Mac,
If I stick with the stock fenders, the point is probably moot since the tires will limit how much power can be put to the ground. I have put a new set of 3:54 gears in and blueprinted the rear, so I know that the rear is in good condition, and the 4L60E trans will be a lot more friendly to the rear than a T56 would. I am allways looking for a good D44 core center section, but people are proud of them! If I ever decide to put one in, it just a couple of hour job, as all the other parts of the rear can be used with the D44 center section. This car after all, is not going to be an all out full gonzo racer, but more of a highway cruiser. I have so many hours invested in the D36 center section that I hate to just scrap it before ever driving the car! I have milled off so much of the original mounting pads and bosses that are not used on my chassis, that I could not even sell it to a C4 owner, not to mention the huge ammount of time spent polishing the case to a mirror finish!
Regards, John McGraw