Which bellhousing? Adapting a NP435 to a 4.0L V6

[dieseldane]

Which RBV bellhousing will adapt the easiest to a NP435?

I am looking at adapting a NP435 into my Ranger. This has been done before, but the only way I have seen it done is to use a bellhousing for a small block Ford and make an adapter plate to bolt to the engine. What I am looking at doing, is to use a Dodge version of this transmission since it has a longer input shaft, so that I can use the bellhousing that will bolt up to my 4.0L and either drill and tap new mounting holes into the transmission case or bellhousing, or make an adapter plate that would fit between the two.

Clear as mud?

I have never had a manual transmission of a ranger out to look at it, and so I'm wondering what transmissions bellhousing you guys might think would be the easiest to do this with. If anyone could get me pictures of the different bellhousings and maybe some measusements of them, that would be awesome so that I can get a better idea of whether or not what I'm imagining can be done.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Guy on here that goes by Rulebreaker sells a kit he makes to mate an NP435 to the 4.0L.

 

[dieseldane]

Yeah I have seen that, but I was wanting to go a different route. The reason he did his the way he did is that the input shaft on the Ford version is to short to use with a RBV bellhousing. The Dodge input shaft is significantly longer.

If the bellhousing length and input shaft length work out like I'm hoping, there won't be any need for an adapter plate at all.

So, anyone have any pictures or measurements of their bellhousing from a 2.9 or 4.0 ranger or bronco?

 

[dieseldane]

My build is going to take a bit of a turn, I found an v8 Explorer for a decent price, so I'll be going that route.

I would like to pursue this and see if it can be done though.