727 Parts interchangeability and ID
 

Sorry, if there is a thread covering this. My forum search is not working.
So. Mopar guru's I need your help. I have a 71 barracuda (teacher at schools) In need of a transmission. Now it's kind of complicated. But we have a 727 for it basically, but it is out of a 80's 4 wheel drive. Here is the thing. We've been given the go ahead to take any parts from the schools 727's to convert the instructors tranny so, 3 part question.
1. Can I just take the transfer case of, swap the output shaft and tailshaft housing and call it good?

2. I've heard problems may occur with different years of 727's and the planetary members not interchanging, so would that affect the output shaft being used?

3. Can anyone give me a crash course in 727 decoding? i.e. what year it is what it's out of ETC. (I know the codes above the pan on the drivers side I just need to know what the numbers after the PK mean)

Thank you guys so much ahead. It is very appreciated.

One absolutely "must have" book you should get is by Carl H. Munroe, here:

http://www.amazon.com/Torqueflite-72.../dp/1557883998

The very first pages outline some of the changes over the years.

I assume you want to use the major part of the truck trans and just swap the tail?

FIRST thing is that both vehicles MUST have the same engine series, IE both must be small block, or both must be big block, or both must by /6.

Second issue is the converter. 360 converters have weights welded to the front face of the converter for balance

So far as internals, sounds to me lke some pitfalls. Discussing different output shafts, he says that "planetary splines have changed three times" 62-75, 76-93, and 94 up. He says "Early carriers (62-75) will not fit the later (76-93) shaft but the later shaft and carrier together can be used to service an early unit.

The above is only a part from the book. Looks to me like it "ain't that simple" BUT you can probably do it with careful examination of what parts you are using, etc.

We do have a small block trans from a year later that we can use. So I guess it should work. I'll get into it today. And I'll talk to him about the converter, because I know it's going on a 318. Thank you very much

All went well. Ran into a small problem when we cracked it open there was obviously a cooler leak into the tranny. So we cleaned out everything Swapped some guts. New clutches etc. And Yup popped it on the dyno and it ran through all the gears fine. Car test will be coming in the next few weeks.