I could just test it out but why do that when I could just post on here and ask some of you that have already attempted this...

Could I record 24p SD 4:3 on the A1 then take that tape and play it in another camera and use that camera as a deck? I seem to remember doing something like this before but I just can't recall for certain...

Should be able to. I've shot a lot of 24p 16:9 SD for a friend, and he plays the tapes fine with his DVCAM deck. The only thing that won't work on anything but the Canon HDV cameras is 24F (and I think 30F too) HDV footage.