muncie sm 465 prices, advice, etc.

i have found an sm465 2wd from about a 1978 chevy pickup. is $75 a good enough price to just go ahead and get it then store it for when i can save up for the novak kit?
it's been there a long time so i may try to get him down to $50. i have no idea what shape it's in. this is at a salvage yard.

i will evenutally be fitting it into my 69-5 225 with a single lever dana 18 xfer and warn od.

i reallize that it has a 1st gear of 6.55 as opposed to the 7.0 of the sm420. but my dana 27a axles are geared at 4.88. with 31"x10.5x15" tires.

is it anymore difficult to "drop" a 465 2 wheeldrive tranny into my jeep as opposed to a 420?
thoughts opinions? thanks.

btw guess what my wife/CFO and kids got me for my 52nd birthday this month?

JEEEEEEEEP STEERING PARTS!!!!!! i KNEW i married the right woman!

 

http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/sm465.htm

should have a lot of answers

 

i read it a number of times and it does. thanks.

but i really trust the folks on this site as far as "been through it" knowledge as well as prices of trannies. yourself included! the input of the folks here is invaluable!
that's why i asked.

 

I've been told by a mechanic thats done it a few times that he prefers starting out with a 2wd transmission.fwiw

 

Price - yes it's worth the 75 bucks. I think anything up to 100 dollars is OK. IMO.

I just paid 100 for a spare sm420.

It's worth taking the time to inspect the inside before you buy. If there's any rust I would go lower $.

Effort - I've only done the 420 one time but I suspect the 465 is about the same amount of work. It was more involved then I had estimated but still very much worth it. Watch out, that sucker is heavy.

 

Just like the one I have in the garage. One of these days I might get to putting it in.

 

I've done both and the 465 is easier (a little). If it looks good inside I would risk putting it in as is. They are very strong and dependable. If the shifter feels loose it could just be the fiber bushings in the stick itself. 2wd and both 4wd versions are equal on the amount of work-they all three require novaks mainshaft for the 1" novak adapter. The 465 with the 1" adaptor fits the short fendered jeeps better than any of the 420 setups. If it is rusty inside, I wouldn't touch it. They are very plentiful, at least in my area. Like the others said $100 tops.

JB

 

I put a 2wd 465 in mine with an Advance Adapters kit. You don't have to change the mainshaft with this kit, but it does make the drivetrain a couple inches longer. $75 sounds fair enough to me. If it looks good inside go get it! I wouldn't spend a whole lot of time trying to find a 420 since they are getting scarce and you likely won't notice much of a difference between the 6.54 and 7.05 ratios

 

at 1.55:1 for the 465, i figure 1500 rpm to go 1.7 mph is ok...

 

If you do use the Novak kit make sure they give you the updated instructions. I fought mine for over a year before I found out the endplay specs in the Novak instructons were wrong.
They made it right by giving me almost all the parts I needed to repair the damage for free. The 1" kit is awesome!! Definately worth the $.

 

thanks all! good advice!