Detroit locker

[Tom Kochtanek]

OK, what the heck is a "Detroit locker"? Is this some sort of aftermarket posi unit that can be used in these X frame cars? And are they any good? Are there advantages of these type of applications with respect to "P" case Chevy units? Can rebuild parts be had?

Questions, questions, questions. I have been tracking posi units on Ebay for some time now and I just haven't been able to pull the trigger on any specific unit. Figured that I'd just buy a parts car someday and get lucky and find one. Seems that not many people checked that "posi" box back in '62 for only $42 more....

So I purchased a '62 Bel Air 2 door post car the other day over the phone, mainly because he had one of these units in it. It was a spur of the moment thing (I seem to have a lot of these) and the guy lives but an hour away. If figured I needed a "present" to cheer myself up, and I like the discovery part of the "find". Sometimes I'm wrong, and I have a lot of stuff down my basement to verify that.... Other times I get lucky. Things seem to even out. It's kinda like birthday presents -- you appreciate them all but some are neater than others...

Friday I head over to pick her up. Then we go straight to my buddies' shop and put her up in the air to see what we (I) jus bought . I now have the dubious distinction of owning more '62s (1 SS and 4 Bel Airs) than '61s (two BA's and two Impalas). Time to get rid of the ones I will never build or grab parts from?

Cheers,

Tom K

 

[Fathead Racing]

Locker

Tom
I run a Detroit locker in my 60 Impala. Unless you are a die hard performance nut you will probably not like the Detroit locking unit. The Locker uses a ratchet affair to lock the rear wheels and gives you a real posi unit not a limited slip. In the stock posi unit one wheel will be driven with 50% of the drivetrain power and the other wheel due to the application of friction clutches will receive some what less. With the lockers ratcheting mechanism the drive wheels would both receive 50/50 at all times when you are applying power. While the stock posi unit will take a corner with little or no noise the locking unit will turn heads at every turn! Popping, snapping and in some cases loud banging emit from the rear. On the plus side when you drop the hammer hang on! By the way, these units are practically indestructable:evil

 

[jim_ss409]

I once drove a truck with a Detroit Locker and it was exactly a PDR described it. They're tough but noisy.

 

[JokersBel]

I've driven a detroit-locker in a trail Jeep. It's a must for the serious Jeep Jamboree folks, but in a street car? Seems you'd wear those tires fast, even if you drive easy! I don't think the local authorities would appreciate the noise at every turn as well, especially with downtown car shows. Seems most around Michigan are patrolled heavily to keep the burn-outs from happening. That locker sounds like an eBay $$$ maker to me. haha Jim