Howdy from Az. I have a 1950 F2 3/4 ton. I'm doing an engine swap removing a perfectly running 239 flathead and the whole drive-train and installing an '84 351W with an aod. My dilemna lies with the rear axle. The rear axle measures approx 52 inches from inside back plate to inside back plate on the '50. Any axle I've found measures at minimum 56 inches same area. Please note I'd like to keep the 8 bolt pattern. Any suggestions? I'd like to get an axle with a 3:54 ratio , somewhere close to the 52 inch msmt and as close to bolt-on as possible. Thank you in advance for your words of wisdom!

 

Grab a Dana 60 from a 57-72 F250. That's the route I'm going, and, as I understand, the most bolt in you're going to possibly get. You'll also be able to put a 3:54 ratio in there to make cruising without an OD possible! Good luck with your build!
EDIT: just reread what you're using for drivetrain, you might not even want to go that low, try to keep some torque, completely your choice though

 

Isn't the Dana the 56 in width also? And do you think a 4:10 would be a better ratio for torque enhancement? Or the other way around?

 

I don't know if this link may be of any help or not. If you scroll down there is list of axle widths by make and model. http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/w...l_measurements

 

I don't remember the measurements off the top of my head, but as I understood, the 48-72 F250s all had the same width, and some other variables that made them a bolt in swap for each other. I may be stepping a little out of my zone with the bonus built trucks, but I'm pretty sure it should be the same. Great reference link Jim, unfortunately I couldn't find axle widths for anything larger than a half ton, and nothing older than 53 for the ford trucks.