8 3/4 help needed

I would think that your odds of finding an A-body 8 3/4 in the wrecking yard are pretty slim.

Early (65-70) B body rears will also work if you're planning on running rims that you can get with more backspacing, the rear ends are a little wider, but most modern rims have more backspacing anyway so it works out.

More than likely, all you're going to find is truck 8 3/4's. They'll work just fine, but you'll have to have them narrowed. Then you'd have to find yourself a set of axles. Depending on the style, the truck ones can be shortened. But, if you're going to do all that work, I'd grab a dana. Believe it or not, there's usually quite a few truck Dana 60's in the yard. They'd need the same things though, narrowed and axles. And truck Dana's don't have pinion snubbers, but that's a minor detail that can be fixed.

I was able to score a complete 8 3/4 out of a '65 Polara a couple months back, but it'd be too wide for an A body at 56 3/4". The yards don't usually have a ton cars that are earlier than the late seventies. You might consider looking for a 9 1/4, they're more common in the model years that are in most yards. Im not sure about the widths though. Early Dakota's might be close for widths.

Also, if you're going to be pulling the rear end out of a car in the yard, bring something to deal with the U-bolts. They'll probably be stuck something fierce, the ones I tried were. Think along the lines of a battery powered impact wrench or sawzall. If you don't have those, get a 1/2"-20 die, so you can clean the threads below the nuts. Even some of the ones that will turn will lock up before they're all the way off. I thought I'd be good with a breaker bar, but I ended up having to cut two of the u bolts to get the 8 3/4 I pulled.