Yesterday,I won an 8.8 with 3.55 gears for $66.00.It's an hour away,so,I'll go pick it up.He stated in the description of the rear that it had quad shocks,new brakes (drum) and new wheel cylinders,and was 1-2 inches narrower than the T-Bird/Cougar rear.Were Mustang rears narrower?He claimed he pulled it from an '88 "bird for his '86 Cougar,but thinks it was from a Stang.Any opinions?
Mustang are the narrowest and I want to say 83-85 are the same width.
Then you have the 86-88 Thunderbird and Cougars
Then the Lincoln Mark VII are wider than the Thunderbird and Cougar.
the answer to your question lies in Coolcats.
Sounds like a stang rear to me.
LOL There is confusion, and here's why: the axle HOUSING width, and the OVERALL width, all vary.
For OVERALL width, the progression from smallest to largest goes Mustang, T-Bird/Cougar, and Mark VII.
For axle HOUSING width...it depends on the model year. But the 7.5" housings are wider than 8.8" ones. The differences in overall width are made up via the brakes and backing plates.
For all practical purposes, we should really be more concerned about the OVERALL width when interchanging them. Now when you put an 8.8" Mustang rear axle in a Cougar/T-Bird, the wheels will be tucked in about 3/4" per side. The quad shocks are a little tight to mount. And there is sometimes an issue hooking up the emergency brake to the drums. Otherwise it does fit.
The 86-88 Tbird 7.5 housings are wider....the 83-85 7.5's are the same as the Mustangs and the 8.8's.
This has been covered ALOT on this board in 2-3 different threads.
You'll want to get axles/backing plates from an 83-85 Tbird/Cougar if you want to keep the same overal width.
Well,the guy has had it in his '86 Cougar,so,I figured if it'll fit there,it'll fit my '88 Sport just fine.Right?
It will fit...whether it will be the same overal width as what you take out of there is yet to be seen.
I half expect it to be a little narrower than my current 7.5 2.73 rear.I may use 1/4 inch spacers if necessary to keep the 17x9's where I want them,and be abe to keep the quad shocks.I may not really need the quads,but I want them to stay.1/2 inch lost on each side won't make that big of a difference anyway.