Just put a blueprint 383 stroker motor 485 horsepower into my 1984 Chevy corvette. Can I build the 700 4R trans to withstand or should I try something else.

 

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Alot of people give the 700 a bad rap. But this is my 3rd 700 that was built up over the years (in different cars), and im presently running a 383 450ish hp in my 88. It has updated shell, the best clutches and steels, etc......But in all my 700s i ran the reverse pattern manual valve body. This keeps constant line pressure all the time. IMHO, this is what keeps it alive (that and a decent cooler). My trans barely gets to 160 degrees after driving for an hour. .......i love the setup.

Now would i use a 700 for anything over 600hp? Prob not.

Just my .02

 

I'm not a transmission expert by any stretch, I do know the early 700r4's were just that "early", as in infancy stage of it's existence. The input shaft on your '84 should be the 27 spline, I believe it changed to 30 (stronger) splines in '85, having the 27 spline makes upgrading your torque converter more of a challenge. Which is kinda a bummer as I've read the '84s actually came stock with a higher stall than the rest of the C4's.
Basically over each model year the 700 kept being revised and updated, that being said, it's advisable that you locate a obtain the newest 700r4 without it being electric shift that you can find (preferably from a Corvette as the tailshaft and cone will be correct for the C-beam), this will be late '80's to early '90's ('91-'92ish). This will get you a 700r4 with all the factory upgrades which include much more than the input shaft and give you a great base for a proper rebuild! I'll do some digging and post a link that does a great job of explaining the differences! Personally I would drive it as is, being mindful how hard you are on it and in the meantime find a newer core to rebuild and have ready to swap, along with a new torque converter with the proper stall to match your car (gears, tire size, etc) and engine (cam, rpm, etc)! Yes a 4L80e is robust, yes many love their manuals and YES a 700r4 can be built to be more than stout, you'll just be so much more money and time ahead starting with a newer core! I'll add link when I find it👍

Edit: Links really **** me off, tried several times, it won't open....search "700r4 evolution" it'll be the Hot Rod/Motor Trend article! Maybe someone who isn't an idiot when it comes to computers/smartphones can post the link! Thanks in advance!

 

700 R4 Transmission - Overdrive Evolution (motortrend.com)

Right click copy, right click paste. Pretty simple.

 

There were alot of updates to the early 700s. You will need upgraded hard parts to eliminate the lightweight oem parts that don't hold up in racing situations. I would flip the bill for a Monster or Rossler with all the upgraded parts installed with a warranty. Probably be cheaper in the long run.

 

Thanks for posting link! I just use a smartphone, no computer, most of the time I can press on a web address and select "copy" and then I "paste" it with no problems. It will appear as your link....being underlined and in red color font and work when "clicked" on! Some of the time, I do the same procedure and when I go to paste it, it's several paragraphs long of code (?) (Hieroglyphs to me) and will not open the link unless you highlight an exact portion in blue before you click on it! Not sure what the difference is, I do it same way and get two very different results! Anyway, again I appreciate you providing the link👍

 

Rossler no longer sells upgraded 700r4s or 4l60es. Tried to get my 4l60e freshened up last year. Had to go local. Fortunately everything looked in good shape with over 1000 10 second runs. They know how to build trannies.

 

Mine is built by Dana @ Probuilt, basically he has a list of things that must be upgraded to handle high torque. Soft and hard parts. HP doesn't break things, TQ does, TQ makes heat/friction, heat breaks down fluid, etc.

But yes, with upgraded internals it can last a long time. A tranny cooler only helps that along further.

Early 84 had the 27 spline input that was changed to 30 so you need to check, all 85+ got the 30, but 84-87 all have the 2000rpm TC. If your Tranny had 30 spline, i'd just keep the stock TC for regular street use.