was available on the later ones either.

 

All 4th gen V8 rears were posi, including 2.73s (used to have one that I pulled out of a 95 TA). Again, no 3.42s with automatics, though its a popular (and cheap) upgrade.

 

ahh crap, I'll bet you I got a 2.73 rear dangit. Is there any way to check by the numbers on the outside of the diff without actually popping the case?

 

 

ok, thanks so much for then info so far, but does anyone have the GM part numbers by chance for the 91-92 parts that I will need? And the e-brake cable?
that would be so awesome if anybody did, I'd love them forever

 

Pop the cover and spin the differential til you see some numbers on the ring gear.

For 3.23s it should read something like 13x42 or 13m42, I forgot what mine said. Divide the second number by the first. 42/13 = 3.23.

15x41 would be 2.73 I believe. (41/15=2.73)

This it the method I used when I went to pick up a rearend yesterday that came out of an '01. I was told it was a 3.23 and wanted to verify, so I brought my socket set and checked via this method right in his yard before I loaded it into the van. Took all of 8 minutes or so from the first bolt I took off to the last bolt I torqued down.