Original longbed or cut shortbed?

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by pat english

I might have a trade worked out.A guy on cl has a sm465 with the np203 transfercase.Do the 203's suck?When i asked the guy if he wanted to trade,he said "you know its a 203 not a 205 right?"

I would stay away from the 203. I can't remember the details but I know they have issues with lubing if you don't use the 4wd often.

My buddy had a th400/203 in a 78 or so truck. One day whistling up the interstate the front shaft seized, came up through the floor on the passenger side, and landed in the seat next to him. He needed a new tranny, transfer case, and front shaft to get back on the road. Plus when it happened it was summer and he had to pull over in the middle of the interstate. On the grass. Which started on fire. The firemen simply opened the fire hose on the interior of his truck. Saved the truck but they got his Creedence.

Now I doubt you'd end up catching on fire and losing all your cassettes but I guess I'm saying I'd stick with a NP205.

Another thing. If you keep the truck at a long wheel base, the drive shafts you have now will work with what ever stock tranny and transfer case you want to go with. In these trucks, GM made the trans/adapter/t-case the same length by varying the length of the adapter. If you stick with stock, everything else bolts up. Including that mount from the t-case to the frame.

FWIW, I switched from a manual to a th350 about 10 years ago and to this day still think that was the best update I did to my truck. I only kick myself for not having a 700r4 built to work with the adapter. No matter what stock trans you go with, the final drive out of it is 1:1. On the interstate my stock height tires and 3.73 rear end gears really make my engine turn fast.