Mazda RX7 82 to 85 Rearend Conversion

I was wondering if anyone has converted the rearend from an 82 model to an 85 GSL-SE model? If so, what all has to be changed? I know the rear half shafts are different but believe the final drive has the same ratio. Can just the half shafts and limited slip be swapped into the 82 axle housing or does the entire rearend, driveshaft, etc. have to be changed? Will the driveshaft/trans require modification? Thanks!
Max

I have swapped rears between an 85 and an 82. Pretty much the way to do it is to swap the entire axle housing, brakes and all. The other parts you will need are the driveshaft and the brake master cylinder. This is easy if you are pulling parts from a parts car. Since you are talking about GSL-SE rear, the bolt pattern in the rims is also different so you will need rims that will fit the GSL-SE.

The emergency brake cables will hook up from one to the other. There is a connector in the emergency brake cables where you pull a pin. From the pin to the emergency brake handle the cables are all the same, from the pin to the axle you have to have the cables that came with the axle.

The flange at the U-joint is different from the early rear ends (which the 82 is) to the later rearends (which the GSL-SE is). So you have to use the drive shaft that came with the rearend. Either driveshaft will go into the transmission (either manual or automatic).

Since the brake hydraulic balance is different for the drum 82 rear and the 85 GSL or GSL-SE rear you must use the master cylinder off the car in which the rear came from. The drum master cylinder has a residual pressure vavle for the rear brakes. This will cause the disc brakes on the rear to drag if used with the wrong master cylinder. The lines should interchange. You want to disconnect the brake hose to that goes from the chassis to rear axle at the chassis side. At this point it will interchange with the drum brake rear.

If you only change the rearend to the GSL-SE you will now have different bolt patterns from front to rear. If you use the GSL rear end you can have the disc brake rear, but will still have the same bolt pattern front to rear. If you decide to change the front on your 82, you should get the entire strut from the GSL-SE to match the rear, as the brake rotors will not intechange with the 82 strut spindles.

Does that answer all of your questions?

Aren't the GSL-SE's rear's a tad weaker than the GSL's? Just wondering. And I think you need to change calipers too if you change the front. GSL-SE's had larger front brakes.

On a side note, where did all the posts go?