[Root2812]

You should be able to learn what motor you have from the casting numbers.

For rear ends you really have 2 types: The torque tube and the open drive (this may not be the official term). A torque tube has the drive shaft inside a tube and fixed to the rear end where an open drive rear end has a driveshaft with U-joints. If you look under any modern truck you will see an open rear end. Some guys get the rear end out of a 4x4 s-10 rear end and some (like me) get the 3:73 rear end out of an explorer.

I have my explorer rear end out back so I haven't put it in yet but many here have because its very close to the right width. As you can guess, with the s-10 rear you keep a GM wheel bolt pattern where with the ford you don't. This works out for me because I am going to swap to a mustang II front suspension anyways.