JP Magazine Article?? 5sp tranny

:JEEP: This months issue of JP magazine had an article about NV-3550 5sp tranny swap into a cj-6. In the article they mentioned that this tranny could be swapped into a cj-5 with a mild lift. It is my understanding that early cj-5s had the same 80" wheelbase as flatfenders....so could this tranny be swapped into my 49 cj3a that already has a 3.8L v6? i have seen people running turbo 350's trannies in flatties....which would be my other choice. I only plan to run holbrook longleaves for a lift at some futer date. but I need to fix this tranny thing first! I don't really like not having sycronized gears other wise I could live with a 3-speed tranny. but if i'm going to change it once, might as well go all out and never do it again.

 

The 3.8L is the 231?

I'd expect the "mild lift" means the driveshaft is so short that you can't have any more than an inch or two of lift.

IIRC a CJ5 is an 81" or 80.5" WB and the flatties are 80", so pretty close.

You could run a T-14, T-15, or T-150 three speed and have all forward gears synchronized. The T-14 came behind the 225, but I'm not sure how you would adapt the stronger T-15. The T-150 is a Ford pattern, so that would be the same as adapting the Ford T-18 to the 225 - IIRC there is a discussion on the Novak site. Certainly a 3-speed would be shorter than an automatic or the NV3550.

 

Yeah i know but can it be done while only running a 21/2-3" lift?? that is the question. will it actually fit??

 

Uh, get out your tape measure, and calculate the angle. Somebody here or maybe on NAXJA can tell you the length of the NV3550. I presume you already have the lift.

 

Nope no lift yet!! ideally one would do the lift and the tranny at the same time....however figured i would like to do the tranny first and do the lift some time further down the road! mostly drive on the street. Only go offroad once a couple of months. maybe that would change if when i put in lockers!! but the tranny is my pet peeve right now!

 

Personally I think JP means that it can be done but you have to have a custom high angle driveshaft. Dad and I discussed it and after looking at the numbers( this was after the article) we figured it was pushing what would fit, one of those yeh it can but done but it is not really practical. but hey that is just my $0.025

 

I have read that article and if installed in an early 5 you're gonna end up with a rear driveshaft that is a maximum of 12" long, not an ideal length and your flattie will be about an inch shorter. If it were me I would shoot for a t14 or one of the other synco'd 3 speeds and go with an overdrive or swap in a granny geared 4 speed and use a warn OD, I think the cost of the NV3350 will kill you when it comes to cost, the one thing that gripes me about articles like this is they don't really give you an idea of true costs, figure the transmission will cost you a bare minimum of $500, then you have the bellhousing (several $100 dollars), clutch, hydraulic clutch components, front and rear driveshafts, adapter for the spicer 18, move the crossmember and all the other crap that goes with a swap of this nature. When its all said and done you have a weaker transmission than a t18 or one of the Muncie granny 4 speeds, the driveshaft is incredibly short and the front is incredibly long and it limits the lift and the suspension travel.
I personally think its a pipe dream but if money is no object go for it, I think you would be better off with an older iron cased transmission and longer driveshaft even if its only 2"-3" longer.

 

You can do the Wrangler spring conversion like JP's Christian Hazel did on the Shortstar DJ and it will give you about 85" of wheelbase. I did it with the 3b and think it will work out good.
http://jpmagazine.com/techarticles/66078/

 

Mike I totally agree with you. They did not mention the cost of the tranny which I am going to low guess at somewhere around $1.5K

 

Price really has no bearing on this story, but if you have to know: Overdrive Options Pt. I, Sept. '05, page 84. Estimates the cost of the whole deal at $2760.49. Lists Advance Adapters price on PN 26-3550 transmission as of press time: $1,755. Also ran down four other options; some less expensive, some more expensive. Dismantlers are getting anywhere from $850-$1,100 for take-outs. If you're that concerned with price, buy a Warn from Herm or a Saturn from Advance, keep your 3-speed, and call it done. Oh, wait, I covered all this in that story as well....

 

sorry man I forgot that you had covered that in the earlier story, which BTW I can not find... I think my roommate stole the mag for the pic of Bree

 

I disagree. Price ALWAYS has a bearing unless you have an unlimited budget.
Keith

 

money is no object when you wanna have fun. other option is lose the sheet metal bwteen the radiator and grill and move the motor ahead to gain a longer rear drive shaft.

I think the 4spd/OD combo would be the best in an old jeep.

 

I'm glad to see they did an article on an older CJ6
no, it's not for me
so it's not for some of you either...
but it gives another option on what can be done
never thought I'd be defending JP mag.........

 

only if we're "Dutch" R)

seriously, any T18, SM420 SM-whatever swap is gonna cost some $$
I'd bet around 2K easily, by the time all the necc work and mods are done
the days of the easy/cheap tranny swap are over...............20 years ago

 

Although price always has an impact on how we build our Jeeps there is no way around spending the money. Unless you can wait for that screaming deal your going to pay. Christian did the option that he felt was best for the purpose of his Jeep. I read the article and thought it was well thought out.

Now back to the topic at hand. If you want the syncro trans and you need the OD go for a 3 speed and the warn/saturn OD. JMHO

 

Isn't a T19 synced?

 

Well, after thinking about it, I guess it all depands on what you want as a final outcome. I've been thinking about springing for an aftermarket frame for my 2a and that aint cheap either.
Keith

 

I agree about 4 speed swaps being expensive Jim, but not even close to what an NV3350 cost. I got my sm420 for $75, the bellhousing for $30 (I have the 71 model currently). The adapter costs around $500 shipped from Novak, the rest of the swap is cheap. I bet I don't end up with $850 in it when I'm done. Alot of cost depend on how much other modifications you need or want at the time and alot of it depends on what you had to start with. The NV3550 is an option but I personally put it way down on the list of viable options.