1 The Currie axle arrived...
1 The Currie axle arrived pretty much as you see it here. The brakesetup on the driver's side was done prior to our arrival. The axle ispainted a dark argent color for protection. Though it could be left assuch if the owner desired.
Ford's 9-inch is arguably the stoutest passenger car differential on the planet. Built of sturdy stuff from the factory, it was the driving force for everything meaty at Ford--from the Galaxies with the 427s to the present NASCAR Taurus. Those two alone are enough to get our vote of confidence for the Ford nine. Of course, the best can always be made better, and our experience with 9-inch diffs has almost always lead us to Currie Enterprises of Anaheim, California. Currie offers the Ford nine in almost any configuration imaginable. We chose a standard case packed with 3.50 rear gears, torque-sensing, limited-slip differential, and the standard 3-inch-diameter tube with street-rod, smooth center-section cover. We deleted the included drum brakes, so we could use the four-wheel disc brake kit from Stainless Steel brakes.
Since we are building a show car, we went with the Super Duty brake kit. With the optional polishing, the Super Duty Stainless Steel Brakes kit gave us the sparkle we were looking for via polished calipers and zinc-plated, slotted rotors. This setup will look good peeking out from behind any open-format wheel. The plus side is super-stopping power with none of the fade associated with drum brakes. The kit comes complete, so all you have to do is install the system for better braking prowess.
What's It Cost?
Currie Axle Stage I (starting at): $1,947.50
Stainless Steel Brakes Rear Kit (does not include polishing,slotting or plating): $695.00
Detroit Eaton Springs: $189.00
Total: $2,831.50
2 Since the axle is complete,...
2 Since the axle is complete, nothing more needs to be done toit--outside of adding the brakes. Merv Rego of Classic Creations ofCentral Florida (CCCF) has added the backing plate here. it is brokeninto two pieces, so installation is a snap.
3 The dust shield is next....
3 The dust shield is next. This shield keeps water and dirt fromaccessing the rotor.
4 Next, Merv puts the rotor...
4 Next, Merv puts the rotor on the axle flange, followed by thepreassembled brake caliper. Neither side is tightened down yet to allowfor any minor adjustments.
5 The caliper is secured...
5 The caliper is secured to the supplied brackets via lockingnuts--pretty simple and straightforward.
6 With the rear of the car...
6 With the rear of the car up on jackstands, it is ready to receive theaxle. After both calipers are checked for tightness, Merv uses a floorjack and some help from Matt Simmons to get the axle into position. Notethe Eaton Detroit springs that were installed into the front spring eyesprior to our arrival.
7 At this point, three people...
7 At this point, three people are really needed to get the axle and theEaton Detroit springs put together. Merv keeps an eye on the placement,while Danny Gaydos and Matt pull the springs up to their perches.
8 With the axle still supported...
8 With the axle still supported by the floor jack, Danny and Matt slipthe new spring shackle hardware into position.
9 Since the original '65-'66...
9 Since the original '65-'66 axle-tubes neck down to a smaller size atthe spring perch, new u-bolts and plates are installed to match up withthe larger tube size of the Currie axle. Make sure you order shockmounts from Currie, or get a set of post '67 mounting plates if you areinstalling this setup in your Mustang.
10 (next two photos) The...
10 (next two photos) The axle is buttoned up and ready to go. The Eaton Detroit springswere custom-ordered to lower the car 2 inches at the rear; this negatesthe need for lowering blocks and makes the undercarriage look cleaner.
11 We can't wait to see this...
11 We can't wait to see this peeking out at us from behind a super-coolwheel.
12 We went for the front...
12 We went for the front brakes too. No use in doing the job halfway.
13 Last month, we built the...
13 Last month, we built the front end. This month, we thought we'd giveyou a look at the finished product in paint. The color is '94 FordMustang Dark Purple.