Hi Men!

Calling from the other side of the world, Australia. Got my hands on a New Process 445, awaiting clearance from Aussie customs, so as yet have not even seen it. We had the quite common NP435 over here, have two Fords, One International, one Dodge.

I seem to be unable to find any information whatsoever on these 445's except that they were an all synchro, closer ratio box, and that they were popular for the campervan crowd. Even posted on the technical pages on this site months ago, but have had no replies.

I am trying to find out a few things, e.g. are the two boxes interchangeable?? I have been told that the 445 is one inch longer, someone else says that the main and countershaft gear teeth counts were different, someone else says NO, they changed the input and front countershaft tooth counts to alter the gearing?

Just looking at photos of the 445, the bolt pattern on the transmission to back of bellhousing seem to be slightly different. Probably won't worry me much, nor the length as it is going into a 2WD project. What I do need to know is if the INPUT spline (or you may call it the clutch spline) is the common one inch diameter X 23 tooth AND if the tooth count where it meshes with the countershaft, is the 17 tooth version or not. I seem to be getting so many conflicting answers, some say they are an entirely different box, others will swear to you that you can swap bits and pieces back and forth. You guys seem to be on the ball with these Dodges, so thought I would ask you directly.
Have an Aussie built D5N series (1978, getting close to the last of the locally built versions) stashed up the road, has the 245HD Hemi 6 engine, NP435 tranny and what I am guessing is the Chrysler Corp diff, similar to the Ford 9" only a bit larger, running on single 16" wheels, probably rated at around one and a half or maybe even two ton. I had intended doing a conversion where I would swap out the 435 for the more road friendly 445. Even if the boxes differ in lengths, I can get around that easily enough.

I have a spare engine sitting on the garage floor and want to have it ready to bolt the new 445 box to it, have the pressure plate and spigot bush for it, but need to know if they (445) use the same input shaft, for clutch disc reasons.

Any help you could throw my way would really be appreciated. As I said, find out as much info the NP435 as could be needed, for some unknown reason, info on the 445 is practically non-existant, especially over here, to my knowledge, they were never used here even as an option. Even if you could point out a technical site for info would be of great value.

BTW, the container it was shipped in from over your way, is still on the docks in Melbourne Australia awaiting clearance. The way customs work here I probably won't even see it until the new year!

Cheers, Dave 64