'70 K10 front driveshaft issue

[zac]

When I was putting a throwout bearing in my '70 burb I noticed the front driveshaft didn't look right. I've owned the truck since March and put quite a few miles on it, but this is the first time I've done serious work on it. The driveshaft looked more "compressed"-for lack of a better word-than it should be. The slip yoke look almost bottomed. When I put it back on yesterday I had to jack the front of the truck up to get the u-joint into the pinion yoke. It only has 1/2" max travel before it bottoms. Obviously this isn't right.

The truck has a 10 bolt front axle from an "80 something" truck I was told. The PO said he did it to get front discs, which sounded logical. My plan was to eventually refurbish the D44 from my '72 parts truck and use it, just to make it "right". I don't have any real problems with 10 bolts in general. I don't know what year this 10 bolt is from. I can tell you it has a huge rib sticking out horizontally on the center section on the passenger side. It comes out 3 inches or so.

I can run this thing with no front driveshaft for now. I am not an off-roader and this truck will never run again on salted roads if I can help it. The driveshaft on it now is exactly the same as the one on my '72 parts truck. Same length, has "SPICER" cast into the yoke on the t-case side, etc. Can I maybe find a later model one that will bolt in but is shorter? Do I get one of the shafts I have shortened? If so, how much? (Kind of hate to do that. Would like to have a spare). The D44 I have is the right ratio but needs a complete go-through. It will be a long time happening. 2wd until I figure this out. Thanks.