Yup... you gotcha a late one. Which is good I think... the big parts problem is them damn laygear needle bearings. I couldn't find 'em anywhere when I did mine... so I put used ones in there.

I'm the same way with the learning thing... Though maybe a bit backwards. I was going to have my transmission professionally rebuilt, but when I found those bearings to be unavailable, I said screw it, and I did it myself. The only reason for my teardown was to replace a broken reverse gear, and I did get that done.

I've got a strong hunch that you could do it too, but as I said in an earlier post... its a heck of a lot easier to start with a practice box. As I recall, you are in the Seattle area? Geez... you'd think out htere, you'd easily be able to source a used M40 for next to nothing and take it apart/put it together for practice. I'd shoot to find one from a '73 or so to be sure its the later type... then you've got spare parts. I don't know when the cutoff year is though... if there was one. Mine is a later type as well, and was from a '71. But it was a 142e and had the J OD... for non-overdrive cars, they might have continued to use the early type for a while. I don't know if there is any way to tell early from late from the outside..

If you do that, take it apart carefully. If you do it wrong, you'll have to force things, and that will wreck parts. If you do everything in just the right order, the parts just sort of fall out and its a wonderful feeling. Whatever you do, no NOT try to force that laygear shaft out the wrong way. It won't go, and you'll wreck at least half of the unavailable bearings. Trust me on that... I know.

Go for it, man...Its fun!

-Matt