7 1/4 rear A body

I think fstfish means he is looking to buy said Valiant, (right? ) and wants an original rear end to replace the bad unit. As for why not just upgade: It's a bunch more money - even assuming you find a small bolt pattern A body one they're not all that cheap, and if you go with the large bolt pattern suddenly your into it for wheels and tires at least on the back, then you would have mismatched bolt patterns unless you also spent the money, time and effort to install the front brakes, wheels and tires. All in all, a very worthwhile change, but everyone's pocketbook, time, and skills are not up to all of this. Simply swapping for another rear end could be the difference between the car staying on the road or becoming just another garage queen project.