Newbie with transmission questions

[onepunchman]

Hey guys, I've been lurking on here for a while and learning all I can about my truck but I'm kinda stumped. I have a 69 short bed fleetside 350 2wd with a 4-speed. Most everything on it seems pretty original. Just a well used old truck. It was lowered when I got it but I like the stock look so I put the stock springs, stock height spindles and stock wheels and stock size tires back on it. Anyway I figured I'd need to change the speedo gear to correct my speedometer since it has bigger tires on it now so I looked at the tranny and was suprised after doing some research on here that it looks like it might be an sm420 not a sm465. The casting numbers on it are 3901127 and the date code is k208 which looks like 11/20/68? But everything I've read on here seems like they stopped making them in 67. Can someone set me straight on this cause I'm confused. Also did they put vin numbers on these so I could see if they match the truck vin? Another question I have is how do you remove the speedo gear since there's no retainer holding it like in other trannys but it looks like just a nut that unsrews to get it out? Thanks

[RedRoad]

which way is your reverse? Towards you or towards the passenger?

[onepunchman]

It's down toward the passenger side.

[onepunchman]

Originally Posted by RedRoad

which way is your reverse? Towards you or towards the passenger?

Oh so simple. After you said that I looked it up and sure enough the 420 reverse is down to the left and the 465 is down to the right! Thanks. Is it common to have the rear tail housing/speedometer gear on 69 sm465's that look like the ones on sm420's because mine doesn't look like the pic's I've looked up for the sm465's?

[RedRoad]

you have a sm465, a 420 goes toward the driver.

Did your speedo show correct mph with the old tires? I would compare your speedo with a radar sign or an app on your phone before you start tearing apart the trans.

[RedRoad]

sorry cant help you on the housing as Ive only had 4x4s with the speedo gears on the t case

[onepunchman]

Originally Posted by RedRoad

you have a sm465, a 420 goes toward the driver.

Did your speedo show correct mph with the old tires? I would compare your speedo with a radar sign or an app on your phone before you start tearing apart the trans.

Yes it was correct. After searching for more pics it looks like the rear housing is like some other sm465's on the web. I guess the gear must come out once I remove the big nut. Thanks for your help.