i thought I would add the gear vendors and try to document it for others to follow in case they wanted to do it also. Like others, I compared the price of a well built 200-4R or 700r. By the time I added it all up the costs were comparable. Then I came across a used GV unit for 1750.00. In addition, I liked the fact no shifter modifications or TV cable to mess with....and I keep my switch pitch converter and cheap to rebuild turbo 400. I mocked up the unit....looks LONG. Check the original short tail extension on top for comparison. Installed the electronics first. Since I already have other stuff installed in the desired location under the ash tray I decided to mount the control switch on the left side under the washer switch area. Think it will work fine. I already have a second foot switch to control my switch pitch converter. I decided to mount the GV switch also.....so 3 for now! Not sure how this will work out.....I may change the SP to a throttle switch. I then tried to install the unit in the car......and all the fun began. Based on other posts in other a body forums I figured I would relieve the floor pan a little, maybe have to modify the cross brace a little, and be done.....no dice. The relief area on needed the floor pan is directly under the shifter. I was able to relieve about 1 inch total using an air hammer and a rounded chuck bit. All was good until I broke my chuck bit. I switched to a ground down chisel bit chuck and quickly tore 3 holes in the already stretched and thinned floor pan metal! Grrrrrrrrrr! Crap. The holes were small and I patched them but I don't think I can move much more metal in the required area. I put everything in and STILL think I need at least 1 inch more for everything to fit like I would like it to. Others seem to be comfortable cutting the tranny cross mount and re welding so the transmission and GV unit hang about 1 inch lower. I don't like that plan. My car is lowered about 2 inches. The GV unit hangs down lower than the tranny pan......and I don't want to drag either of them. I also see interference with the cross brace and the front of the GV adapter. So, I would have had to cut and weld and rework the stock one to make it work. I decided to see what other options were out there. I found a shorter energy suspension transmission mount and an aftermarket GForce crossmember that I think will work. Hope to try them in the next week. Will post results once I do.
Good post!! I'm considering adding a GV to my Muncie down the road. Good luck and I look forward to seeing the rest of your progress.
Ouch. The 200-4R was pretty simple to install. Works with factory turbo 350 drive shaft and only needed to add the TV cable stuff. No cutting on anything. Good luck and I'll be watching to see how it turns out. Good documentation is a curse for the first guy and a blessing for those that follow.
not to mention, an EA stage 2 2004r is only 2100...less expensive then a new GV unit. also jakes performance stage 3 you dont even need the tv cable stuff
But now you'll need a new convertor won't you? and that'll put it back up to the $2500? Unless you can use a Turbo 400 unit?
Be careful using a poly trans mount and stock engine mounts together. If you got enough power and play hard it will destroy bellhousings, been there and done it not once ,not twice, but three times, chained engine down and beat it to death for years no issues
Well that's not good. Anyone know of rubber mounts that are shorter than stock? I could not find one.
I would look into a Chevelle cross member, it would be super easy to move the mounting pad down where ever you need it, more so than the buick crossmember
You will be way ahead of the game once you have the GV in and running. The peace of mind knowing you have as close to a bullet proof set up as you can get is worth a ton. Bob H.
Couldn't get the GForce crossmember to work with the GV without cutting it....and couldn't bring myself to cut it yet.....just too nice. I decided to cut the stock one instead. Using the shortened mount I got it to fit....finally. Still debating if I am going to cut the GForce or keep the stock one. Considering the hardness of the new poly mount I like the idea of the rubber mount pad ends on the stock one. The GForce bolts directly to the frame like a chevelle crossmember so I am worried about vibration. The bottom of the GV unit is now the same height as the trans pan. I have 1/8 to 1/4 inch clearance between the floor pan and the GV. Here are the main areas I had to stretch the floor pan to get it to fit.
I put a 200R4 in my 69 F'bird built to 550 hp for under $500. What changes do you plan to make to your carburetor to match the lower vacuum you will have with O/D?
True, or have current one cut and cleaned.. but 200r4 has lockup converter option plus better OD ratio New gv starts at 2700 and goes up to about 3100 depending on what GM auto
I decided to try and use the GForce cross member for no good reason. One of those deals where you are half way into the project asking yourself "why did I do this?". I ended up having to significantly modify the center of it to get it to fit. The plus side.....welds came out real nice.....I have had a couple of bad welding outcomes lately and was loosing confidence in my ability. The combos that seem to work and provide the best clearance -stock crossmember with cut out notch and .4 shorter trans mount from energy suspension Or -modified GForce crossmember with stock rubber trans mount I got it all fit in tonight. In the end......if I was advising someone.....I would suggest to just use the stock trans cross member, notch it, and order in the short energy suspension mount. The GForce is just too much of a pain on our cars to install and get in and out. Hard to tell from pick, but I left about 3/4 inch on top and 1 1/8 inch on bottom. I left as much as I could. Boxed everything in that I cut out to add strength back.
Frustrating day.....wanted to finish up the install today.....but the used driveshaft I had is 1/2 inch too long......so, off to the driveshaft shop Monday. More money I did not want to spend on this project. But....taking the opportunity to mock up the new 3 inch exhaust system with electric cut outs
Just watching to see if you completed this install yet. Not sure what the future holds for me , looking for all your feedback and others also. Also how do you like the Hellwig rear sway bar (good-bad-better)?
I'm curious, everything I've read online leads you to believe that outside of a little tunnel "massaging" and a driveshaft cut, it's a bolt in. Did they tell you up front it won't fit without modifying your rear cross member? Oh yeah, nice X-pipe, who made it? Can't wait to hear your driving impressions once you're back on the road.
To each his own on an OD trans. I went with the 4L80e. Shorter, just as bullet proof as the TH400, has lockup TCC etc. Cost really seems to be the driving factor and that seems to be born out of capability and convenience. Some people debate weight as well.. But wow,that is a long set up... Still cool to see everyone's spin on the OD options.
Ok, gonna close finish this wrIte up. It has been a loooong time but I finally road tested this on a 500 mile round trip to a car show this weekend. Long story short, a roller cam upgrade last year uncovered engine issues that turned into a total engine rebuild. On this trip I got ~14mpg from a very healthy 455, TH 400, 3:73 gears. I am very happy with the performance. Nice having the switch pitch and GV. Having the choice of OD in 2nd or 3rd was nice while driving through the mountain roads. I kept it in manual mode and kicked it on or off with the foot switch. The only issue I had was a bad solenoid. I couldn't get it to work at first, but my buddy who has a lot of experience with these said "I bet it's the solenoid" and happened to have about 10 of them in a coffee can that he had pulled in yards over the years. Sure enough....swapped it out...worked perfect after that. I have read some complaints about the speed of the GV shift in and out of OD. My standards are apparently not as high, because for my taste it shifted plenty fast, especially out of OD. Also, I have discovered that the likely reason I had to modify the cross member is because the GV unit I bought (used) had the deep bottom cover. (For additional cooling). It adds about 1-1 1/2 inch to the depth. Without that, I think the stock crossmember would have worked without any modification, but I am happy with the modified GForce and how everything fits now. I can't say I would go this route if I had to pay full price for a GV unit. For that much I would probably go with a well build 200-4R. I just think installation would be easier. And if I did go GV, I would definitely use the shallow pan unit or buy the shallow pan first from GV.
