Ritchies 66 GMC

looks like an 8 or 9 inch ford

I don't remember the ford as having a drain plug in the housing. That looks like the big spicer that was in the dodge and crysler.

how about showing the front view?
M1D

looks a lot like the rear end the tri 5 chevys use

Looks like a spicer from a late 50's chevy P/U.

well it is not a ford 8 or 9, they both had a five bolt on front bearing cap.

I think it is a spicer, who knows what its from, they were used in alot of vehicles including dodge and AMC

M1D

With that pan hard stud wouldnt it have been off a coil spring set-up?

front view changes my mind not an 8 or 9 inch ford

Not a Ford!
ID the ends
http://www.steeltechsolutions.com/REAR_AXLE_ID.html
Here are some GM drop-outs
http://www.ringpinion.com/DiffList.aspx?SearchMode=Diff&TypeID=5
MAybe that will get you closer to what was actually swapped in.

I think I have the Johnny Cash van, built from parts the PO could get. Will clean it up a little better tonight if the rain stops and take more pictures. It didn't whine at all at 65,,,well I think I was going 65....but without a speedo I was just keeping up with the others. I changed the plastic gear in the transmission using a 66 part but it didn't work. Will have to get the numbers off it to see what it came from as well. The drive shaft has junkyard markings that say 66 chevy van so at least that's right. As for the wide rim, the passenger has the wide rim on the rear, maybe they were mixed up when he put new tires on it?? will swap them. Thanks for your help guys, the mystery continues..........

Here are some new photos including ID numbers and the transmission stamp. If anyone can let me know also what year my trans was made so I can find the right speedo gear it would be appreciated. I also found a gas leak about halfway up...the fun never stops. Ran out of sunlight so I'll take the back wheel off tomorrow night to see what other mysteries I can find.

Good pictures! I see the cat is helping you clean the grease off.

Does that tag under the bolt say to use limited slip diff lube? Thats kind of a tag is what you genneraly see on posi rear ends.

I think your drive shaft is too short by about 2+1/2", you shouldn't have that much yoke hanging out and you can see it falling on an angle, likely because its not into the bushing enough. (look at the shiny part, its on an angle to the seal) Do you get bad vibs when on the highway?
How long does that shaft measure center to center of the cups?

M1D

It's been on the freeway once when I went to Econowest on Saturday and it didn't vibrate much. I took that tag off to see if there were any numbers on it but it was blank. Hoping to figure out what the heck I have under there. The cat is Oscar the van cat. He sleeps in there at night. I don't have door locks yet so my anti theft device is removing the battery so he gets in through the bottom.

That's just what I wanted to here!!! Wrong rear end....wrong driveshaft that's just great. Im done for the night!!

Can anyone help me identify these codes?

Transmission......GM 9 3859896 E136.......3 speed Saginaw

Axle...................GM J182 3725899

Thanks

I have an origanal 10 bolt in the parts van.

There is nothing wrong with it except it's not original and the drums are to big and I don't know what it's from for parts and so on and so on.....the driveshaft appears to be a little short as you saw in the pictures. Going to take it off tonight and see how far it goes in and I'll go from there. Shoot me a PM and let me know what you want for it since I have to make the trip anyway. After big noers problems that's the last thing I want to happen. Still snowing up there???

Stopped late yesterday. Nice and sunny today, this time of year most storms melt off in 3-4 days. Hope its melting fast at home, gettin tired of ice.

looks like an impala or big car rear end 58-60 could be olds, the brake bias is no biggy you can use an adjustable porp valve but that yoke is way to far out, it would suck huge to do an end-o when that thing drops out and acts like a pole vault.

Polevaulting on the freeway is not my idea of fun either. Don already suggested the prop. valve, thanks. I'm going to a dual master cylinder anyway so I can add it when I work on that. Still trying to find out what year my transmission is so I can get the right speedometer gear. I googled the numbers and was getting 67 camaro and chevelle info but not sure if it's correct? Will post some more pictures tonight when I pull the driveshaft and rear wheel off.

Speedo gear is related to 2 things; tire diameter and rear axle ratio.
Part numbers, OE application and any other junk will not be the final answer!
You can measure the rollout of the rear tires by making a mark on the tire and the ground, then rolling it forward or back until the tire mark points at the ground again. Do the math to find out how many revolutions per mile.
You can figure the axle ratio by counting how many axle turns per one driveshaft revolution. Check online for the differences between open and posi checking and how to tell what you have.
These will be needed along with the transmission speedo drive gear (this should be a common number) to get the right driven gear.