Need Help!!: Will A 1970 Truck Four Speed Fit Into an A Body?

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48james

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Okay guys, so I found a craigslist add with a 318 and four speed cheap. Only thing is it's in a two-wheel drive truck frame. I would love to swap this into my 1972 Dart, are there any real differences?
 
Best answer, no. Forget about it.
Of course anything can be done with a torch and welder
but to many reasons to list why you shouldn't.
 
Is it an actual "truck" 4 speed or an 833? They DID put those (OD at least) into half ton pickups and vans. Have you seen it? Photos?

The bell will do you no good
 
The truck transmission to my knowledge were all over drive unless they were the NP435 double low first gear transmission. If that is what it is, then the answer is no.

However, if it is a real A833 truck transmission, I believe it would have to be the overdrive unit. They were not installed in trucks as early as 1970. BUT, it that is what it is, then yes, that will fit in an A body. It will require relocating the shifter, since it is not in the same location as the A body transmission, or you can swap the tail shaft out for an A body unit.

First, determine which four speed it is.
 
As always.............

23mrnyh.jpg
 
I don't have any pictures of just the tranny but its so close to me and cheap (since I am a broke *** 19 y/o:eek:ops:). I looked it up and seemed to find info saying there was one four speed from a light duty truck that would work, and also another that would need too much cutting to work. Any info on that? Think you can tell by the linkage?
 
I think the best bet will be to call and have them give me the bell housing numbers? Since I am 1100 miles away:violent1:
 
The NP435 granny four speed is a big iron chunk with an aluminum top cover with a shifter sticking out of it, it has no slip yoke and no external linkage. It wont fit without serious mods to the car and driveline. The 833 trans that will work in your car has outside linkage and the shifter bolted on the extension housing. It is pretty easy to tell them apart.
 
Thanks JAS! That was the info i found but forgot where! I'll get some pictures, but where in kansas are you? I'm going to school in McPherson
 
I live a few miles outside the sprawling metropolis of Mound City.
 
I don't have any pictures of just the tranny but its so close to me and cheap (since I am a broke *** 19 y/o:eek:ops:). I looked it up and seemed to find info saying there was one four speed from a light duty truck that would work, and also another that would need too much cutting to work. Any info on that? Think you can tell by the linkage?

Any "truck" (or van) which has SIDE linkage is going to "actually" be a passenger car transmission. In some years it might be a THREE speed. So you need to look for external shifter, and THREE separate shift levers

If you Google A-833 you'll find lots of photos.

What WE need is "what this is?" See if the guy will email a photo?
 
Got ahold of the seller and he tells me its short and shifts from the top, with no external linkage so that means its a NP435 and won't work at all in an a body..?
 
Got ahold of the seller and he tells me its short and shifts from the top, with no external linkage so that means its a NP435 and won't work at all in an a body..?

Right! What RRR said. They did not put the 4 speed OD in the early trucks. I am not sure what year they appeared but I think it is Early 80's and maybe the late 70's. I am aware of one that is/was in a you pull it yard and they get about $150. But if you don't have a manual car you get into clutch pedals and Z bars and everything else. PM me if you want I am in central PA.
 
I would but it is for a truck frame with 318 and four speed, no close ups of the trans

So then you dont think anyone in the WORLD could possibly tell the difference? Then why on earth are you asking for OUR help if you think that?
 
Got ahold of the seller and he tells me its short and shifts from the top, with no external linkage so that means its a NP435 and won't work at all in an a body..?

Well, yeah I guess it could, but you'd have to cut out half the transmission tunnel to do it, fab new clutch linkage and the shifter would stick over the dash.

It's a truck transmission. It is not designed to go in a car.
 
And the ratios in that farm truck 435tranny are for working on soft ground, pulling heavy loads, or school buses, and the synchros will not like 4000plusrpm
The 833 O/D ratios are much better, but work best in low-rpm,hi-torque, applications;as in slantys and teeners..But these O/Ds didn't come out until loooong after 1970.
I used to rebuild manual trannys including the 435. It nearly killed my back, and I was in my late 20's at the time.What Ima saying is they are tank 4-speeds. They have to be cuz the low gear is about 3ft tall. Ok so that's a stretch, but I'm remembering about 9 inches or maybe more, and it weighs about nearly as much as the entire 5pc geartrain of an 833. She's a tank all right.The case alone weighs nearly as much as my wife did when I first met her! A tank 4spd I tell ya....The synchros are inside out and nearly 6 inches in diameter, well, part of it could be 7 inches. Oh and BTW, that monster low gear IIRC,is un-synchronized.That's ok tho cuz you would never want to downshift into it anyway cuz the ratio was in the 8 to 10s I think. The shifter would probably smack the mirror on the way to third, but I doubt you could get third, cuz there would not be enough shift throw room available, to engage third. Or first for that matter. And to get out of forth you would need a back-seat passenger to shift it for you. You guys better get your timing right for a 4-3 shift! And it would be bucket seats only;and with that big stick between you and your girlfriend, there would be no room for nooky in the front seat.........................hah! I guess her parents would be ok with that tho........double hah! And you won't have to save quarters for the C-machine at the hotel, no mo....triple hah. She'll end up leaving you cuz the stick got in the way. That would be a switch.
The bright side here is you get to stay a non-daddy for a bit longer.
Ok my votes in.
All kidding aside, be sure it's a passenger-car type tranny.
 
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