installing a 3-link in a '74

[hervegawagon]

Hey everybody, I was curious what would be involved in swapping rear-end from a '76-up vega into a '74? I would like to upgrade my early suspension to later vega or s-10 and there are quite a few '76 and later parts cars for sale over in this area.

[RamIt]

Well you would need a way of attaching the torque arm to the trans (like stock for 76) or the body.
You also need to fab a panhard bar mount for the car. I think everything else bolts up.

Some one correct me if I'm wrong.

[hervegawagon]

I would love to buy one of the expensive rears for it but this is just going to be a mildly built daily driver so a stock rear with the right brackets would be much better.

[hervegawagon]

so the lower control mounts are the same, you don't use the upper body mounts, shocks mount the same?

[Smiley]

To me it would be easier to keep the 4 link:
The spring, shock and lower control arm mounts are the same.
Cut the upper control arm brackets off your rear end and weld them onto the Monza rear end and bolt it in.

To convert to the later torque arm suspension you have to:
Mount/weld a panhard bracket under the car
Locate a tail shaft with a torque arm mount OR fabricate a front mount for the torque arm.
Some earlier Vega's also require trans/driveshaft tunnel massaging with a large hammer to clear the torque arm.

From: twelve_second_vega
"You can install the Torque Arm Suspension in the
early Vega. You will first need to remove the
re-enforcement for the Panhard Rod from the body of the donor
car and install it on the early Vega underbody.
You will also need a transmission with the torque
arm bracket and the correct torque arm for your
application."

[RamIt]

Whichever direction you go there will have to be some light fabrication.

[vega craig]

I did the rear end swap 73 vega wagon ,i did the 76 rear end in it, one of the easier things i have done. I also did 75 rear end in a 73 hatchback the was a pain . back to the 76 rear end every thing was a bolt in execpt one bracket gets welded ,get the tail end of the trans,torque arm and mounting bracket,the rear will bolt right in trailing arms the same,pane hard has a bracket that bolts on the end, that brackets bolts to side of the wheel well and bolts to a bracket that is spot welded to the bottom of the car ,i removed that bracket from my donor car.slight modify for my floor board weled it in and bingo its in,other then that on bracket its very easy,and really so is that one bracket.just pull that regular vega 4 link out,you dont have to cut anything.I hope i got it. craig,,truly very easy