I changed the housing cover gasket because the leaking appeared to be coming from the lowest point of the rear end which was where the housing cover gasket met the rear end housing.
After this, the problem was fixed -- no noise and no leaking, so i was happy

And then within the past week and a half -- Ive been driving the car at least 4 days out of the week for the past 4 weeks -- i have noticed that the rear end has been making noise again (same as before) and within the past two days, there has been gear lube on my driveway right below the back U-joint that connects the driveshaft to the rear end
Also, when looking underneath the car, it looks as though some gear oil "sprayed against the exhaust right at the same point where the U-joint/rearend is.

This leads me to believe that now my pinion/bearing seal is shot and needs to be replaced

I bought the seal last year, and then returned it after having initially fixed the problem by changing the housing gasket -- it was cheap too, i believe only $15

ONTO MY QUESTION:
how hard is it to change the pinion/bearing seal on a 7.25" rear end in a '65?
do i need special tools?
do i need to remove the gears and everything within the housing? (aka: pain in the a**)

OR shiould i just buy the seal, call up a place that will do it for me, and have them do it?

I would be doing it by myself, on the driveway, with jack stands, jacks, and thsoe tire ramps (if i dont need to remove the whole rear end) with your average auto enthusiast's collection of tools, and so-so experience

So the question is - change it myself in the heat alone, or cough over the unfortunate $$$ and have someone change the seal for me????

thanks, have a good one

It isn't that hard. Pull the driveshaft, unbolt the pinion yoke. Pull the yoke off the pinion, pull the seal out, then put the new seal in and reassamble the yoke and driveshaft.

just to be sure -- the instructions you gave will work on my integral housing rearnend right? (just to make sure you werent giving me directions for the removable housing rears ~ if it would even make a difference)

if it is just that easy (i wasnt sure if i would have to remove the housing cover again, the gears, etc. and then have to go through twice as much work )

thanks again

perhaps ill do it today if it doesnt rain, have a good one