Transmission Recommendation Please

[jrm81bu]

Being installed in the TTA says a lot considering the F-body was a 700-R4 car 😉

Not really, it just says GM used a transmission that they already had that would actually bolt to the engine. 😀

True, but if the 700 was really so much stronger (as many like to argue) GM could have made it work with a bellhousing adapter. 200-4R's also have much better gear spacing and better OD. 700-R4 was designed as a truck transmission - not sure why they went with it on the vettes and F-bodies...

200-4R used to get a really bad reputation as "another junk metric transmission" because of the 200c 3-speed, which was junk, and replaced the tried and true TH350. This has slowly started to change over the years as old school gear heads who would only use a "vette/camaro trans" have come to understand how good the 200-4R is. So many of the good 200-4R cores were scrapped by idiotic transmission shops because they talked the owner into swapping in a TH350 or 700-R4 - my SS is one of these cars - it had a TH350 in it when I bought it... which is terrible with 3.73 gears.

Bottom line is telling those who like to argue the 700-R4 is stronger quickly put their head down when you tell them the 200-4R was used in the quickest cars of their time. They will almost always respond with "no way, vettes used a 700 man", until you inform them that the GNX and TTA (two cars they often have never heard of) would blow the doors off a vette off the showrooom floor 🙂

But an adapter from the factory would have been tacky, lol. I'm gonna argue which ones stronger, in stock form they both need help. Better overdrive?, eh, you're only talking .02 difference in ratio. The 1-2 shift, I suppose it can cause a problem for some, but I don't think it's as bad as people make it out to be, kinda like the bad rap the 2004r gets. I only used mine because I already had it, if I were to start from scratch i'd prolly go with the 2004r just cause it will bolt in easier.

 

[85_SS]

They also could have made the 700 a dual pattern, the same way they did with the 200. Point is, if the 700 was so much better, they would have made it work. I should qualify my statements by stating that they are pretty equal in stock form - it's just irritating when the vette/camaro guys (and trans shops that have no idea what they are talking about) try to argue the 700 is so much stronger/better. I'm not saying the 700 is bad, but rather that it's no better than the 200-4R 🙂 I think it is fair to say that the 200-4R does have a stronger aftermarket though, thanks to the TR crowd.

 

[jrm81bu]

They also could have made the 700 a dual pattern, the same way they did with the 200. Point is, if the 700 was so much better, they would have made it work. I should qualify my statements by stating that they are pretty equal in stock form - it's just irritating when the vette/camaro guys (and trans shops that have no idea what they are talking about) try to argue the 700 is so much stronger/better. I'm not saying the 700 is bad, but rather that it's no better than the 200-4R 🙂 I think it is fair to say that the 200-4R does have a stronger aftermarket though, thanks to the TR crowd.

Lol, agreed.

 

[megaladon6]

Fully agree. Both are good, but I find myself constantly defending the 200 against the neophytes
Ironically, I seem to recall that there was a vette 200

 

[dogsht]

Lonnie at Extreme Automatics says on their website;

"Q - 2004R or 700R4?

A - I have been asked this question more than any other. Straight answer some will not like. Honestly its not even a fair fight. The 2004R will handle power that far exceeds that of any 700R4 or 4L60 that can be build at any price. 2004R has a better gear ratio spread, better Overdrive ratio, will fit many more applications, Lighter, Stronger I can go on and on. The 700R4 is best left to applications where its the only option such as 4WD or All WD, tow vehicles, Lower HP applications or customers that are more concerned with budget v/s strength and reliability."


Box stock the average 700-R4 was stronger than the generic version of the 200-4R after that the comparison becomes lopsided in favor of the 200-4R IMO.


EDIT Oh yea then the company backs it up with some of the best price & power warrantys in the business and compares it in detail to many of the bigger internet performance transmission sites.

 

[megaladon6]

my former co-workers (auto mechanics) really liked the 700 over the 200

because they replaced the 700 2x as much!

 

[81GrandPrix383]

Wow guys, thanks for all the information.
I thought the site would email me when someone replied to this thread but I guess I didn't set it up.
....then I admit it. I forgot about it.

I will check out the guy in Toronto and the guy in Milton.
I have gotten mixed reviews when speaking to local and semi local shops.
The last couple have agreed that the 2004R is the best one to go with. Well, one said that, the other said 200 or 700.
After doing a lot of research about what needs to be done to beef up one of these transmission's I was impressed when a couple of people gave me the correct list off the top of their head.

I read somewhere that 10% of the TH200-4R transmissions were Chev Bolt pattern and the other 90% were BOP and Chev dual bolt pattern. Don't know if that is true, i have also read they are all dual bolt pattern.

Lots of reputable places on line to buy from but I like the idea of being able to take it to someone local and bring it back if I have any problems. If I get it shipped I have to deal with the extra $300 for shipping and who knows how much hassle it would be to send it back. On the other hand all the local shops I talk to seem to want $200-$300 more to build it.

85_SS, I agree the TurboBuick site has a lot more info and knowledge. No offense to anyone here, they just seem to have a lot of really high hp cars.

Thanks again to all of you.

 

[85_SS]

I agree with taking it somewhere local. There are lots of great shops online to deal with, but it's not worth the hassle of shipping, especially if you run into issues like you say. It's worth another few hundred dollars to deal locally (ask if they can do cash to save you on the tax).

 

[81GrandPrix383]

I like the Shaker hood on your Monte 85_SS.

Is it functional?
The last owner of my car cut a big hole in the hood as his motor would stick out. I don't think mine will be as tall so I'm trying to come up with something there as well.

 

[85_SS]

I like the Shaker hood on your Monte 85_SS.

Is it functional?
The last owner of my car cut a big hole in the hood as his motor would stick out. I don't think mine will be as tall so I'm trying to come up with something there as well.

Thanks 🙂 Yes, it's mounted to the air breather and has also been modified to be functional as an air intake (factory 77+shakers were closed off at the rear and were just for looks).

Plenty of pics here:
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/291978/19 ... onte-carlo

...and here's a video of it in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8qGJ2V5brg