Welcome to the forum rob!!! What's with all this activity IH-wise outta bend recently?? I'm yore neighbor 65 miles west down hiway 126.
Regarding "which" tranny you might encounter, the "phase-in" of the tf 727 for IH apps was not a "clean vin cut" kinda deal...it was...a "phase-in". And many of the rigs which were oem with the borg warner slushbox have been converted over to 727 by now...in fact...I'm building a 727 right now for doing that, it's going into a '64 travelette.
Easiest way to tell for a novice to this stuff is simply use a magnet! If it sticks to the bellhousing/case of the tranny, it's a cast iron borg warner. If it don't stick , then it's an aluminum tf 727.
Same for the Scout 810/Scout II platform, the tf 727 was phased in, and yes...that one is only a married d20 transfer case app if 4x4.
A 4x4 pickall if oem with a 727 will have a divorced np 205 transfer case. If original with a borg warner slushbox, then it could be a np201 or who knows as nearly any tc could be "spec'd by a dealer for a fleet buy. The only thing that really matters is what the vehicle under discussion has...not what is "original"!
If the tranny is a 727, then yes, the 2x4 and 4x4 versions are the same, both use the very short tailhousing.
I would never go to all the trouble of installing an "unknown" used slushbox! Ya oughta see some of the "used" ones I have here in the shop right now!!!
The "no reverse" issue is quite common, that is caused by lack of maintenance over the years and is not a fundamental "weakness" in a 727!!!! Anyone who claims that is full of shit!
The rear band is broken and the strut May have fallen into the pan. Just typical "overhaul" kinda stuff that is done every day.
If the tranny is a bw...then it could be a few other things...and while we do have a parts source for those trannys....rebuilding one is gonna run much more than swapping in a 727.
I do slushboxtranny work for ihon under "contract/sublet". If ya wanna take a trip down the hill I'll be glad to show ya some pickall versions of a 727 undergoing build now, and I do have a few cores that will be suitable for a swap if you go that route.
Making up mounts and all is no problem, but the 727 inna pickall is a side mount tranny and the oem mounts for those two points are very pricey. And by far the best solution for the "kickdown" and throttle control is the lokar cable set up. The bw tranny uses both a vacuum system and and electric switch for that function, totally different from a tf 727 which used no vacuum.
The rig discussed in these threads is a m/y '71 (build date of feb./71) and izza bw slushbox. It also had no reverse (prolly why it was parked many years ago):
http://www.forums.IHPartsAmerica.com/I-h-s-t-o/815-miz-phelpsette-phase-II.html
Come on down for a visit!!!
P.s. I'd be more than happy to work with ya on bringing the family heirloom to life! I have many friends around the country who are doing the same right now, many of 'em were raised in the rig, raised their own kids in the rig, and now their grandkids are doing restos on the same rig!!!