I recently picked up a '74 Crew from the US Government. It was last used as a fire truck for a State Game Lands facility. I tuned up the 360 and its a solid unit as it sits. The plan is to repower with a 5.9BT and 5spd. Any input from you guys that have built crews as to keeping the divorced transfer case or using a 4wd unit?

 

Really could come down to what power train you can get easier or cheaper.
If you can find a good deal on a 2wd power train, keeping the divorced NP-205 could work great.

 

That's my approach. I missed a couple mid 90's second gen 2wds, and have a line on a 93 W250. Regardless I want a complete donor truck for all the nickel and dime parts that can make a conversion a money pit.

 

I notice the floor tunnel on my '75 D300 crew (despite being 4spd) does not have as large a tunnel as my cummins trucks.... so there may be some floor surgery to go with a married tcase. OTOH, the divorced case may get in the way of the later fuel tank.

A cummins D250 would make a great donor... and they're more affordable than a 4x4.

 

If you keep the divorced NP205 upgrade the yokes and short driveshaft to beefier components. I had a '73 with a divorced NP205 and a mildly built up 360 that had 35" tires. I was constantly blowing out that stupid little driveshaft and when it blew you didn't have any drive at all.

Personally after all the headache I had, I would go with a newer married style t-case. A newer chain driven t-case will be quieter than the old gear driven Np205.

 

After years or wheeling my '72 Power Wagon on 38.5 x 15.5 Super Swampers hard, I NEVER lost the third short driveshaft.
By wheeling hard I mean, up to the headlights in mud and water, lots of wheels up action, flopped on it side, heck I even managed to flip it over backward on some steep ledges when the carb was cutting in and out due to the steep angles.
Granted the 318 was hopped up, but not like 12V torque.

I would think upgrading that little driveshaft would work fine if you got a good deal on a 2wd donor truck.

 

I plan to keep the 205 transfer case, noise isn't an issue, and they are tough. I was looking at the NV4500 2wd version, and it looks like they are all slip joint style at the output end, not a fixed yoke. I guess I need to do some measuring before I decide which route to take. I'd like to use a 2nd gen donor, P pump, bigger radiator and IC, decent seats to swap, etc.

 

You can use a slip-yoke trans with the 'jack' shaft, and a factory 2ndgen 1410 shaft could be shortened to do the job.

If you are determined to have a bolt-on yoke for the NV4500, the Chevy version has that hardware, but means a different mainshaft and ext housing too.

Have you thought of dual t-cases? One married and one divorced? If you have the wheelbase....

 

I think the donor will depend on what I can find in the budget. I have purchased rusted up CTD donors in the past and by the time I buy new radiator, oil pan, fuel lines, etc I may as well have purchased a better unit for the swap. But then I'd feel bad about cutting up a nice 1st gen, but I think my conscious would be ok with chopping up a decent second gen. And I would have no problem putting the torch to say...a mid 90's Ford F800 to free the CTD drivetrain. So I am currently on the prowl for a victim.

 

Man that crew is solid! With it being a 1974 shouldn't it have the bolt in center hump? I would look on eBay find a 4x4 center hump from a 1972/75 bolt on large center hump. I personally have never had a crew cab so its floor pan might not be that way. I personally would go with a divorced 205. It's not as stout per say as the hanging 205 but it will handle a 6bta in stock form. I have seen boggers with built 440's beat on them and they handle it easily.

I hear you on the trans. I have a 2wd Getrag that I was planning on using in my Town Wagon. I want to use a NV4500 instead but it not having a fixed yoke is holding me back.

 

I would stick with the married transfer case, everything is just easier. Wiring harness will work, club cab driveshafts will work, electronic speedometer will work... Well you get the idea

 

There's also the Ford Cargo (CF?) cabover series.... both the F-series and Cargo switch from the 'brazillian' ford diesels to cummins power around 92-93 or so. A medium duty 6-speed with a divorced 205 would be a very nice package imho.

An observation I had was my 4wd NV4500 has a threaded hole in the end of the tailshaft. Seems to me a yoke with the right OD for the seal could be fastened just like the Jeep guys doing a 'hack'n'tap' SYE on their tcases.... only with no hacking required.

 

I've spent a lot of time around those Brazilian Fords and I'm not a fan.

My ideal donor would be a 2nd gen 2wd. That way I have seats, bigger IC, P7100 pump, radiator, etc. To use a F or CF series would be cool just for the transmission, but a lot of those are direct drive top gear.

 

I've wrecked out two 2ndgens for parts.... they're great for that Being built sorta flimsy makes them easy write-offs.

Direct top gear doesn't have to be a bad thing. 1st is usually in the 7ish:1 range. The right axle gearing and tire size can compensate.

 

I've been in the market for a 1st gen donor with no luck. I realize that our trucks are getting harder to find, but junk is still junk. I almost paid $4k for a '93 W350 club cab 5spd with 300k on it, what a mess. One of the previous owners destroyed the OE dash harness, the getrag needed overhauled, no good body panels, and the frame was rotted through!!! The only reason I even looked at it was because it was the only 1st gen that was within 2 hours and didn't have an $8000 price tag. Is this where the market has gone? I realize good stuff brings good money, but the price of scrap is way down.