Our OEM 7.5-inch 10-bolt—one of the most common rear axles in GM products ever—is
virtually worthless in current form. We’ve built 10-bolts to handle power, but it would need
new axles and a complete overhaul.38 CAR CRAFT AUGUST 2019
C
ar Craft’s 1980 Malibu wagon’s
tired, 7.5-inch 10-bolt makes
weak, one-wheel burnouts. It
can’t drift, handle well, or make aggres-
sive launches. With plans for a 700hp
LS1 stroker, we expect the differential
to explode into dust the first time out
of the driveway. To help us stay on the
road, we turn to the circle track for
inspiration and install race-proven
components: a Strange Engineering
floater 9-inch, Wilwood 13-inch brakes,
and UMI Performance Stage 3.5
suspension.
Brand-loyalty debates aside, Ford
got the 9-inch rear axle right. It’s uni-
versally accepted at the dragstrip and
is certainly the most common axle in
circle-track racing. Strange OvalWe Build the Rearend With a Strange
9-Inch Floater, UMI Suspension, and
Wilwood Brakes
➔PROJECT CAR
By Jesse Kiser / Photos: Jesse Kiser
PROJECT MALIBU ST,
PART 4