Dana 60 Solid Axle Install in a C4 Corvette

[87vette81big]

I bought a Dana 60 Solid Axle from a friend that runs a local salvage yard near me for a friend's C4 Drag Race Corvette that we all know very well here on DC C4 tech.

Dana 60 has semi floating axle shafts like the 1966-1971 Dodge & Plymouth Hemi 426 engine & 440 6-pack cars had.
These special "B" & "E" Body Dana 60 rears are worth minimum $2500 to high as $4500 today.
If from a 1970 Hemi Cuda, talking about a factory correct bullet proof rear for a $100K to 1 Million dollar car.

Unobtainable Special Dana 60 rear, bolt in & go drag racing into low 9's, for most today.

A few weeks back I stumbled across this particular Dana 60 Rear I now have.
Specs out 61 inches from axle flange to axle flange.
Factory 4.10 gears.
Factory Powerlock 4-pinion spider gear Posi unit.
Same Powerlock used in the Hemi spec Dana 60 Mopar passenger car Dana 60 rear.
Its from a 1963 Ford F100 1/2 ton 2wd pickup.
The optional Heavy Duty Dana 60 rear was ordered.
Made from 1961 to 1966.
Its in excellent shape inside & out.
A search on the internet for weeks reveals virtually nothing on this unique early truck Dana 60 semi floating axle Dana 60.
RPO code was Dana 60-2 or Dana 60.2.
Its a real Dana 60 I bought.
Nearly Identical to my bud's, Mopar Bob's factory Dana 60 rear in his 1969 Super Bee.

A search on this forum & a Google search too reveals that no one has ever installed a Solid Axle Dana 60 Rear into 1984 to 1996 C4 Corvette.
People have talked about it here & there, shot the chit.
But it has never been done yet.
4- link fully adjustable drag race & adjustable coil over shocks.

No more Dana 36's & Dana 44's blowing up.
No more walking a C4 off the line.
Launch it real hard at 6,000 to 7,000 RPM's +.
Hang on & get the front end off the ground 3 to 4 feet.

Like the old time GASSER RACERS DID with 4.88 to 6.14 geared 9.300" inch 57-64 Pontiac Olds rears.

The 1963 Ford F100 Dana 60 Rear with factory 4.10's & Powerlock Posi is about as rare as 1970 Hemi "E" body Cuda Factory Dana 60.

But I did pay typical $4k buying price.

Brian R.

[87vette81big]

[87vette81big]

[grumpyvette]

theres some info in this thread

http://forum.grumpysperformance.com/...php?f=32&t=151

[87vette81big]

Last Dana 60 I built for all out Drag Race Use Grumpy was for a guy I went to highschool with. Class of 1987.
Frankie T. had $$$.
Bought an ex drag car, 1969 Camaro Super Sport.
468 ci BBC with Brodix Heads.
Camaro was a drag car since 1969.
Camaro was Blue in 1969 & was on the front cover of National Dragster that year.
1990's came.
I bought my 1970-1/2 Trans Am.
Built my own drivetrain.
Street machines, drag race, and late street racing for a group of 50 or so of us.
Was the rearend guy back then likewise.
I installed a 4.88 Rickmond 9310 Nickle gearset in his aluminum race spooled 35-spline Strange Hi - Tuff gun drilled axles of his Narrowed Big tire car Dana 60 rear.
Upped the nitrous shot to 700 HP pills.
850 HP normally aspirated power.
Custom built 6K 8 inch stall converter installed in the full manual reverse valvebody turbo 400.
That Sunday he ran 9.10's at 165 mph through the gates.
Left the starting line with front wheels off the ground for 200 + feet at Byron, IL speedway 1/4 mile track.
The legendary vintage wheelstanding 1969 Camaro was back & winning $$$.
Frankie won the Byron World Wheelie Contest in 1996 & 1997 with the Dana 60 I built for him.
He had his Corvette Red Camaro on 1 rear wheel & front bumper 90 degrees pointed toward the sky, engine freeze plug blew out instant, wetted the track, stayed on the gas full bore, things real got wild then, brought car under control, he lived............
Had to be there. Just increadable.
The crowd & myself just went wild.
Like jumping out of an airplane 10,000 feet with no parachute & living to talk about it.
Must have had 5,000 + passes on that Dana 60, 1400+ HP full power on Nitrous Hits.

Dana 60 I built never let go.

BR

[87vette81big]

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...p/viewall.html

Here is some very interesting info from Car Craft June 2008.

They Dyno test a Moser Chevy 12-bolt, Currie Ford 9 inch, & a Strange Engineering Dana 60 for Torque & Horsepower loss back to back in 383 sbc Chevelle.
The Strange Dana 60 actually picked up HP at one point on the dyno rollers.
Informative reading on these classic musclecar & racecar drag race rear differential assemblies & unique design parameters of each.
All that Power has to get to the ground somehow.

If your well over 600 HP & matching torque at the flywheel,
your Dana 44 & Dana 36 will be begging for mercy at each burnout & hard launch in town & at the racetrack.

[grumpyvette]

heres the main point I worry about, its durability once you install a serious engine, and its the fact that I,ve shredded several 12 bolt rear differentials in the past in camaros, chevelles and similar cars and when you break a stock 12 bolt rear axle the wheels come off the car.
the hot ticket was supposed to be a 9" ford with aftermarket axles, but Ive busted those also.
Ive used dana 60 rear differentials in most of my serious race car builds and have never yet hurt one even with a 750 hp/700 ft lbs torque nitrous big block running slicks

[87vette81big]

Originally Posted by grumpyvette

heres the main point I worry about, its durability once you install a serious engine, and its the fact that I,ve shredded several 12 bolt rear differentials in the past in camaros, chevelles and similar cars and when you break a stock 12 bolt rear axle the wheels come off the car.
the hot ticket was supposed to be a 9" ford with aftermarket axles, but Ive busted those also.
Ive used dana 60 rear differentials in most of my serious race car builds and have never yet hurt one even with a 750 hp/700 ft lbs torque nitrous big block running slicks

Stock GM A & F Body 12-bolt 8-7/8" ring gear & Ford 9 inch stock rear differential assemblies are not as strong as most people believe or want them to be Grumpy.
In the 1970's & 1980's aftermarket parts were there but few chose to purchase them.
Stuck a Ring & pinion in and called it good till it broke, mainstream public hotrodder & racer.

Today you can build a Ford 9 inch to take up to 2,000 HP & run reliably into deep 6's. Pro Stock territory, but bring your checkbook because it will cost well over $4k to buy parts from Mark Williams & Strange Engineering.

Its still very hard to beat a Dana 60 for Street & Strip Use & all out drag race use well into 7's and 1,500+ HP.
Hard part is finding an affordable core to build up to suite your needs.
Available new of Course Strange Engineering Super Dana 60.
Good Buy if you have at least $2500 to $3K to spend.
Its December 25, 2012.
Most are hurting for $ & we all watch & listen to the news.
Fiscal cliff... Eurozone in the toilet & about gone.

This build is about building a Super Tough Dana 60 for Heavy Duty Street & Drag Race use on a budget than most can afford if they save their $.
When complete, it will take 900 to 1,000 HP easy.

Chevy Big Blocks of 427ci to 572ci are murderous to to drivetrains & rear differentials.
If its weak anywhere, it will spit parts out on the racetrack.
But if it stays together, only a Race Hemi Dodge unleashed has a chance of catching you & winning.

BR