There is a couple different ways you can do this. You could use the T150 and the Dana 300 and use an adapter for the trans to adapt the Chevy engine. The other option is to use a TH350 Chevy auto trans with the Chevy engine and use a trans to transfer adaptor. Either way, you will need some sort of adaptor. Also, you are limited because of the short wheelbase of the CJ5.

www.advanceadaptors.com has a ton of information along with www.novak-adapt.com

 

If it were me starting from scratch, I'd look for a V6 Vortec, and a 4-speed with a deep granny gear.. Advance adapters can set ya up no matter how ya go..

 

HA i saw this exact same post on 2 other threads

 

A T15 is not going to mate up to a Dana 300 with out a adaptor. It more than likely originally had a 304
T15/20 combo. Adaptors are a lot of cash. If it was me I would look for a trans/transfercase combo that would not need driveshaft mods and use a conversion bellhousing and let that decide where to mount the small block, then you only need to adapt the motor to the trans.

 

If I were going to swap in a 350 and didn't have a tranny/TC yet, I'd skip all the 3 speeds and go to at least a 4 speed and the D300 transfer case.

Probably the cheapest setup (that would live behind a V8) would be a T176 tranny coupled to a D300 transfer case. That would be a nice dual purpose setup.. good on the street and okay on the trail (especially if you put 4:1 gears in the D300).

Next on the list would probably be a Chevy granny 4 speed (might be able to pull an engine/tranny from same rig) coupled to the D300 with an adapter (about $550-$600ish).

Probably the most expensive would be doing a Ford tranny (T18 or NP435) mated to the Chevy engine with an adapter bellhousing/scattershield and mated to the D300 with an adapter.

 

Thanks for the input guys, I really appreciate it. Couple more questions on the same subject..... Since the TH350 matches well with the Chevy 350 I might go that route. However, does the TH350 come in a Manual? I didnt think that an Auto Tranny will fit under a CJ5 with the short wheel base. Isnt that why Jeep developed the CJ7? Also, does the Chevy 350 to T176 to D300 combo match all up without adapters? Lastly is there any Chevy V8 Engine - Tranny - TCase combo I can go with without an adapter somewhere? Or would I have to go back and find a rebuilt AMC 304 or 360 in order to go without an adapter? Thanks again yall.

Smitty

 

1) TH350 is an auto. You are correct; an auto usually will not work under a CJ-5.
2) Your CJ-5 originally had a Dana 20 transfer case. If someone had a 300 in it, it was swapped in.
3) I run a 350, Dana 20, T-18 combo. It's terrific, but you do have to buy an adapter to mate the T-18 to the 350, and it's pricey.
4) I'd look at a GM transmission, too--something like an SM420, SM465, or the NP435. Of course, you'll still have to adapt the transmission to the transfer case. Novak conversions has a great deal of information on its website which should prove helpful.
5) I don't know about a full engine-transmission-transfer case set up, as I don't know anything about GM transfer cases. It would depend upon where the outputs are in the transfer case. You need a transfer case with the front drive shaft output on the passenger side and the rear centered. Of course, you could pick up the whole drive line out of, say, an old Blazer, if you were willing to/interested in swapping out axles, too. You'd need to do some fab work with cross-members (most likely) and spring perches, but that's an alternative.

 

You can use an Iron Duke bellhousing to adapt a T176 to a SBC... I also used a Lakewood Steel Bellhousing off eBay to mate a Ford NP435 to a Chevy engine..

 

Sounds good fellas, thanks alot. Looks like if I wanna drop in a Chevy 350 Ill just have to fork over the money for an adapter somewhere. Its funny how quickly a rebuild becomes alot more difficult than one would assume. But that is half the fun, haha.

Smitty

 

Did research just for fun, (slow day) how about a bellhousing from a 80-83 CJ 8,7,or 5 with the iron duke I4. It will bolt up to a small block Chevy and has the Ford bolt pattern transmission side. A T176 4 spd from a 80-86 CJ will bolt up to the bellhousing, and will take the Dana 300 with no adaptor. The T176/dana300 was available a CJ5 so driveshafts wound be available. You would just bolt the bellhousing to the trans/transfer and install the driveshafts to locate the factor cross member and mount the small block motor mounts to fit. Now the fun part would be trying to locate all of the parts but would need no adaptors.

 

I guess it really depends on what you want. The only opinions, in my opinion for the CJ5, is a T176 trans with a Dana 300 or a Chevy TH350 with the Dana 300 or Dana 20 transfer. Now, you could get into a little more money with a Tremec trans or something like that. I'm running a TH350 auto in my CJ5 and I'm very pleased with the setup. I originally had a T150 3 speed and I hated it. So, it was cheaper for me to by a fresh TH350 with an Advance adaptor for the Dana 20 transfer case than it was to buy a better manual trans setup. Plus, my engine setup runs very well with the auto.

You just have to be careful because of the short CJ5 wheelbase. Most combinations will be to long and won't leave enough room for a rear driveshaft. To give you an idea, my rear CV driveshaft is only 14" long. My new drivetrain is also only 6" longer than my factory original setup.

 

Looks like I have tons of options, I just need to equate price and head ache, then decide which route I want to take. Thanks alot fellas.

Smitty

 

I'm installing a 327 to a gm sm465 and adapting it to a dana 300 transfercase......sm465's are all over the place and you can find them cheap. I payed 100 for mine. You just have to spend $460 on an adaptor but it's an extremely strong drivetrain.

 

How's progress coming along??? I got a SBC 350 married to a T176/D300... When it ran it wasn't shabby at all. Smooth shifting no problems at all, stupid engine became a pain in the A$$ so I've got er torn down for a rebuild/upgrade

 

Some people will argue but, you CAN put a 700r4 in a cj5 and still have drive line angles that are with specs of the joints/yokes etc. But you must be prepared to do some extra work. I have in my cj 5 1983 model a sbc with turbo 350. I started out by moving radiator forward with electric fan, then motor forward alomost 5 inches. coupled it to a turbo 350 with dana 300 t-case. Works great. Although I put 4:56 gears in the thing (which I love the gear reduction) I now wish I had went ahead with the 700r4 I had planned to put in it. The reason I didnt is because I got nervous about the length and anle of the drive line but it will definetly work but you will need to purchase the kit for the out put shaft on the t-case to make is shorter. Guys have posted that it will not ever work your nuts etc when I started with my build but it will, just according to the time and money you want to invest. If your not going to gear it any lower than 4:10's then a turbo 350 will be fine for you. Although if you dont run the roads with it very much a lower gear will not matter!! I will be posting some pictures and details in about 2 weeks with my set up! Good luck

 

Chevy 350 with what Trany and T-case?

In 1994 I bought a 73 CJ5 and put a chevy 350 engine, TH350 transmision, with a 205 Transfer case out of a chevy blazer. In 2001 I replaced the 205 transfer case with an an ATLAS II.This has been a great combo for me but, I do not do alot of extreme 4x4ing.

 

Right Combination

Thanks for that information! I plan to get a complete running donor truck....Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon etc...with a 350 V8, 700R4 and whatever TC is has (probably 241). I'm a welder/fabricator by trade so motor mounts, transmission mounts etc scare me far less than trying to mess around with the internals of a Transfer case. I would be much more comfortable seeing everything run first too....and I think it makes economical sense to buy the whole drivetrain at once rather than piece by piece. Also, I don't want to buy expensive adaptors. You're solution is perfect for me. I'm glad I could find someone that made it work!
Mark