Geodim

I just popped the transmission in my 1988 Corvette. I have an opportunity to pick up a 700r4 from a firebird. Will this transmission fit my car? I need to get this back on the road asap.

Thanks in advance!!

knikula

IIRC, the output shaft of the firebird (assuming here the firebird has a v8 700r4) needs to be cut shorter about 5/8".... and then swap the talihousing. there are threads here that detail this... You'll need to search for them.

Good luck

Geodim

Can I just use the output shaft from the popped transmission? is that more work that I need to do?

confab

You can, but it will require partial disassembly.

Not hard, but you need to be sure to get the input drum seated properly or it will cause damage. The trans will need to be standing up, with the pump pointed at the ceiling. You will need a pump gasket at a minimum.

383vett

It'll be a lot easier to cut the end off of the Firebird tranny. I used a cutoff wheel when I did it. Cover the rest of the tailshaft with a rag so particles don't get into the tranny and use a shopvac when you're cutting.

Geodim

Sorry not lazy, just generic searches give me hundreds upon hundreds of results to go through.. what should I search on to find the articles / posts you mentioned? Want to see what it entails before I buy a transmission I found..

Regards,
G

confab

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...difficult.html

knikula

It was trial and error for me on that search too, I have no recollection of what terms finally made me stumble onto it....

I freely admit to being quite lazy... and I see confab came thru for you already...

If you take the output shaft from the old tranny, you'll learn a whole lot more about the tranny.... but I'd cut the firebird shaft in a heart beat ...

You'll get a chance to see the guts soon enough....

Geodim

So literally.. from what I read... cut the shaft with a cut off wheel. swap the tail shaft housing... then swap the speedo gears? Does that sound too simple? believe me, I can screw up a wet dream....

confab

Yeah, basically. If you are cutting:

Remove the tailshaft housing from both.

Measure from the rear of the case on the vette unit and cut the shaft on the firebird unit to the same length. Deburr and chamfer the cut and use a triangle file or something similar to clean up the splines.

Reassemble with vette tailshaft housing and spedo gears.

It would be REALLY HARD to screw this up.. It's like 5 bolts.

383vett

Actually harder. An 88 has only 4 bolts.

confab

spedo gear..

383vett

Ouch!

Geodim

ok, so curious.. anyone in Connecticut (or nearby) by chance have a good 700R4 that will go into my 1988 that they are willing to sell to a guy on a budget?