Hey, before I moved, I made a friend a deal on some afermarket axles,and a 8&3/4 housing (wide) to cut, which I NEVER actually checked.
They were obviously aftermarket, with the long straight splines, no neck down,supposedly stock A body width.They came "loose" in the housing with my 68 FB,His #s for what he was doing with his '37 Ford PU
(a 30+ year project,moved from NY to HI on a pallet)
suggested that he could use an A body setup.
Just talked to him t'other day and he was a little bent, as he said the axles were too short?
I found this interesting as he had no stock A housing to try them in???!!!
So what is the outside flange to axle tip measurement on A body L&R axles?
Like to clear this up.He said he and the axle shortening guy 'made it work'.
Thanks,Case

Hey Bear. I've been doing alot of rear end work lately so the specs are fresh in my head. A body 8&3/4 housing bare flange to flange is 52 & 5/8. From recent (multiple) conversations with Moser, BBP axles suitable for being cutdown, you hook the tape over the flange & you need 28" or more before it starts to taper (that is with the big (non A body) brakes) & that 28" length required MAY or MAY NOT be a bit less with the small (10x1&3/4) A body specific brakes (shoes/backing plate/drums) EDIT reread your post & I dont have the stock SBP A body axles handy at the moment to check for you.

'Sallright, Rob! That housing measurement is good info to start with!
It is highly possible that whoever bought those new ordered them wrong?!!
Just trying to verify.
They were drilled for 3 bolt patterns, too,
and he complained about having to remove the green bearings to get the studs out to tap the 4&1/2" hole pattern?Whatever...

Stock length for A body
http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/axle/16.html

If you go from SBP to BBP using a stock A rear housing add about 5/16 due to the greater standoff distance.

Yeah I'd request some measurements from him. 3 bolt patterns , I was gonna redrill some SBP axles for 4.5"/1/2" studs & there was not enough meat for that at least on mine as I have known that to be done sucessfully (with threaded not splined axle studs). Circle track app & the smaller brakes would save a slight bit of weight (it all adds up) & the lug centric lugs/wheels would negate the center register not mating up. Good luck with it & holler how it goes & what the problem ends up being