81 Super short bed

[bulkin'up73chevy]

Hey this may sound odd but I have a 81 super short bed. A truck with the bed chopped and thrown on a blazer frame. I'm having a bit of difficulty with transmissions. When I bought no tranny and then I went a bought a tranny off a blazer turbo 350 w/ 203 transfer case and it didn't fit. So I understand that if you cut and 1 1/8 inch off of a 2wheel drive tranny and take off the rear housing it will mount to this aluminum 208 I have. supposedly the 208 was in teh truck before. ANY suggestions on how to do this.

[Jonboy]

Are you trying to go 2 or 4 wheel drive? I don't think you can just cut the output shaft on a 2wd trans, but I have never tried it. 81 would have had a 208 case. Are you trying to use the 203 case also, or mate the th350 to the 208 case?

[Captkaos]

How is the transmission not fitting? It the chassis 4x4 or 2WD? Either way, the transmission should fit as long as it came from the same donor. What is mounted to the chassis has little to do with it.

[bulkin'up73chevy]

It's a 4wd frame and the 203 wouldn't fit underneath in the holes wouldn't mount to the cross member and the transfer case was to tall. So I had to remove it a second time and go get another t350. However i'm not sure this one works. 100% So time and money are going out the window. But I need this truck done. I did cut the shaft off of a 2wd and the transfer case does fit and it's in the truck, but will it continue to work.

[Captkaos]

Is the cab that is on it a 4x4 cab or a 4x2 cab? Your thoughts are running together so it is making it hard to decifer what it is you are saying.

[bulkin'up73chevy]

It's all 4x4 frame cab body. It had a bad transmiision in there with a 208 transfer case that works. I had to remove the old transmission and I went and bought another tranny with a 203 transfer case. This one did not fit. So I had to remove it.
I then heard from a friend that cutting 1 1/8 inch off of a 2wd tranny then mounting to 208 would work. So I have gotten ahold of a 2wd tranny and have mounted them together. My final questions are???
Will the 2wd tranny be as durable???
Why didn't the 203 fit???
How do I find a regular tranny to fit the 208 instead of buying 2wd trannies and cutting them.

[Zoomad75]

2wd th350's are not all together the same as the 4wd Kcase versions. The biggest difference is the shorter output shaft and the complete lack of a tailshaft housing as the t/case adapter bolts to where the tailshaft housing would. Cutting the 2wd shaft is probably not the best thing to do. The splines may not be cut long enough. It would be just as easy to swap the rear shaft from the 4wd th350 into your 2wd case. This requires a complete teardown to do the swap, but at least you won't be causing any problems by cutting on the 2wd shaft.

The 203 may not have fit because you didn't have a correct th350/203 adapter. I belive they are different depending on the t/case trans combo.

[bulkin'up73chevy]

I had a specific tranny for the 203 it fit the tranny it didn't fit the truck.

[1Ton]

Got any pics??

[Zoomad75]

Originally Posted by bulkin'up73chevy

I had a specific tranny for the 203 it fit the tranny it didn't fit the truck.

I'm not sure I follow you here...Reason I ask is because these trannys/tcases get swapped all the time. Just go over to www.ck5.com and look around there. Guys are swapping th350/203 combos for th400/205's to 700r4's with 208's or 241's. Some are using a doubler kit to mate a 203 range box to the front of a 205 and they still fit under a stock floor. As long as you have the right adapter to match the tranny to the tcase it is a bolt in affair.

If you are saying it didn't fit the truck, how? Did the 203 hit the floor? did the trans cross memeber not line up? Just how didn't it fit. Keep in mind you have somewhat of a frankenstien so it may not be a direct comparison to a standard blazer or 4wd truck. It could be that the crossmember might be in the wrong spot, but you should be able to move it backwards or forwards to line up. Holes might already be there or not.

I guess we could help better if we had a better understanding of where the 203 case was hitting (body, frame or both)..

[Captkaos]

Originally Posted by Zoomad75

I guess we could help better if we had a better understanding of where the 203 case was hitting (body, frame or both)..

most definitely, that is what I was trying to say earlier.

[bulkin'up73chevy]

It was hitting the body and beyond that the crossmember bolts didn't line up. After getting it all the way in there And it was hitting the body I was still 2 inches lower that the crossmember could allow, and the bolts didn't fit. Sorry to cause such a ruccass guys but this is my first chevy tranny job without using a manual.

[Captkaos]

Where was it hitting the cab (body) at the trans tunnel? If so, is the cab you have a high hump or low. I am betting it is a low hump. As for the crossmember not working, how "off" was it?

[bulkin'up73chevy]

I'm guessing it was a low hump I never knew there was a difference. The crossmember was approximately 2 1/2 inches off and it hung down 2 inches below where the crossmember would allow.

[Captkaos]

Most 4x2 cabs are low humps except for the manaul trans ones. To get them to work on any 4x4, you have to use the pieces from a 4x4 floorpan, or use a body lift.
Did you remove the tranfer crossmember and then put it back in or did you try to put the tranfercase onto the bolted in crossmember?

Was the crossmember 2.5" off front to back to line up with existing holes?
What "IT" hung down 2" below the crossmember? The transfercase?

What year frame are we dealing with, and what year did the pieces come from?

Alot of the problems may be coming from using a non-converted 4x2 transmission. It is really hard to tell over the internet though, so you are probably going to be hit with more questions which is the only way we can help you out.

[bulkin'up73chevy]

It was 2.5" forward of the crossmember and I physically couldn't bolt in the crossmember because when bolted on it hung 2" below the frameand it was touching the body so I couldn't jack it up anymore.

[Captkaos]

So you bolted the crossmember to the trans case and then moved it to posistion. Once up there both holes on each side were 2.5" off, and the body was limiting the crossmember from connecting.

If this is the case, you need to clearance the body to fit the transmisison/t-case. Options are get a high hump section from a 4x4. OR put a 3" body lift on the cab.

As for the holes, it there were 2.5" off on both sides, you could drill out new holes. I am not sure why it would be off if you removed the same setup from it. Unfortunately you haven't told us what came in it originally.

[Zoomad75]

Pics would be great to see what's going on....If you can take them of course!

Also, I'd try and find a 4x4 cab to rob the floor section you need. A 3" body lift will introduce a whole other list of issues. Steering column/shifter connections being one, but also you can't lift only the cab. You would also have to add the same amount to the rest of the body, front clip and bed. Body lifts get messy the taller you go....

[89 4xBurban Lvr]

dude i know this sounds kinda bizzare but by chance did you think of changing out the adaptor plate between the two? Just curious?
Good Luck!!!