by cammerjeff » Wed Nov 11, 2015 7:10 pm
Like I said I agree with you about it probably being swapped out with the upper brackets being added. But after being involved many years ago in documenting a 74 Super Duty Trans Am as legit and it having the 75 and later wrap around rear window, not the smaller 70-74 rear window. The car was built during the last 2 days of the 1974 Model year production. It was a very rusty 100,000 mile Michigan car, and the one hidden VIN remaining (the other had rusted away so could not be verified) it was determined to be original. No documentation exists to verify that a few late 74 F-bodies were built using the 75 body shells. But there it was. The Pontiac community is still arguing if it was rebodied or not. If it was it happened early in its life, and the somehow transferred the stamped Body VIN without welding the body piece in. The car is still sitting unrestored in a friends pole barn as it would cost a fortune to restore. And probably never be accepted as legit.
I could see a senerio where the 74 Vega demand was higher than anticipated due to the 1st Gas Crisis occurring early in the 74 model year. And the supplier of the rear axles changing over to the torque arm style center castings running out of the earlier 4-ling casings. And substituting the torque arm centers as opposed to casting more of the 4-link centers. Not saying it happened but there is a slight possibility.
If the axle in question looks to never have a panhard bar bracket installed I could see it. But I agree 99% chance it was swapped over at some point.
Jeff R
1971 Catalina Freeway Enforcer
77 Astre Formula, some day soon powered by a 215 Buick V-8
1973 4-speed Lemans Safari STOCK!!!!! 1978 Catalina Safari
2006 Mallet Solstice, 6.0 LS2, 6-speed manual
2009 Solstice Coupe, 2.4, 5-speed Manual