Uneducated, would YOU buy?

desperation doesn't mean I have enough cash to spend shipping a rear across the country...Im 9 months into my enlistment in the Marine Corps, just paid off my car that I now am selling cuz im going over seas. prior to enlistment I washed cars at a Toyota dealership for 1.5 years n before that was 3.5 scooping ice cream at Baskin Robbins. money has always been the deciding factor on what gets done on my car, and a lack of it is what has allowed close to nothing being done. I collect what I can, and that isn't much
You have two options here: wait it out for an 8 3/4
Or: swap in the lesser Ford 8.8 or an 8 1/4

Not like those other two are that bad. The 8 1/4 will probably be easy to find and a direct bolt in from an A-body to an A-body. The F/M/J rear axle is about 3" wider it seems and requires the spring perches relocated