Need help repairing accident damaged differential housing

[YerDugliness]

Originally Posted by cycleguy55

I agree. Replace the housing and the axle that was impacted. Ford 9" rear axles are still widely available and affordable, unless you choose to go with an after-market unit.

I would find it an extremely low probability that your Trac-Loc, centre section and other axle were damaged, so they should be usable. Get the replacement housing and impact-side axle narrowed to match your current axle width and re-assemble.

That is the course I shall pursue...there is a hot-rod shop about 30 miles from where I live now that I will approach regarding the project (although I would rather have the work done by a reputable shop in the Hoiston area, where the car is located and where I own a home in which I could stay while the work is being done). There is more to the job, though...the rear suspension is parallel 4-bar with coilovers, and the car has 4-wheel disc brakes, so there will be lots of brackets to fab and locate on the replacement housing.

...and before "someone" decides I need yet another lecture, I have already stated that I expect it to be expensive, so I am resolved to bearing the full financial burden...and thus endeth my rant!!

Dugly

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by YerDugliness

That is the course I shall pursue...there is a hot-rod shop about 30 miles from where I live now that I will approach regarding the project (although I would rather have the work done by a reputable shop in the Hoiston area, where the car is located and where I own a home in which I could stay while the work is being done). There is more to the job, though...the rear suspension is parallel 4-bar with coilovers, and the car has 4-wheel disc brakes, so there will be lots of brackets to fab and locate on the replacement housing.

Dugly

I don't know about your suspension brackets / mounts, those may well be custom fabricated or at least custom located (perhaps part of the narrowing process). The 9" axle on my WCC is from a 1978 Thunderbird and is a bolt-in, using all the mounts for the control arms and rear stabilizer bar that came out of the factory. WCC is unique in that the rear axle is not narrowed, but yours will obviously not be the same.

As to brake mounts, I converted my axle from drum brakes to disc brakes, and all the mounts were bolt-on. Hopefully yours is the same.