I started tearing down my BB for a rebuild. I am expecting about 500HP, and do not know which tranny I want to run. My car is currently a 350/350. I have a 400 that was recently rebuilt as well. I really wanted to throw in a 200r4 but everyone tells me go with a 700r4 or a 4l80e. I have looked at the 4l80e and this seems the most expensive route to go. I dont want to spend alot on money on this since I have a 400 ready to go in, but would like an OD for longer trips. I would rather spend my money on a custom paint job I have in mind. I have a magnaflow magnapak exhaust and would like to keep the RPMs down to save my ear drums. So.... What do you suggest?
I dont what gets you have (I have 3.73) and am replacing the switch pitch 400 with a 200r4 out of a GN. It will cost almost 2k but I will have more fun with the car.
I have a 700R4 in mine with a lockup converter. Works good however I don't beat on the car all the time. I have a 4L80E waiting to go in. In addition to the tranny you need a stand alone computer that is about $1300.00 so yes it is expensive to go the 4L80E route but they are bullit proof. Peace, Mike D.
Go with the 200r4 it is a bolt in swap compared to the more involved 700r4 and 4l80e swaps. ... The 700r4 will need an adapter plate, so will the 4l80E.
I would suggest the 200R4 if your not going to hammer it alot. As mentioned the 700 and 4L80E will need adapter plates and other mods.
there is a manual valve body kit available for the 4l80e. so if you don't mind shifting gears it is an option.
I have a 700r4 behind my 350 in my 67 Skylark. I chose it because I didn't know about the 200r4 at the time, and how easy of a swap it was. I needed the previously mentioned adapter plate, and had to have my driveshaft shortened 3 inches. My friend gave me a 200r4 he had in a Camaro, and I"ll be using that for my 455 build whenever I get it finished and pick a vehicle to put it all in. -Josh
I'm pretty carefull about the way I drive so I am not too worried about hammering it often. I might "occasionally" play at a stop light.... How much power can the 200r4 handle/ be built too handle?
Nick, I went with the oldz 468cu./550hp/610ftlbs/200r4 combo with 3.90's in the posi rear with 25-26 inch tires and love it!!! and I have hit it more then a few time... Pat from Lev 10 in Hamburg NJ built my 200r4 years back when I put it my 82 Fleetwood Bro ham with a oldz 410cu/ 475hp 3/4 filled block/200r4/4.10 cheby police posi with 30" tires for traction and 27" tires for the smoke show... I then ended up droping a monpello 461 in the caddoo... the 200r4 still held.. monpello did not.. long story short now have 3.. a 461&468 from mon$ello and the 410 from a local guy... Nice I then put the oldz 410 in the 67 Special with a switch pitch 400 2.70/2.90 or so posi.... can't keep the car straight.. it's fun So this past spring I pulled everything out of the caddoo and scraped it ( got $500.00 +!!!) and I put the 461/468 ( I keep meaning to pull a plug and look down the hole, when it's warm again) with the 200r4 and 3.90 on a like new 1967 posi I got from member FINITEBIDDER (Again Thanks Rick) in the 1967 GS 400 and could not be happier ....... low rpm's highway and killer around town.... all in all a 200r4 built right will last :3gears: PLUS 1
How much money are you willing to spend on it? When you start getting a 200r4 to handle a lot of power the cost is much more than building a 400.
i woudnt go all that far..when I talked with janis from janistransmissions in arkon ohio, he said it'll handle around 800 ish hp anything more and you're better off going to a th400 my quote was 1800 which included all billet parts and non lockup converter plus my own core.. so no core will be more $$$ lockup converter will be more cash and transbrake will be more $$$
Mike I agree 100%.. back 8-9 years or so when Level 10 did my 200r4, the top hp iirc was 650-700.. and I paid over $2100.00............ But 1200hp how many runs? :dollar: :dollar: :dollar: :dollar: :dollar:
I say probably woud need a refreshin around every 2 years += or so lol more or less depending how you use/launch the trans
This is what I may eventually do, th400 gear vendors and 3.08..mainly cause i got turbos..otherwise i would of did 3.42s the gv ratio is 3.78 though..
As you guys are saying the 200r4 is great under 650 hp however things get pricey above that! I called and talked to my trans guy earlier today.... I am going to go with the 4L80E that I picked up tonight. Found one for $150 if I pulled it, so I even got to try it out in the truck (it shifted great of course). I know the 4L80E swap is not as easy as the 200r4 but in my case I need to build up every part of the car so it is not much extra work really....I am going full manual valve body by the way.
I'm just saying built to the max internal part wise my quaote was 1800.I just dont want to see someone spend cash on a fully built 200r4 only to **** it out, or have to constally do a refresh build on in every couple years due to them making mid 700hp and similar ft lbs... 200r4 internals are smaller then th350 parts 4l80e shouldnt be anymore complicated then a th400 minsu the full mvb you plan to run and a bellhousing adapter
I am glad this came up, I will be happier with the 4L80E I think. Yes, I plan to run an adapter plate... I have one here but will likely build a mid mount to tie everything to the frame. This combined with a front plate will help keep things in place...
Isn't the 4L80E just a T400 with a built in overdrive? When you go to the manual valve body it makes it much easier to adapt it to an engine without all of the sensors.
