84 cutlass trans choices?

[84ttops]

hey all i have an 84 cutlass... i am stuck on trans selections.... i am dropping a sbc 350 in this summer and i have read alot on here about trans choices and i have talked to a couple trans guys and a couple of track guys and i have gotten more confused than when i started looking.. idealy i would love an auto trans that has an overdrive.. not nec. a lock up but just an overdrive... i started with great idea of 700r4 and alot of the track guys are telling me if it dont hold up to a big block then dont use it.. i guess better safe than sorry good idea.. then some of the guys are telling me a 4l80e is gonna need alot of cutting a wiggling around stuff under the car to get it to fit plus a drive shaft and new cross member...and 4l80e's are expensive as hell to build... so then i went back to the track guys who say a turbo 400 will do the job and its not gonna kill the pocket or the gas mileage still need some moding to get it to work... but some of the other g body guys are all like just run a th350 that will hold up if it built right so i was thinking what different about that than a 700r4 and at the same time why not a 200r4 cause they got a better 1st to 2nd ratio... HELP!!!!!!!!!! ME!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JBreu]

This has been a debate for such a long time and depends on who you ask......I went from a th-400 to a 700r4 in my Monte....I love the low first gear in the 700r4 as my car hits the 1320 every now and again and it gets the heavy Monte moving quicker...I also love the o/d as I have a 4.10 gears in the rear and in o/d at 65-70 mph I'm bussing around 2300 rpm's !!!

 

[84ttops]

that trans is holding up to the power you have on your description? how much was yours to get built?

 

[dogsht]

If its just a stop light to stop light in town only car just go three speed either th350 or th400. If you have no budget & no transmission in hand then you have to go three speed. Otherwise in a gbody the 200-4r is your best choice. In a heavy pick up where you might drag a heavy trailer I would say 4l80, in certain 4 wheel drive applications or a heavy pick up with a weak motor like a v6 or early 80s stock 305 then a 700-r4 would be best because of the ultra low first gear to help it get moving from a stop.

http://WWW.extremeautomatics.com Lonnie did a street strip build 200-4r for my Grand National and my 509ci Cadillac powered 442 both of which are/were mid to high 11second 115mph in the quarter mile capable cars. Both with suspension mods & drag radial to help hook. Both with high stall lock up converters as they are primarily street cars which see the highway. 2,800 stall in one 3,000 in the other. The only time you could tell you had a high stall converter was under near wot. Otherwise the lock up was great for mileage and to keep your transmission fluid cool under moderate acceleration and at cruise. Read what Lonnie says puts in print builds and guarantees / warranties with regards to the 200-4r vs the 700-r4.

 

[JBreu]

Here it goes again..........The 700r4 is a great transmission when it's built properly, I mean they put them in the Police Cars....Then again they put the 2004r in the Grand Nationals........ Thery are both good transmission's as long as they are built right.....I would put my transmission up against a 2004r any day of the week..
To answer your question, I would say I have about $1500.00 all together in my transmission...It's been upgraded with the CK Performance Valve Body with shift kit and the PTC Race 3200 convereter, non lock up, and it shifts hard and has held up to my motor..Then again HP isn't what hurts the drivetrain, it's part of it but the torque is also important...... My motor put 470 foot lbs of torque at 4000 rpm.Like previously noted, it's all preference and what your plans are.....For street light to street light, screw it and throw in a powerglide and call it a day 🙂 THe O/D is something that is great!!! 8)

 

[dogsht]

Not sure if your response was to me or just in general. Yes a well built 700-r4 is a fine transmission. It works well for your application no doubt just saying from scratch in gbody of the two the 200-4r would generally be the ideal. Built equivalent the two cost about the same.

Torque as you said is what is harder on transmissions and if you have a power plant that makes more than 500 foot pounds then the 200-4r requires the billet forward drum shaft. My 509 should have made around 570 foot pounds at around 3200 rpms and my GN setup ideally about 520. My GN trans does not have the billet part but a turbo motor does not hit as violently as a naturally aspirated car. A long stroke big block like the Caddy hits even lower harder.

BTW I like your car and setup a lot. It's a great car and well thought out with your goals in mind. Mine are set up with many similar goals just different power plants and routes for getting each with their own pros & cons.

 

[JBreu]

Not sure if your response was to me or just in general. Yes a well built 700-r4 is a fine transmission. It works well for your application no doubt just saying from scratch in gbody of the two the 200-4r would generally be the ideal. Built equivalent the two cost about the same.

Torque as you said is what is harder on transmissions and if you have a power plant that makes more than 500 foot pounds then the 200-4r requires the billet forward drum shaft. My 509 should have made around 570 foot pounds at around 3200 rpms and my GN setup ideally about 520. My GN trans does not have the billet part but a turbo motor does not hit as violently as a naturally aspirated car. A long stroke big block like the Caddy hits even lower harder.

BTW I like your car and setup a lot. It's a great car and well thought out with your goals in mind. Mine are set up with many similar goals just different power plants and routes for getting each with their own pros & cons.

NOt at you at all friend...Just a statement in general..... You are a very smart person that knows what he talks about and I respect your opinions.....Thank you for the compliment on my car, and let me respond in kind...Your not doing too bad yourself🙂 Maybe I was getting off track or "Hijacking" the thread, but that whole 2004r/700r4 debate could go on and on.......YOur right, a 2004r swap could be cheaper as the driveshaft wouldn't need to be cut..All in all though, they are both damn good trannys.... I do think that from the factory, the grand national 200-4r transmission was stronger than the 700-r4 in a cadillac or roadmaster.......BUt the Cop car Caprice, now that's a different story 🙂

 

[84ttops]

fyi i currently have an olds 307 with olds bell housing th350