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I hope that what you bought is an 87 or later version... early 700r4 s had very weak input shafts .. will not take power or abuse ... congrats on making the swap, you will love the low ratio 1st and the overdrive 4th..
I hope that what you bought is an 87 or later version... early 700r4 s had very weak input shafts .. will not take power or abuse ... congrats on making the swap, you will love the low ratio 1st and the overdrive 4th..
And that was the start of the weak spots. The Chevy dealer I worked at in 1985 had 9 pickups they ran parts in. In a week they dropped the transmissions on 5 of them. Made me some good money that week.
The trnsmission that i found is from a 1982 corvette. In italy is not so simple to find parts for my corvette... anyway, this 700r4 has been totally rebuilt. I hope that is not so weak!
I'm going now to pick it up!
Do You think that a 3.73 final ratio is better than a 3.08?
Last edited by oVoSanto; Oct 14, 2017 at 03:31 AM.
The trnsmission that i found is from a 1982 corvette. In italy is not so simple to find parts for my corvette... anyway, this 700r4 has been totally rebuilt. I hope that is not so weak!
I'm going now to pick it up!
Do You think that a 3.73 final ratio is better than a 3.08?
The 3.73's are the desired rear axle ratio for the C3's running carburetors and dual plane intake manifolds because the runner velocity is much higher. The '82 CrossFire Injection came with very small intake runners to keep the runner velocity high and that's how they managed to run the tall 2.87 rear axle ratios.
Don't worry about the .120" smaller 27 mm input shaft (if it still has one). They only broke on high horsepower drag racing cars. The early TH700R4's failed because they were originally intended for the 4.6 liter V6 engines so they had 4-disc 3-4 clutch packs. When used behind the more powerful 350's those 4-disc clutch packs burned so the early TH700R4's got a bad name from then on. My '82's TH700R4 also failed after several years of average use but when it got rebuilt by Chevrolet it got the later (and 50% stronger) 6-disc 3-4 clutch packs and that solved the problem.
Very nice. I am also living in Italy in Torino. I swapped a 700r4 into my '78. I have an '88 K-case 700 with corvette servos. I used the Bowler total cure package for my TV cable and lock up controller.
I used the bowtie overdrive cross member which worked fine.
Edit: for the shifter I used Shift works conversion kit, neutral safety switch and shifter cable to modify the shifter for the 700. http://www.shiftworks.com/corvette-68-81.htm
Last edited by Domobomb; Oct 14, 2017 at 06:18 AM.
@ 71VetteLover:
some months ago when I rebuilt my engine, I worked my 882 heads. I have enlarged the intake and exhaust runners. The intake manifold is an Edelbrock 2701 (or 2101 don't remember), with 600cfm Holley carburetor. I have installed a hooker side exhaust. Do you think that a 3.08 axle ratio is so inadequate?
The transmission has been recently rebuilt but i do not know if with 4 or 6 disc 3-4 clutch pack. I can try to ask the previous owner ...
@Domobomb:
Luckily this transmission comes with its original TV cable and the adjuster clip. I think that will work fine. I will have to build a proper bracket. Could you explain me how the Lock Up controller works?
The bowtie overdrive cross member is a good solution. But probably I have already found a 1982 original crossmember. Nothing is stopping me now! : D
OKK for shiftworks, thankyou!
Your 78 vette is here in turin?
Last edited by oVoSanto; Oct 15, 2017 at 07:42 AM.
Let's begin!
@ 71VetteLover:
some months ago when I rebuilt my engine, I worked my 882 heads. I have enlarged the intake and exhaust runners. The intake manifold is an Edelbrock 2701 (or 2101 don't remember), with 600cfm Holley carburetor. I have installed a hooker side exhaust. Do you think that a 3.08 axle ratio is so inadequate?
The transmission has been recently rebuilt but i do not know if with 4 or 6 disc 3-4 clutch pack. I can try to ask the previous owner ...
@Domobomb:
Luckily this transmission comes with its original TV cable and the adjuster clip. I think that will work fine. I will have to build a proper bracket. Could you explain me how the Lock Up controller works?
The bowtie overdrive cross member is a good solution. But probably I have already found a 1982 original crossmember. Nothing is stopping me now! : D
OKK for shiftworks, thankyou!
Your 78 vette is here in turin?
Here is a link to the lock up controller for the converter which explains as well as instructions that show what needs to be changed. There are probably cheaper options from other companies. https://www.bowlertransmissions.com/...ontrol-module/
Good that you have the cable. No doubt that you already know it is critical to adjust the TV cable properly.
My corvettes and camaro are back home in Canada. I am in Torino for the next year to study automotive engineering and also work on a research project at Fiat. I am trying very hard to find a corvette, camaro, or firebird (or even anything with a 5.7L small block chevrolet at this point) but it has been difficult. Maybe you know of anything for sale around here?
Last edited by Domobomb; Oct 15, 2017 at 10:00 AM.
First of all, thank you! If I decided to install a 700R4 in to my '74, it's thank to the informations that I found on this amazing forum!
For about 500€, I found here in Italy a freshly rebuilt 700R4 transmission with his converter and drive shaft.
My shopping list continues with the '82 crossmember (I don't want to modify the original one), TV cable, shifter and shifter console pattern.
I hope that everything will go to in the right way! I'll be in touch with you!
I put a 700R4 in my 79 many years ago. The crossmember was the same as the '82. The only difference was the bracket that bolts to the crossmember to support the transmission. I suspect you '74 is the same. All you need is the bracket.
Here is a link to the lock up controller for the converter which explains as well as instructions that show what needs to be changed.
Thank for the link, the guide is really explicative!
Originally Posted by Domobomb
My corvettes and camaro are back home in Canada. I am in Torino for the next year to study automotive engineering and also work on a research project at Fiat. I am trying very hard to find a corvette, camaro, or firebird (or even anything with a 5.7L small block chevrolet at this point) but it has been difficult. Maybe you know of anything for sale around here?
The world is very little: my wife has been in Montreal 3 month at McGill university for a scientific project!
I know a lot of people in turin with Camaro, Vettes and many other cars. And for sure someone is selling something!
A 600 Holley is a small carb, you may want something bigger
In the past I had a 750cfm Edelbrock carburetor on my car but the AF ratio was too rich... With the Holley carburetor (is 650cfm, not 600 i was wrong) the car runs better... Maybe that the old 750 was not properly adjusted...
Originally Posted by drwet
I put a 700R4 in my 79 many years ago. The crossmember was the same as the '82. The only difference was the bracket that bolts to the crossmember to support the transmission. I suspect you '74 is the same. All you need is the bracket.
The '74 xmember is a little different from the 79. But I suppose that the bracket for my TH400 is the same for your old TH350. Do you have a pic of the bracket for the 700?
Last edited by oVoSanto; Oct 17, 2017 at 03:40 AM.
I put a 700R4 in my 79 many years ago. The crossmember was the same as the '82. The only difference was the bracket that bolts to the crossmember to support the transmission. I suspect you '74 is the same. All you need is the bracket.
Are you sure about that? I think the bow tie overdrive crossmember relocates the parking brake pulley because the stock location interferes with the driveshaft u-joint.
Update of the last minute!
maybe that i found an original '82 crossmember!
Looks good. Not a lot of room to run a true dual exhaust though. Looks like the exhaust holes were eliminated for '82. There is just clearance for the catalytic converter on the passenger side.
What are regulations on exhaust in Italy?
Last edited by Domobomb; Oct 17, 2017 at 08:09 AM.
Looks good. Not a lot of room to run a true dual exhaust though. Looks like the exhaust holes were eliminated for '82. There is just clearance for the catalytic converter on the passenger side.
I have hooker side exhausts, this cross member it's OK for me.
What are regulations on exhaust in Italy?
Theorically, the exhaust and all parts of the car should be approved by the veichle registration authority and provided with the "E" logo marked by the manufacturer (like the DOT).
Obviously for a car like an oldtimer corvette, this is not possible. And it is not possible to build a custom exhaust and let him approve because no one in the Registration Authority takes charge of the responsibility to do it. Even if it's all technically compliant. For this reason most of the cars coming from extraUE countries get the first European papers in Germany where the things works better. Then you can translate the UE docs in Italy. Obviously this loop of paper is very expensive (up to 3000E) but germans thanks a lot for the faraginous italian burocracy.
Last edited by oVoSanto; Oct 18, 2017 at 03:33 AM.
I put a 700R4 in my 79 many years ago. The crossmember was the same as the '82. The only difference was the bracket that bolts to the crossmember to support the transmission. I suspect you '74 is the same. All you need is the bracket.
In the 1982 section on the rockauto website I found the ENERGY SUSPENSION 31108G transmission mount.
700R4 Conversion
