Overdrive or Overdirve Transmission?

[86m10086.2L]

I have a 1986 Chevy 5/4 ton ex-military pickup. for those of you not familiar with them it has a 6.2L detroit diesel, TH400/NP208 D60 front/14bolt FF w/detroit locker, 4.56's front and rear. I'm in the process of either converting the truck to a manual transmission ie SM465/NP208 with gear vendors overdrive or possibly a NV4500/NP208. Of the two options which do you think would be cheaper and better in the long run. I was leaning toward the SM465 combo because I could pickup a wreck fairly cheap and have acess to all the parts needed for the swap. Plus if I decided to get rid of the truck I can taketheoverdrive unit off and just buy a new adapter and put it on my 55 chevy. The only reason I'm considering the NV4500 is I've been seeing alot of swaps that have been done lately that were pulled off far cheaper than the $5200 kit that Petersons used on their truck from Gear tech Heavy Duty.


Also can anyone suggest or point me in the right direction for year ranges of trucks that would be using the SM465/NP208 combo from the factory?

Last am I best off trying to find a truck of the same/similar suspension rating or does it not matter with regaurds to the tranny and transfer case?

Any help, thoughts, or suggestions are welcome and greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Jason

 

[dyeager535]

I've gotta say NV4500. Gear vendors is expensive for what you get, I believe the NV4500 may have a better OD ratio in any case. Gear vendors will become less and less useful as your final drive ratio creeps up there, since the gear spread of both the 4500 and 465 are so large. Not to mention the electronics to run it, and the fact that you've got to manually operate it, on top of the gear shifting of the trans itself.

Of course, the NV4500 requires modification to the floors.