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77 Engine & Transmission Pulled

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Old Aug 4, 2024 | 05:34 PM
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Default 77 Engine & Transmission Pulled

First time engine / transmission removal. I used the load leveler from HF - worked awesome. Was able to remove engine and transmission by myself with no issues.




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Old Aug 4, 2024 | 06:25 PM
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Yup it's out! Must have been real fun bolting that chain to the back of the heads! I've never done it that way! And now that it's out you can put in a real transmission with a third pedal!
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Old Aug 4, 2024 | 06:53 PM
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Originally Posted by 4-vettes
Yup it's out! Must have been real fun bolting that chain to the back of the heads! I've never done it that way! And now that it's out you can put in a real transmission with a third pedal!
Attaching chains to back of heads wasn't hard at all. Having the 4 connection points made controlling side to side balance a breeze. 👍
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Old Aug 4, 2024 | 07:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Biere
Attaching chains to back of heads wasn't hard at all. Having the 4 connection points made controlling side to side balance a breeze. 👍
Cool! Having never done it that way I would have thought it would be a bugger to get your hand in there.
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Old Aug 5, 2024 | 12:01 AM
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Cool. What next?
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Old Aug 5, 2024 | 06:45 AM
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Originally Posted by Mike in Mobile
Cool. What next?
BluePrint long block, sidepipes, new steering Hoses, cylinder, control valve. Getting TH350 rebuilt to handle the higher HP. Rear end at some point. 👍
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Old Aug 5, 2024 | 07:20 AM
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Seriously? Your going to spend money on a automatic transmission?
It's out. Perhaps think about something much more satisfying to drive.
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Old Aug 5, 2024 | 08:01 AM
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Not everybody wants a stick. I had 40+ yrs of them.

Your knees start to ache and that is the end of clutch pedal kicking.

And don't think for a minute that manuals are less maintenance.
I have had slave cylinders quit. Disc destroyed. Flywheels warp. Throwout bearings seize.
Pressure Plate chatter. And fork adjustment rods snap. Shifter linkage issues, etc. etc, etc.

I will take a good beefed-up TH350 with a shift kit, deeper pan, remote ATF cooler and a 3,000 torque convertor any day.
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Old Aug 5, 2024 | 10:29 AM
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Yes, TH350 all the way. 🤘
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Old Aug 5, 2024 | 11:12 AM
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...
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Old Aug 5, 2024 | 11:15 AM
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Originally Posted by Biere
BluePrint long block, sidepipes, new steering Hoses, cylinder, control valve. Getting TH350 rebuilt to handle the higher HP. Rear end at some point. 👍
I worry about THM 350's w/high torque motors. My friend (who is not an overly abusive driver) tore up 2 well built THM 350's when he put a 325 horse 396 in his Impala. Put in a THM 400 and no probs 20 yrs later. I read yrs ago that a 400 tranny robs 75 hp between the motor and the wheels. Don't know how accurate that is but if you're making big power the piece of mind of a near indestructible tranny is a good trade. Just my unsolicited 2 cents. As a fellow 77 owner I'm looking fwd to seeing your end result.
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Old Aug 5, 2024 | 04:05 PM
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I still have a th350 with a 3000 stall torque converter in my 77.
Also has a shift kit, 440 hp motor. I beat the snot out of it manually shifting 6200 rpm shifts, etc. Been doing it for over ten years and it's not had any issues so far.

The th350 will take some abuse and heavy use. I do run an additional fluid cooler. I think that is the secret to long life, keep those fluid temps under control.
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Old Aug 5, 2024 | 04:15 PM
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I dont think you will have issues with the stock th350... I am in the process of replacing my 355 with a 406 and the th400 with a weaker 2004r that has overdrive and I am fairly concerned for the longevity of the transmission under the estimated 500lbs of torque from the 406 but I decided to cross that bridge when I get there. who knows , now that im adding a fuel injection system that has the ability to control electronic transmissions I may find myself looking at a 460e down the road.
I also will be running a shift kit and additional cooler. I have also read about the high power consumption of the th400 even compared to the th350. Many folks that have gone to an overdrive trans say its one of the best mods they have ever made to the car so keep that in mind if you considering a 700r4 at all.
I like sticks myself but im not messing with a conversion. My uncle has a 4 speed 76 and ironically wants me to swap with him but its still more work than I want and I really want the overdrive rpms. I just did my suspension and swapped in a 3.55 rear end without any issues. the tubular a arms with more castor and borgeson were well worth it imo

I bought that same HF leveler when I swapped in my 355 12 years ago but ended up not using it last minute. someone borrowed it and hasnt returned it since.

Last edited by augiedoggy; Aug 5, 2024 at 04:24 PM.
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Old Aug 7, 2024 | 10:32 PM
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Originally Posted by 4-vettes
Seriously? Your going to spend money on a automatic transmission?
It's out. Perhaps think about something much more satisfying to drive.
Don't you ever get tired of typing this crap? I certainly am tired of reading it. I'd love to have an opportunity to embarrass you and your 3 pedal Corvette on a drag strip with my TH350 Corvette.

Last edited by BKbroiler; Aug 8, 2024 at 01:51 PM.
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Old Aug 8, 2024 | 12:55 AM
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Originally Posted by BKbroiler
Don't you ever get tired of trying this crap? I certainly am tired of reading it. I'd love to have an opportunity to embarrass you and your 3 pedal Corvette on a drag strip with my TH350 Corvette.
No, I don't get tired of typing this stuff.
I'm happy for you that your car that drives itself is fast.
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Old Aug 8, 2024 | 08:02 AM
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It's been said that a little 180 horse with a clutch will snap more U-Joints than a 500 horse automatic ever will.

It's called drivetrain shock. Manuals put a tremendous amount of load on the diff, joints, springs, shocks, shafts when launching.
Autos buffer the launch, remove the sudden shock, reducing breakage. Even with gobs of torque.

TH350, shift kit, 3,000 stall, drag radials, 4:11 rear, shifting at 5,700:
8.3 sec in the 1/8 mile, 92 mph.
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Old Aug 8, 2024 | 08:46 AM
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Originally Posted by HeadsU.P.
It's been said that a little 180 horse with a clutch will snap more U-Joints than a 500 horse automatic ever will.

It's called drivetrain shock. Manuals put a tremendous amount of load on the diff, joints, springs, shocks, shafts when launching.
Autos buffer the launch, remove the sudden shock, reducing breakage. Even with gobs of torque.

TH350, shift kit, 3,000 stall, drag radials, 4:11 rear, shifting at 5,700:
8.3 sec in the 1/8 mile, 92 mph.
this is why my driver car(c4) is a manual and the car I take to the strip(c3) is an auto. Much better on the strip.
nice numbers, I have similar numbers, 8.27 at 86mph, when not using nitrous.
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Old Aug 8, 2024 | 10:12 AM
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Yea,I have to agree,63 years old and bad knees,I definitely don’t want to push a clutch in all the time,especially when you mostly drive it in town.
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Old Aug 9, 2024 | 10:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Golferdad
Yea,I have to agree,63 years old and bad knees,I definitely don’t want to push a clutch in all the time,especially when you mostly drive it in town.
This is exactly why my uncle wishes he had an auto in his 76.
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Old Aug 9, 2024 | 08:01 PM
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Originally Posted by 4-vettes
No, I don't get tired of typing this stuff.
I'm happy for you that your car that drives itself is fast.
You still have to power-brake it. You still have to shift it. You still have to steer it. You still have to work both feet.
If that's driving itself then you are mistaken.
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