Any thoughts or experience with Gear Vendors Overdrives?
- Thread starter Mrockatansky
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Yuppers ! And NO l don't live in an igloo ! Lmao !
I just looked at your profile, you are as well ! Lord have mercy ! Lol
I just looked at your profile, you are as well ! Lord have mercy ! Lol
Cant say as I have but I'm not spinnin' a bbb over 3k rpm down the highway either. I have seen it a few times at the strip and I would have to say, those guys didn't look like they were havin' fun.
As far as a 1k hp 700r4, I'd like to see the shell they use and how long this guy warranties it for. I doubt it lasts very long at anything over 5-600 hp.
A billet shaft forward drum in the 2004r and dual feeding the directs will get you to 7-800 hp fairly reliably if the rest of the trans is put together well. At that point the planetaries start to show their weakness. ckperformance and David H at turbobuickperformance sell some pretty fancy, and pricey billet internals to solve these next issues, but by then the 4L80e and a controller is looking pretty economical.
I'm starting to think you have a hatred towards BB Chevy ! Even a stocker BB will handle 5600 rpm. With the proper parts there racing them 8,000 rpm an up. l do have a fairly stock BB in my Cutlass that has seen 6000rpm afew times in the 20 years l've had that engine with only ever changing the crank bearing last winter as l took it apart to check it over before l put it in the car.
As for the 700 transmission l'll say white, l know l know you'll say black. Look l could phone TCI, B&M, Hugh's and Monster and get all different ratings for each transmission they build. So it ain't a pissing contest.
The only thing we agree on is gv is expensive.
I would say it depends on your power level and what you currently have, for me since I already have a built turbo 400 that handles the power my 565 BBC puts out getting a Gear Vendors would make the most sense and be the strongest option, if your current trans needs to be replaced because of higher power output you could start with an overdrive trans but converters for high stall applications are about $1,000 and you have less options plus needing a controller and speedo output etc. and and it could end up evening out in the end.
I wouldn't call it hatred. I use one in our suburban to tow with. Had one in our last suburban too. In fact, the current suburban has a 4L80e and a 3.73 gear. It gets 15mpg on the highway loaded, and if we hook up the toy box we can usually get Ten or so mpg. I just chose to do other things with my hobby cars.
I ran a 700r4 in my turbo Buick for years. Had it built in 89 by a local shop who I still do business with. It worked well. But ask any of the f body guys who make any kind of power and they will tell you, once you get past about 600 hp a 700r4/4L60e doesn't last vey long no matter who builds it and what fancy cool guy parts you put in it. The design has limitations.
I am in fact getting the pieces together to assemble a 4l60e for our 94 small block suburban. Nothing wrong with the trans. It has a nifty low first gear that gets the 4600# thing moving. Nice for when we hook up the open trailer or just want to take the kids and their friends out for ice cream. But it is lucky to have 250 hp . I am sure it will go another 100k miles and I'm good with that. It just isn't good for north of 500hp.
I ran a 700r4 in my turbo Buick for years. Had it built in 89 by a local shop who I still do business with. It worked well. But ask any of the f body guys who make any kind of power and they will tell you, once you get past about 600 hp a 700r4/4L60e doesn't last vey long no matter who builds it and what fancy cool guy parts you put in it. The design has limitations.
I am in fact getting the pieces together to assemble a 4l60e for our 94 small block suburban. Nothing wrong with the trans. It has a nifty low first gear that gets the 4600# thing moving. Nice for when we hook up the open trailer or just want to take the kids and their friends out for ice cream. But it is lucky to have 250 hp . I am sure it will go another 100k miles and I'm good with that. It just isn't good for north of 500hp.
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Lol , my 33' RV(16,000 lbs) with a 502/Th400 pulling the 32' enclosed car trailer (8000 lbs)with car and tools gets 10mpg if you keep it under 55mph.
I could careless about 200 or 700 transmissions, l just prefer the 4L80E, it holds and works with the Camaro. I also like the fact it's parts l had kicking around. As for the 4L60E it's works with the BB in the Olds and dangles tires so ??? But it is to heavy in the front end twice is enough of that !!
Even funnier is the fact that l also have a 94 K1500 with SB and 4L60E 4x4 that pulls a 26' car trailer. What a plug it is , gets 12 mpg without a head wind by itself, don't look, don't want to know when it pulls the trailer.
When l do build a vehicle l build it with a purpose, Camaro wasent meant for highway or race, Sunday driver around town for fun, but l over built it, bottom end was built for 2-250 shots nitrious, which sit on shelf now as l changed direction half way threw(heads, EFI and cam). The Olds BB same just Sunday driver.Elcamino SB vortec summer daily driver but still a project( paint stage). And then 79 cutlass not sure yet.
The OP was about GV, would l get one well l did price it right after l ran the highway with the camaro $4400 cad, l had the 4L80E so choice was made for me rebuild and use 4L80E atleast $3500 cheaper than GV. Same as 86 Cutlass had a TH350 with 7.5 an 2.14 gears but l want to use a 8.8 an 4.10 gears l had here so once again l also had a 4L60E so l rebuilt it and threw it all together. It's just the way they fell together. There not practical but there fun.
I was just pointing out that a 2004r can be assembled reasonably and the saved money could be used for other things. No need for a controller, just a TV cable and the linkage to hook it to the carb or throttle body. Dare I say, I've helped several people, including a couple on this site get their 2004r overhauled, and they are doing fine with em. One fellow is in Barrie, ON and running in the high elevens with his Turbo Buick.
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