The Rear End Swap

So what am I going to do with the 64,000 mile 6cyl I took out of Ventura? Also the mono-leaf springs on my Ventura were sagging and I had read many recent articles that the 8.5" 10-bolt rear end was the best of the 10-bolts, and my ventura had a 8.2" I wanted to upgrade. So when I had the opportunity to buy a cheap 73 without an engine, a brand new multi-leaf rear suspension and an 8.5 inch 10-bolt, I didn't even think twice. Killed 3 birds with 1 stone! The new springs should lift the rear of my car, and the 8.5 inch rear will be a better platform incase of future horsepower increases.

I had to remove the gas tank, but since it was new (read not rusted in place), it only took a few minutes to get it off and having the gas tank out of the way will greatly simplify the job of grinding out the old (read rusted in place) spring shackles.
Here is the 73 in all of its "engine and tranny-less" glory, it looks good in this photo becuase it is wet, jacked up in the rear, and you can't see the terrible rust or the ratty interior. It is really painted in black primer (not glossy at all) and there is rust through all over including the floors! But it is a cool car and somone will enjoy it after I take the parts I need and give it a new young engine!
And here is the engine I'm going to put in the 73. This is the original L6250 from my Ventura that I've painted and cleaned. I will put this engine into the 73 Nova so when I'm done taking the rear end and sub-frame connectors and putting the Ventura rear-end in place of the original, this will still be a cool complete car.
This is the 8.2 inch 10-bolt still under my 71 Pontiac. The 8.2 is a good rear end, plenty strong for what I most likely will ever do with this car (some people use it for drag racing), but an 8.5 is even stronger (or at least can be built stronger), almost as strong as the famed 12-bolt so why not? right?
Here are both cars sitting next to eachother. It is amazing how things work out. I never would have guessed when I started renting this 2 place garage that I would ever have to old X-bodies filling it up!
Here is the 8.5 rolled out from under the 73 ready for cleaning and paint. I'm currently waiting for my new leaf spring polygraphite bushings so I can install it in my 71!

The rear ends come out pretty easy...unless you have my 71. When there is lots of rust..you better buy an angle grinder and a few grinding and cutting discs. I had to grind off the head of the bolts holding the front spring perches to the car. These bolts are held in place by clip nuts, which, when rusty, break easy and just spin when you try to remove the bolt. So the only way to remove the leaf springs was to grind off everything holding them to the car.
The finished goods, multi-leaf springs, 2-inch lift, and an 8.5" 10-bolt! Ahhhh, what kind of guy doesn't like a tight rear end!?