Hi Guys,

I bought my 69 Camaro in December and I'm starting to work on it now. It will basically be a weekend car, not racing it, just want to have a good running 69. Powertrain is a Year One 350 crate engine with Richmond 5 speed manual transmission.
I bought 18" wheels with GM bolt pattern 5x4.75 which is the standard for the 1st Gen Camaro and to my surprise, the previous owner had changed it to 5x5. Yes I know, assumption is the mother of all F$#%^ ups, so lesson learned and next time I'll be measuring before buying.
Front end I have no issue as I was planning on getting Wilwood discs and calipers so I will order the correct one piece discs with the 5x4.75 bolt pattern.
The issue I have is on the rear, I was told that the previous owner also had a few 70's GM pickups so I would guess that the front disc and rear differential came from one of those. Now that being said, I only know that it has a GM 10 Bolt differential but I have no idea as to what gear ratio it has.
Easiest solution:
Get 5x5 to 5x4.75,adapters in the rear and leave everything as it is. Now that would yield a car with two different wheel bolt patterns.
Second option:
Get a complete rear differential from a donor car that would somehow match what was originally in my car.
Third option:
Disassemble, count teeths to get the gear ratio (hopefully is close to what I need), take the axles out, measure them and count the spline and order new axles with the correct wheel bolt pattern. High cost and a lot of work.

What would you guys recommend? Any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

my vote is to replace the axles with the correct bolt pattern or alternatively, find a machine shop who will drill the correct bolt pattern into the existing axle flanges, press some studs through and be done with it

 

I agree or better yet get rid of the wimpy 10 bolt and swap in a 12 bolt with the right pattern.