ok i have an opportunity to buy a built fd motor with upgraded twins and lots of other stuff to put into my gsl-se for a good price. how much power will the stock rear end setup hold, and if it wont hold enough what would i need to do for it to handle about 400 hp?



also, how difficult would it be to get the fd trans to line up in the fb? i dont know dimensions or anything but im sure someone here does. for mounting the motor ive always planned on doing the front subframe swap from the FC and then using the FD to FC mounting kit.



thanks

 

um i think basically the answer is, it depends.



there are people running 10's on the stock rear, i think you have to be nice to it, and then periodically check the axles, cause the stock ones bend. i think its moser that makes upgraded axles, and you could also brace the rear axle assembly, its fairly flexible.

 

ok but it should be able to handle 300 torque with upgrades? I was already planning to change the axles for the 5 lug ones i saw somewhere.



j9, do you know if the transmission would fit ok?

 

yep. fd trans should fit too, trans mount will be fun though

 

would the TII trans be a better way to go? from what ive read its stronger than the fd trans and fd guys even use them sometimes for high power. its also supposedly easier to mount, seems like that would be true since the fd uses that PPF. are those things true? if if the fd one isnt much harder to install i guess that would be a better way to go since i will be able to get it with the motor.



side question- does the ls1 fd swap use the fd trans?

 

the t2 trans is easier to mount. i guess its stronger too, but the car's light enough, and you're not making 500hp, so it kinda doesnt matter.



ls1 swap uses the ls1 trans

 

Are GSL rear ends similarly strong?

 

shane, let me know when you start getting after this project. i would be more then willing to give a hand with anything i could.

 

ok matt, you can hold my flashlight. no jk, i have to turn that thing into a roller before i can really get started on it. i need to start stripping it down, after all it is just sitting in the driveway and last time i tried it wouldnt start. that motor does have 240k miles on it though!





oh and i think the gsl has the same rear end. is it an lsd?

 

its basically the same, except the bolt pattern. except the 79-83 cars have smaller axles