Meyaht

i have this crazy idea. i have a 350 sbc with a th350 attached to it and a 9" ford rear with 4.11 gears. i found out that there are transfer cases that bolt right up to the t350 (the np205). this case was used '71-'80 and i htink all i would need is a front axle assembly and some new driveshafts and some gaskets/bushings, etc,some minor changes to the passenger compartment(for the shifters), and a ****load of time and money.

all i really want to know is if anybody has any practical experience with any kind of transfer case installation or might possibly have any ideas on clearance for the fornt axle assy.


i figured the pros to this would be improved handleing, and better launches. i wouldnt have to have any rollout from the trap when dragging. and i wouldnt get sideways taking turns when im busy being an ******* on the roads.

the cons would obviously be cost and labor.

some info on the np205
-can get a junkyard 205 for less then $150 and a full rebuild kit for around $200 more. or buy new for $750
-the high gear is 1:1
-the low gear is 1.98:1
-considered to be "bulletproof"
-used by GM in 71-80 blazers, c-10's, and c-20's


i looked around in some off road mags and new front axle assy's go for around 1k for new stuff. here is a page with all of this stuff on it. http://www.boyceequipment.com/pricelist.html
these guys prices are kind of inflated comparedto what i've been quoted at.

ill add more later
p.s.
the car i have listed in my bio isnt a 3rd gen but i plan on doing this to a 3rd gen. so dont get on me about this being a 3rd gen site, becuase i know.

88TPI406GTA

Any transfer case of that size won't work on a thirdgen...there simply isn't enough space, not to mention having to completely re-do your front suspension...

I think the best way to do it...is to graft a thirdgen body onto an S-10 chassis...That would make the most sense in the long run...

That way, you can have your V-8 and 4WD in the same setup...

A bit more research would tell you this...

S E A R C H :lala:

AlkyIROC

A 205 transfer case is the best one ever built but it's also big and heavy. You'd have to cut the floor to make it fit. The bottom of the transfer case would drag on the ground in a third gen.

If you have enough money, you could do anything.

fisherbody86

Wait a minute. I think you guys need a little education. 4WD is not AWD. They are two different things. You cant put a transfer case and solid front axel assembly in a passenger car and just drive around in 4WD all the time. You cant even do it some of the time. You cant even drive around a 4WD truck in 4WD when the ground is dry. 4WD DOES NOT permit the wheels to spin at different speed, ie: going around a corner. Go put your daddy's bronco in 4 LO, turn the steering wheel a turn or two, and try to drive in circles. It doesn't work. You are thinking of AWD, like what suburu has, or a 3000 GT VR4. Thats completely different. It is all time, all wheel drive, but there are allowences for all 4 wheels to spin at different speed when needed. This system would help you out with launches, and cornering, 4WD will not. Besides, retrofitting an AWD system into a Camaro or FIrebird, although cool sounding, would be virtually impossible. It would require a whole new subframe, redesigning the geometry of the WHOLE car, and a whole lot of other impossible feats that the mere idea shouldn't even be considered. You would be better off dropping a 350 TPI into a Mitsubishi 3000 GT VR-4 and calling it a Camaro. At least that has a chance of getting off the ground.

KevinP92Z

To clarify fisherbody's comments a little:

4WD systems DO allow for slippage during turns under normal conditions (short of a spool or a locked up posi), just like any other axle. You can take your Dad's Bronco, put it in 4L, drive it straight and the drivetrain will still "bind up". Now remove the rear driveshaft or the front shaft and you will be able to drive it in circles. THe T-case is not an axle differential or posi lockup. THe problem is that the 4WD transfer cases in 4WD positions are designed to turn the front axle drive wheels at approximately ~5% faster than the rear axle wheels. THis is to augment steering control in mud/sand/wet/slippery conditions. This is what causes the "binding up" on hard drive pavement. This in effect has the front wheels pulling the vehicle through the mud, instead of plowing or pushing the front wheels through the mud. THis would mean the only way to run on the street with a NP205 would be to determine the different diameter front tires required to end up with the same rotational speed as the rears.

The way the older full time 4WD's (NP203's) worked was that in 2H & 4H positions, the front and rear's turned at the same speed. When off road, the t-case was shifted into 4HLock or 4LLock which increased the front wheel speed for steering control.

My 76 Blazer was originally Full time (NP203), but got tired of stretching the chain behind the 400sbc in the truck. Adapted to the NP205 (along with a 700R4) which is an all gear driven unit. It is bullet proof as has been mentioned, but is heavy and the offset to the output shaft on the front side is ~8-10 inches lower than the rear output shaft, which would cause ground clearance issues.

Hope this clears things up a bit

88TPI406GTA

Hey fisherbody86, lets not be making any large ASSumptions before "educating" here. I just sold a 95 Talon, TSI Turbo AWD, and currently own a 94 Suburban 4WD...I am quite aware of the differences between the two, especially in winter.

Although I like your idea of trying to squeeze a 350 into a 3000GT, it is too cost prohibitive...while doing a 350 in an S-10 isn't a large investment of time or money and you would have the 4wd (or AWD if you can find a Typhoon/Cyclone setup)

Good luck in figuring it out...

james_85Z28

like this?

88TPI406GTA

I am pretty sure that isn't an S-10 chassis..



And that thing has to corner horribly...

Air_Adam

Hehe, could call that mini monster truck "Bigtoe"

lol

gcore45

Look into a Bravada setup. It wasn't 4WD, it was AWD. I'm pretty sure that same running gear was used in development of the GMC Cyclone/Typhoon turbos.

I figure, it wouldn't help ride height, but it would give you the performance you need.

Here's a better question for you. How come that 4.3 turbo never made it into an fbody?

rodrigo diaz

how about a astro awd setup?:rockon:

Meyaht

is the diference between 4wd and awd entirely in the tranfer case?.. how exactly does subaru do it?... if this information is available and is done on tiny little suabrus then wouldnt it probobyl be possible to fit the hardware under a 3rd gen?

Apeiron

The subaru was designed around it. The F-body wasn't.

KevinP92Z

I know some of the AWD vehicles use a viscous coupling instead of a chain or gear drive, this allows a bit of slippage between front and rear as well as power transfer when one wheel/axle is slipping.

Ask around, maybe an Audi Quatro or equivalent owner could chime in.

VERTIGO Z28

iTrader: (1)

I need to build me one of those orange monster cars. No one would steal parking spots from you any more and if they did....oh no. No more door dings either. Who owns that thing I have to know

Randy82WS7

203 cases were full time 4wd and were from 73 to 79 and they didnt use manual or auto hubs on the front axle, they used slugs, 73 to early 77 were bolted on type and 77 late through 79 were chrome sheetmetal capped and stick out a little further than the bolted on early ones, these were on the dana 44 front 203 trucks

before 73 they were part time 205 case trucks and after 79 alot of them were 208 aluminum case ones

205 were gear to gear all the rest were chain driven

203 have a unit in the tail of them that differentiates front to rear power kinda like an axle spider gear setup does
when you get a part time conversion kit for 203 then you eliminate the unit in the tail of the 203 and add manual hubs to the front axle so that you can unlock it and also run in 2hi range just like a 208 or 205 truck can so you dont wear out the front line and axle prematurely

ausrs

why would someone want to turn a car into a 4wd ???????
btw in that pic HOW do you get in and out of the thing >??? carry a small stepladder ?

awdcamaro

Get the parts from a sy or ty if you can, and it will fit under the hood nicely. If not, the front differential from am Astro/Safari awd will work along w/ the transfer case from a Bravada. That's what I'm looking to do, its a 70 rear, 30 front split awd system.

awdcamaro

btw, it's not cheap either, you're talking like a grand or so in parts, then you have a ton of work to do.

FyreLance

Wow awdcamaro, I see you're from Englewood... Huber Heights dweller, here. I've been finding more and more locals on here lately...

HotRod

That thing might corner horribly but with it you may not even need to take the corner....just go straight