Dunno about the LHD North American units, but the Japanese Domestic Market models have the t-case on the left of the shifter in the 5sp, and to the right of the shifter in the auto... is it on the same side in both versions in the NA Montero?

Active-trac/Superselect is the single biggest improvement of the genII over the genI, IMHO.

1991 HZJ77, 1999 KZJ90, 1999 UZJ100, 1992 M101CDN2
https://www.thegearheadproject.com/category/jdm-journeys/