Odd 4speed shift pattern help

There are only two foolproof ways of telling if the trans is an overdrive
1) pop the cover and look; this is foolproof, or
2) put it in third and compare the input turns to the output turns; same in/out is an od box

And several other ways that all these years later, may or may not point to an od-box;
3) the od has a 5.125 front retainer and none other does. But this ain't fool proof, cuz someone could have swapped a standard gearset into the od box.
4) the od boxs usually are aluminum. the standard usually are cast iron.
5) the A-body od-boxs are usually 904 output sized
6) if a box for a 340 or bigger, it will have a 727 sized output
7) there is a PN stamped on the RH side.Just look it up.
8) Shifters and levers and orientation,may or may not be helpful.
9) if it has a long tail, with two shifter bases on it, it was never born an od, unless maybe it has a Chevy input. But then it will have the 5.125 retainer.
10) There may be more..........
that's the best I got,
except for a streeter with a performance engine, the od box rarely works out, because the splits are just to wide.
Oh yeah, and IMO, a ball-shift handle is the best; you have so many options in the way you can palm it. and rarely might you slip off it, and it's really hard to bust your knuckles up on the dash when you do.