Hopefully I'll have me a 9" to staart cleaning up by this weekend.
I found an F-150 rear that is only 61" WMS.
For discs, wich will come much later for me
, I found the cheapest and easiest is to use 1/2 ton Chevy front calipers with CJ-7 rotors. But like has been said, no e-brake. But getting them in for roughly $100 shouldn't be a problem. Caddiliac rear calipers have a built in e-brake, but are pricy. I would pick up a pair from the junkyard, then either rebuild them, or use the junkers to cover the core on some re-mfgd. I think I priced it that way at just over $100 for just the calipers. Then use the same CJ-7 rotors and bracket, etc.
Also, I came across a 9 3/8" rear. It looks just like a 9", but parts from either third won't interchanage. Although you can bolt a 9" third to a 9 3/8" housing, and visa-versa with a notch for the slightly larger ring gear. The 9 3/8 should all have 31 splines with larger bearings, but I haven't found anyone that sells gears, TAD's, and all the other little parts. They will be cast with C8-AW on the pinion support, 9"ers will have C1-AW thru C7-AW, IIRC C4 and up should have greater nodular iron content than the C1-C3 cases. Supposedly the 9 3/8" comes only under Lincoln and Merc big cars, can't find anything more than speculation on that though.
Would it be possible to redril the flanges and drums for 5 on 4.5"? If so, anyone know about howe much that would cost? I'd do it if it's cheaper than running an adaptor for the spare and different bolt patterns front to rear.