Keep the original front axle. Get a disc brake kit from Speedway Motors.

You'll save yourself a lot of headaches.

Everyone always cheers for those junkyard independant front suspensions, but NOBODY ever talks about how difficult they are to rebuild or how much it will cost to rebuild them.

Solid axles rule in my opinion. They are so easy to deal with that I really have no clue why someone would want to go to the bother of hacking up a truck to put a junkyard IFS in it. I guess its for ride quality....

But what did you think you bought as a project? A Caddilac? An old truck is supposed to ride like an old truck.

As for the rearend. I like Ford stuff myself, especially a Ford 9". I wouldn't hesitate to use a rearend from a 1/2 ton chevy either. I mean, any rearend, so long as its wide enough and strong enough, will work. Just take a tape measure with you and see what you can find. Be careful when you weld on a rearend though. They are easy to warp....and a warped one eats bearings.