Carl,

Is a Dana rear the same as the sedan rear...  Is it a simple bolt in replacement?  Anyplace in Ohio is not too far from me, I am 25  miles north of the Ohio border.  

No  Station wagons and T-birds are the only ones with Danas..  Mercurys also have them but mostly 3:15 gear

Just a couple thoughts. My bird's running a 235/60 15, 26.1" high, with a Dana 44 (from a truck originally) with 3.73's. T-5 with the 2.95 first gear and the 0.8 5th. Works good, but it's a little high in first gear on a hill. I've got an aluminum flywheel, which doesn't help, but the bird's a lighter car.

Previously I had a 4:11 rear with a 3.21 first gear (different trans). You ended up in second gear in the Safeway parking lot.

So with my ratios, I'd like to have a 3.90 or 4.11. But the gear carrier (posi, or whatever Dana called it) changes at 3.73. So that was as high as I could go without spending a lot more money. If I were starting over, I'd bite the bullet and go to the 9" or the 8.8 (more likely) than changing gears 3 times on the Dana. They are also (if you get a 45) getting hard to find some parts for.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

If you use the whole rear end it will fit.i have a station wagon rear end in my 56 crown vic with the same ratio,i have 3 speed with overdrive. The rear end i have for sale came out of a running 56 wagon   Carl 
,

For what it's worth a 58 ford 9" housing is what I put in my 55 Tbird and as I remember is was a 1/2" wider the the stock Dana and fit right in.

  Vic Correnti

why do people miss the strong part of the y block engines,low end torque. so i say use the low end tore,stay away from low geared rear ends and radical cams. by using  a grind from 1957 mere 312 on a 292 and a 3.5 axel makes for a awesome launch. just my take. shad bolt cams in vancouver has ground several for me with excellent feed back.

I agree meteor. After I put a Cruise-O-matic behind my 292 I went to an 8.8 with a 2.74 gear and it’s perfect for how I use my car. It is not a dead player off the line and way better than starting in second with a 3.21. Yes when I had the lower rear and the 3 speed it was good but a noticeable difference at freeway speeds of 65-70 the car was quieter and just easier feeling.
These cars were built with a 55 mph speed limit for most of the country and for the most part poorer roads.
I’m long done with jackrabbit starts at 76 but can watch them with fond memories.

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

My 55 TBird has it's stock T86 3 speed O/D transmission and Dana 44 rear.   This option alone is what sold me on owning this car.   My engine is a slightly modified 1957 292.  The tag on my differential says it's a 4.11.  I"m not sure if that is correct. I am running 215/70R 15 tires all around.   As you would expect, acceleration in first gear is brisk.  Second gear and second gear overdrive are perfectly matched to this engine's torque curve.  Driving around town, you don't even need the other gears. Mid range torque is impressive in second gear.  I only use third gear out of town.  At 60 mph in third gear overdrive, my tach reads less than 2,000 rpm.  Ford's overdrive was years ahead of it's time.  I've thought about switching to a T10 or T5.  Overdrive is how my car was built and I love it the way it is. 

Just by way of clarification.. I believe the mentioned Dana rear axle was also found in 55-56 Sedan Deliveries..


Paul

yes at least in canada