I have nagged y'all about this before. The point about a 97 though is it is the "youngest" OBS. Maybe getting into one I would wonder about the quality control from oem suppliers on an ending contracts. Parts that sat on shelves or mixed later pieces. I was on at least one ford forum about 10 years ago trying identify the transfer-case motor used on my romeo built 97 4.6 f150. No part store was able to come up with a new one which had the same pig tail and I was living in an area where pick-n-pulls are scarce. Point: When I was under a 95 truck the other day, I believe it had the same pig tail and therefore the same case motor. Engine was gone but 8th Vin # was N so I think that's a 5.0.

 

I disagree with your “end of contract” theory. The manufacturer would, most likely, still be under contract to supply warranty parts for several more years. My ‘87 Bronco was built in June of ‘87 but still has a mix of parts. What I mean by that is Ford must have had some leftovers from the ‘86 models that made it into my truck.

According to RockAuto you could have had either a 4405 or 1356 Borg Warner transfer case in your ‘97 F-150. It would not surprise me to have the same shift motor as the ‘95 if they both would had the 1356 transfer case. Yes, engine code “N” is a 302/ 5.0L

 

It doesn't apply to all parts but if you are filling your last order and the next generations parts were contracted to someone else so your dealings with Ford are essentially ending or worse the plant is closing then it is not unheard of. Maybe the auto industry has a little more power to retain good lawyers if it could ever be proved. Some of the parts may not get used on the last production model but stored for warranty/legal reasons. Ever heard of built on a Friday, Monday morning assemblies and even Motorcraft parts aren't what they used to be for particular parts/scenarios?

 

My Uhaul truck is a 97.

 

There's many mentions of "build-out" & "use to exhaustion" for ridding on hand inventories in Ford literature as well as "push through" when stuff runs out & they incorporated the next model design.

This is across the lines & trucks would be no different.

 

I bought a T-18 manual transmission that came out of this 89 F-150 4x4. Supposedly, they stopped putting t-18's into f-150's in 1973

 

Was that purchased off the So Cal coast? Your profile says your in Arizona and I doubt it rust out there.

Is it possible that it is a T-19? I saw on another forum that it was available until 1993.

 

I got it online. The vin plate on the truck has transmission code F which is a T-18.

 

I’m not saying you’re wrong.... just going by this information. It was on the Internet so it has to be true.

 

I know, it's all wrong, but it's true. Here is the door tag.

 

Actually ford stopped using the T-18 in 1991

 

One thing about the internet: once I think you have proven a hypothesis, someone disproves it.