Help with installing a Ford NP435 in a '73' CJ5

I have a 1973 CJ5 with a 304 mated to a T-15 tranny. I have been lucky enough to aquire a 1969 Ford NP435 in excellent condtion - its a two wheel drive model, for free. I pulled the top cover and the guts are in excellent condition. I really want to do this conversion b/c I want the low granny gear for crawling in the woods. I'm not that concerned that it may hang a little lower, because I don't intend to do a lot of rock crawling. Right now I'm just doing research to try to get my ducks in a row so I can complete this project this winter. I have a really close friend that is a great mechanic who also can do fabrication and welding as needed. I emailed Eric at Novak and he has assured my that this conversion can work with the proper adapters, but I need to find a bellhousing from a 1976 on up that was from a 258 or 304 engine mated to either a T150 or T176 tranny. I have a whole buch of questions - probably too many. Have any of you done this swap? Where do I find a bellhousing? Which adapter is better Novak or Advance Adapters?
Will the conversion alter the position of my transfer case shifter? Will I need to purchase a new shift cane? Any thoughts on rebuilding the tranny and transfer case while its out? Any thoughts, ideas, comments and help would be much appreciated. Thanks, Gary

 

As for locating a bellhousing, you can put an ad here in the want to buy section. Novak and AA both are good companies to deal with, if you search the site you'll see that they are both very commonly used around here. Only diff. is that Eric is a member here and checks in every once in a while. If you have the funds to rebuild them while they are out you should def. go ahead and do it. Plus the tranny will most likely have to come apart to replace the main shaft so it would be easy from that point to put new parts in. As for the location of the Tcase shifter I'm guessing it will alter it some. Plus you might have to build a new floor pan around the transmission tunnel to allow for the added size of the NP435.

 

moved you to the proper forum
sorry, can't help with your question

 

you will have some rearranging of the "tunnel" to do. the 435 sticks way up as well as down lower than the original t-15.

you likely will need to modify the transfer case shift lever and associated linkage, as the 435 is too wide to use the stock location of the linkage. i used a piece of solid steel bar, bent with a torch, to replace the hollow tube that holds the stock transfer case shift lever and linkage. works fine, but it is in a different location [from stock].

check the vendor forum for some comments regarding novak and a.a.

fwiw, i used the novak, and am satisfied with how everything worked out.

 

Guys, Thanks for the info. Wally, how did you go about modifying the tunnel to make it fit?

 

i just cut [larger] it with a sabre/reciprocating saw. you want the opening large enough so that the transmission isn't slapping the tunnel or edges of the tunnel. rather than reuse the cover, i used a mudflap, trimmed to fit. it fits tightly over the aluminum "square" of the transmission cover, and the rest "floats" on top of the tunnel. it works decent, and could be snugged down further with n/b/w if desired.

i tested the fit by dropping the x-fer case support, installing the transmission/adapter/x-fer case and supporting that with a floor jack and cradle, and lifting it into position. trial and error mostly for the "correct" fit.