69-72 Blazers with different NP 205 casting variatons?

[mac907]

I just bought a NP 205 off of craigslist that is supposed to be original off a 72' Blazer pictured below, notice the drain plug down and to the left of the front output's rear cover:

 

[mac907]

This is the NP205 from my 69' Blazer, notice the drain plug on an extension of the casting in the bottom right corner (where the 72' casting is rounded off):

 

[mac907]

The question is, are both these t-cases typical 69'-72' styles? Both came from 1st gen K-5s with TH350 transmissions. Both originally had short shift rails and are figure 8 pattern with 27 spline input, 32 spline rear output, ant 10 spline front output.

I just want to confirm it's just a variation in appearance/drain plug style only before I go through the effort of swapping around t-cases as I replace seals, bearings, etc. and rotate the rebuilt ones in my trucks.

 

[Greg72]

The NP205 has that small round plate with the 3 perimeter bolts.... That's the easiest way to spot one. I don't see that plate at all on the red case you posted.

I know that the 1st Gen blazers used 2 different transfer cases during those early years... The NP205 and Dana20.

I'm sure there is a "spotters guide" for transfer cases here somewhere too

-G

 

[skunked]

I just bought a NP 205 off of craigslist that is supposed to be original off a 72' Blazer pictured below, notice the drain plug down and to the left of the front output's rear cover:

FWIW My 73 NP205 looks just like yours.

 

[chevyfumes]

The NP205 has that small round plate with the 3 perimeter bolts.... That's the easiest way to spot one. I don't see that plate at all on the red case you posted.

I know that the 1st Gen blazers used 2 different transfer cases during those early years... The NP205 and Dana20.

I'm sure there is a "spotters guide" for transfer cases here somewhere too

-G

It has the "NP" emblem casting on it so it can't be a Dana.... Right?

Edit: after a closer look Greg, it does have to three bolt round cover.

 

[70jimmy]

Both of mine are like the red one in the first pic. One had a 69 tag on it and was in the 70 jimmy when I bought it. The other one I really don't know its heritage.

 

[mac907]

Thanks for the replies. Sorry about the dark picture on the red one, it does indeed have the 3 bolt plate on the back of idler shaft.

I crawled back under my Blazer outside that is using the 69's t-case and just noticed it has no NP logo on it. Actually no logos at all, just a number (C99404 and A1) on the back as seen in the first picture I posted of it. The PTO cover however has a plate bolted on with it that says 6261465, 3 7 69, and 205.

 

[mac907]

I dug up this picture of a rare GM Dana20, which is clearly different than my 69' t-case:

 

[mac907]

After looking very closely at my 69' t-case I'm going to say that it's looking to be a 205, the only difference being the extension in the casting for the drain plug. My guess is that maybe this is a very early casting that was changed to improve ground clearance? This picture shows the extension from the front view, so you can see that the 69' t-case has the round profile like the 72' on the front 1/3 of the case.