I have my 1979 dodge power wagon at the shop and I recently purchased a 727 transmission from a 1985 dodge truck with a missing tail housing.

The shop took out my transmission and installed the tail housing on the 85 727 and tried to install it.

The shop told me that it won't fit and the transmission is a different size, and to fix it they would have to cut my front drive shaft.

How can this be?

Now they don't want anything else to do with the truck, and the transmission is half installed and they want me to come pick it up.

The truck has been sitting since 2005 because of several issues.

The truck started right up after sitting several years.

318 engine.

1. Leaking coolant - Freeze Plug - Fixed after they pulled the transmission
2. Leaking radiator - Replaced Radiator
3. Transmission - No reverse, but recently rebuilt two years prior to 2005
4. Lost keys - Purchased Replacement Keys
5. Power Steering - Fixed leaking power steering line

the tailshaft of the transmission is TOO LONG, and is because it is setup for a NP208 transfer case. IIRC there is an amount that can be cut off and it will work, but I bet they won't do it, and it has been too long ago for me to remember...I am thinking a little over an inch for some reason...

Can I pick up a different tail shaft that will work?

Can I buy a NP208 Transfer case for this to work?

you can get the tailshaft from another 727 case that was setup for a np203 full time t-case and get it swapped into your case.
If you go the route of putting in the NP208 part-time t-case, then you will also need to get everything (shifter for t-case, drive shafts, and any other necessary part to make it work) from the NP208 truck....do-able..

I towed the truck to the house. The 85 transmission is installed without the transfer case. They basically gave up on the job, I have a box of bolts, the old transmission is in the car trunk with torque converter.

Should I find someone to cut the tail shaft, or just bite the bullet and get my old transmission rebuilt?