I have been searching slant forum but no luck...I have found two 8 1/4 or 8 3/4 rearends, One on a early 70's truck and one on a mid 70's van..( both are in the sticker bushes so getting exact year and specs is tuff)

will either of these rearends (directly) swap with the 7 1/4 I have?

just a side note..A good sticky suggestion "what rears will swap with an A-body and what it takes"

62lancer
THanKs.......

_________________
Its so nice out side, I think I'll go lay under my car..

The short answer is ... No.
Only an A-Body rearend is a direct swap and even then, the drive shaft will need to be shortened when changing from a 7 1/4 to a 8 1/4 or 8 3/4.

The biggest problem we face with A-Body rear end selection is the 5 on 4 lug pattern, that lug pattern is a Mopar A-Body appliction only so any other swaps will need different rims / wheels at a minimum... and can also require spring perch relocation and even housing narrowing in the worst case.
DD

Thanks for the quick answer.

i all ready have big bolt on the front (and rear just its a 7 1/4 with 2.76) wheels are no problem..

I have heard of folks just sqeezzzingg the springs into place, does that only work on the a-body to a-body swap or will it work with others (vans and trucks??) ... I really dont want to lay in the sticker bushes and measure

_________________
Its so nice out side, I think I'll go lay under my car..

The early 70's trunk is most likely an 8 & 3/4. I think late 74 or possibly early 75 was the last year for them in a van. My brother had an 8 & 3/4 in his 74 van - a 3.23 with SG. I would consider pulling the pumpkin as usually the gear rations are at least 3.23 or numerically higher

With the prices on 8 3/4 stuff getting high, getting a good center section is nice.
As for the truck / van axles and housing, they are not a good choice for a passenger car because the spring pads are welded to the top of the housing "legs". (car housings have the spring pads welded to the bottom)

As for the big lug (5 on 4 1/2) 8 3/4 that "kinda fits" an A-Body, that is the 65 thru 69(?) B-Body application which is about an inch wider at the spring pads. Truck / Van 8 3/4 housings are wider.

Another good choice is the F@rd 8 inch but I have never used those.
DD

sooo...truck and van will not work on an a-body with out some cutting and fitting? (They are to wide and the spring pads must be moved?)

can the axles cut ..shortend (re use the same axles)?

will cutting the housing create any problems with bearings and such?

will the truck and van rear pumpkin directly swap with A-body rears (of the same size)..( or even swap parts 8 3/4 to 8 1/4)? did that make sense??

If I could pick up some rears (70's van and truck)for cheep would it be worth it just for parts

_________________
Its so nice out side, I think I'll go lay under my car..

I've done this experiment a few times. The spring pad location is same for a bodies as it the trucks, it's true for my '77 d100 frame- as it has an a body 8.25 sitting right in place of where the truck rear end out. The downfall of the truck rear end' is that it's simply to wide for an a body.

8.75's are very expensive to mess with. Especially a body 8 -3/4's. Then you are still stuck with small bolt pattern wheel sizes. The best solution is to grab an 8 -3/4 from a b body (66-70) and use that. You get big bolt pattern axles that way. It will stick out a little depending on how your wheels are spaced. I think you have to move the perches though, IIRC.
Much cheaper than buying an a body 8 -3/4 unit.

For a slant six a abody application, Id get an 8- 1/4 from a 73-76 abody.
They will handle about whatever your 6 can throw at it. The sure grips are
1/2 the expense as well. Big bolt pattern axles are standard on this rear as well.

_________________
Michael Glass. Mopar stuff and some rusty Mopar stuff!
1965 Dodge Dart with 66 Valiant front clip. Other stuff...

how about the van rear...how will this line up?

_________________
Its so nice out side, I think I'll go lay under my car..

They are too wide. Forget about pickup and van rearends if you want a bolt-in rearend.

As suggested above, an A-body 8-1/4" rear would be a great choice. Use a later rear with the 5-on-4.5" bolt pattern and you one step ahead.

I was told the 65 or 66 rear I have will bolt in. It is a little wider. Just get the right offset on your wheels.

I have the choice of 15 x 7 Jeep mags or some Mustang 16 x 8 Pony mags.

_________________
'72 Duster 198 stock cam, 3:23's Hookers on jack stands for 8 years in the driveway
'79 Maxivan 360 Offy Qjet Comp RV cam/rusting in the driveway.
93 D350 160HP Cummins Auto Dually Clubcab needs a injector pump
2005 Golden Couch Buick