Why did chrysler use narrow drums/shoes on the rear? Will regular 10" stuff fit?

to fit it all under the fenders

no,you can not mix the skinny 1 3/4" brake stuff with any of the larger brake parts

the axle off set is diff on the A-body axle

you can swap in some cut resplined large brake axles and run the larger backing plate/shoes/drums in the a-body 8 3/4 housing

or get some custom alxes with the large brake off set and use the large brakes

when you go to large brakes on the A-body 8 3/4,it will make the whole rear axle wider by about a 1/2"...1/4" each side

when I swaped my 68 dart to large brakes, I ran 7" rim with a 4.5 backset - 245/60/15 tire

when I put that A-body 8 3/4 in my 85 truck(bolts right in) I went to 12" rims with the same 4.5" backset and a 29x15x15 M/T(tucks right in the fenders on the truck tubed to the frame rail)

so you have to watch you rim backspace when you swap to large brakes

I bought a 68 Dart to build a Hemi car and have to put a Dana in. The car came with 8 3/4 large bolt pattern axle but no drums, I thought I might be able to put a set of 10" drums off another axle to make this one complete, sounds like I'm going in the wrong direction. If I get the narrow drums, is there enough room to modify the holes for axle studs? I would need to elongate the holes 1/4" outward.

no big bolt pattern on a-body axle unless its been re-drilled to the 5 on 4.5 wbp

if it has large brakes on it,it has had the axles swaped already or is a B-body 8 3/4 thats stuck in the A-body...which can be done with an early B-body 8 3/4

the backing plates will determin the size drum and shoes you need

any BP-drums-shoes of any B,E,C,truck,car D-60--8 1/4-8 3/4-9 1/4 should work if the axle has the large brake offset

if the axles are re-drilled to 5 on 4.5 wbp,you will need the skinny drums and shoes and have the drum redrilled to the 5 on 4.5" wbp

you need to check the axle brake offset to make sure of what you have first..this will make sure you are not mixing the brake parts

What about after 73? I thought they went up to the regular bolt pattern to use the unicast rotors?

correct..but the 8 3/4 A-body would still have a 4" wbp with the larger drums/brakes IIRC

no A-body 8 3/4 got the 5 on 4.5 wbp

Well how about that

Well what would you do then on a 73+ A-body to fit the bigger bp - B/E drums and machined axles?
{EDIT] It's looking like either custom order or C-body axles so you have enough beef to cut and respline them?

I went with a set of Moser custom alloy axles good for 500 HP speced for the A-body with the large brake offset and 5 on 4.5 wbp

was about 299$ and came with green bearings back whan I did my 68 dart

or have a set of B-body axle cut resplined to A-body specs

it put the 7" rim with 4.5 backspace 245/60/15 tire right in the middle of the wheel tub

1/4" clearance at the fender lip(not rolled) and a 1/4" clearance at the tire bulge and leaf spring for a perfect fit

i now have that A-body 8 3/4 in the 85 truck(bolts right in) and tucked 12" rims with 29x15x15 M/Ts in the fenders with the same 4.5 backspace on the rim

1/4" clearance on the fender lip and 1/4" clearance on the tire bulge and leaf spring just like the Dart( I did tub the bed to the frame rails though)

the 73-up A-body with large brakes and 5 on 4.5 wbp used a 7 1/4 and 8 1/4 rear axle with the large wbp/large brakes

and with my 7" rim 4.5 backset 245/60 tire rubed the leaf spring just enuff to eat the white letters off on turns...needed 4 1/4" backset with the large brake/wbp 7 1/4 axle I had

no A-body 8 3/4 got the large wbp or the large brake offset is what I was trying to say...