how hard is it to find a 8.5 - 10 bolt rear end housing for my 71 chevelle ? I have 3- 8.2's 2 from 71's and 1 from a 72 . thought they had all been 8.5 by 72 ?? are they hard to find ?? had my hart set on an 8.5 as I have a posi-3:42 gears and bearing-shim kit and now realise I have 3- 8.2 housings lol :( can not realy aford the 12 bolt game for my small block car

Joel

I believe you will have a better luck finding an 8.5 corporate 10 bolt rearend from a 71 or 72 Lemans, GTO, Cutlass or Skylark. They should all bolt right in.

Hopefully others will also respond to your post.

Yes, the 8.5 was much more comon in the '71 and '72 Cutlass and Skylark. I don't think the LeMans used the 8.5, but I may be wrong about that. For some reason the Chevelle didn't get many of the 8.5 rear ends.

thought the B.O.P. rears had ford style axel's? know that is ok but a friend has Oldsmobiles and axel bearings go out often becuse they are not oiled by the dif lube but are a sealed unit. At least on the older 8.2's The B.O.P. is still a consideration though I have been looking for a chevelle 8.5 -chevy rearend but no luck so far just wondering if they are so rare I am wasting time and will have to make a new plan? will look some local wrecking yards for a B.O.P. and see what I can find.

Thanks Guys Hope to hear more

Joel

Some Canadian-made Skylarks got 12 bolt rears even with small engines. Pontiac used the Pontiac style 10 bolt through 1970. I believe Pontiac went to 8.5" Chevy C clip axles in 1971. The Olds and Buicks went to a 8.5" rear in 1971 and in 1972 but had no C-clips. The earlier Olds with a 12 bolt cover has a 10 bolt carrier and ring gear on the inside. I believe we used to call the early C-clip 10 bolt Chevy's 8.2" and the B-O-P small rears had 8.25" ring gears. The B-O-P posi's use cone posi's. The Chevy posi's use clutch posi units. Look for 1968 - 1969 Skylarks (made in Canada) for Chevy 12 bolt rears. I think Pontiac was the only in 1971 and 1972 that used Chevy C-clip 8.5" rears. The Olds and Buicks had the 8.5" also but without C-clip axles. So look at Chevy's and Pontiacs 1971 -1972. I think Chevy started using 8.5" rears in 1970 but Pontiac started in 1971. A 1970 Chevelle might the one to look at. I think there were more 8.5"s in 1972 than in 1971.

The 8.5 was not put into production until '71. I have never seen a '71 or '72 A body 8.5 with c clip axles. All of them that I have seen had press on axle bearings. The internal parts are the same as all of the other 8.5 rear ends, except the axles. I don't know of any axle bearing problems with these rear ends. The c clip rear ends have as many axle bearing problems as the other rear ends.

71 and 72 Oldsmobiles and Buicks are where to look for the 8.5.

I have heard rumors that some chevelles got an 8.5 rear in late 71 and 72, but have never seen one in the flesh.... I have seen a lot of 8.2's though in both years. I kinda have began to figure that a 8.5 10-bolt chevelle is a unicorn of the car world, but supposedly they are out there. I also have never seen a 8.5 in a Pontiac 68-72. That includes the 71 GTO I am helping a buddy restore.