Re: JL-8

[David Pozzi]

All factory JL-8 rear ends used the larger passenger car housing ends and the larger bearing size. I am doing mine this way also. Like I said, I'm doing my conversion as per factory. I got my 12 bolt back and did some mock-ups at my local rearend shop. The shop did a good jod in the conversion, but it was expensive and not perfect. I will need to run spacers to get the rear caliper alignment correct. I don't know why more people aren't doing this conversion, or why nobody really seems to know much about what's involved. I think the later model floating PBR calipers are cheap and lame. Especially on a first-gen Camaro! Still waiting on my front caliper brackets....

A good friend purchased a bare JL8 housing back when they were still available, and swapped his old 12 bolt parts into it, including stock drum brake axle bearings. He still has this car and rear axle.

The reference to large bearings in GM's pamphlet for racing refers to converting a big car rear axle to use in a 1970 Camaro for Trans-Am racing. The text refers to the large bearing and the axle length being longer.

I'm not sure what diameter axles came on production JL8 Camaros. The text lists #3945184 "with rear wheel disc brakes", and another number for drum brakes. The drum axles were special shot peened for racing type.

There were larger dia axles listed in the pamphlet in addition to large bearings from another source I have, but I believe they were over the counter parts for the 1970 season, and not used in the production 69 JL8 axles. Wayne Guinn would know more about the JL8 option. He does mention the larger dia shafts here: http://www.camaro-untoldsecrets.com/...article_fs.htm
David