The NV4500 has become an extremely popular manual-trans swap for Jeep CJ’s, Wranglers and Cherokees; Toyota Land Cruisers; 66’-77’ Broncos, Dodge and GM trucks and 4x4 vehicles.

The cast iron case is combined with massive gearsets in an almost compact 200lb package. As far as driveability is concerned, this unit surpasses the rest with smooth, short action and very distinct shift gates.

Commonly referred to as simply NV4500, the transmission is identified by Dodge Truck as NVG4500, while Chevrolet and GMC designate it as the MT8 and MW3. The manufacturers’ code names for the two transmissions are different and so are some of the internals, yet both gearboxes are made at the same New Venture Gear assembly plant. General Motors applications include it as an option in 3/4 and 1-ton fullsize trucks with a GVWR of more than 8500 pounds (some literature shows 1/2-ton availability, but we haven’t seen such a truck). Dodge versions are used in 3/4 and 1-ton trucks, mostly with Cummins diesels and V10’s.