Aftermarket axles, resplines, cut and welded, 28 spline Ford or 40 spline Mark Williams, open, posi, spool, welded spiders, bolt pattern, useuable widths etc.
If literally any rear will do, anyone with a chop saw/band saw and a Mig can fill your order using any cast off rear end
A '68 Wildcat rear, narrowed 1/2" on each end won't work too well in a front engine dragster
G-body rears are short (without looking it up, they are in the something like 58") and can be found in a 10-bolt 8.5 carrier (although they are pricey). Even shorter still are the 2wd S10 rears (offhand I don't remember the length). There is also something about taking a Ford 8.8 (that came with a long and a short axle, presumably due to pinion offset) and chopping the long axle tube down and fitting in a second factory short axle. 8.8 rears are abundant in the wreckers and I understand they can take a good bit of abuse. I have no idea what the overall length would be when using two short axles in an 8.8 (and it most likely depends on the donor vehicle too), but it might get you headed in the right direction. The 8.8's can also be found with good gear ratios, posi and discs as well.
Fords Rule ! If it ain't designed and manufactured in North America it sucks ! I don't do rice, pasta, fish and chips, sauerkraut, Ikea or other third world motor vehicle !
Cheapest way would be a 8.8 explorer rear, and center the diff by using two short side axles and shortening just one side. It ends up at 56 inches wide, has 31 spline axles from the factory, and limited slips and good gears are common. Its also a leaf spring rear so you don't have to deal with the 4 link ears on the case.
-- Edited by RacerRick on Friday 13th of November 2015 10:29:35 AM
