Will this trans work on the streat?????

Used up old race junk has no place going on a car driven by someone who has to ask if its a good idea to use it.

 

Unfotunately not every one like you is a transmission expert.
When you have tons of knowledgable people to ask a question, you would be stupid not to ask it.

 

The transbrake is in the valvebody. It engages forward and reverse clutches at the same time so it can't rotate. Don't know if swapping a stock valve body back in would work, depends on what else was done, if it still has a govenor etc.

 

I think that's a good choice. People are getting $100 just for a Chevy 400 core around here. Even if it is "used up" they are really easy to work on and can be freshened up for about $150. worth of parts. Make sure it is a Chevy and not a BOP bolt pattern. If you end up buying it let me know if you want to sell the 5000 stall. Good luck.

 

Yeah I think I am going to get it. I will sell the 5000 stall becuase it will be no use to me.

 

Some of the cheaper trans brakes don't need to be engaged to back up, ask the guy who has it what type of brake it is.
The good news is if the trans-brake is engaged while the the vehicle is in motion,, its going to break something and puke its guts out on the road.
The delay boxes that control the trans brake have a timed switch that won't allow it to re-engage.
I would run a trigger wire off the reverse light switch to engage it for backin up, (if needed) and use a toggle switch to interupt the momentary trans brake switch when you are not racing.

 

i put a reverse manual valve body in a turbo 400 last winter, not really fully understanding how it worked. it was fine while accelerating/upshifting, but when you went to downshift it didn't just click down into the next lowest gear manually. it kind of coasted almost like it was in neutral until the speed and the rpms coincided or something, and then the thing would snap in and almost break your neck. i called a shop that builds race trannies and they said that was how those valve bodies are supposed to work and that they were only meant for accelerating and not for slowing down. i ended up having to take it out because i was afraid i was going to twist something off that's how hard the thing would hammer when you downshifted and hit the gas. you pretty much had to coast to a stop before you could hit the gas after downshifting or else it would come close to exploding every time. maybe some are different, but mine was made by TCI who said all of theirs are like that, so if your tranny would have that it might not be great for the street.

 

i ve been running one for 5 years on the street and strip no prolbems at all , a th 400 with a hypsters brake up and downshifts just fine.you'll need a good ( big) tranny cooler find one that looks like a rad not the bent tube with fins kind. a good racing type shifter is a must. as far as converters go call the manufacturer they often will rebuild and change stall speeds for a fee the last one i had done was about $ 150.00 hope this helps dave

 

Hey man for that price, go for it. Last year my dad built a bench 727 torqueflight that went for over 1100 bucks and the reverse pattern valve body was customer provided. If you do buy it and use it on the street, check or have someone check the governor. Some race shift kits lock up the governor with a wire, some completely omit the governor, and others just have the governor valve installed backwards.

 

My advice would be yea buy it and then try and sell it at a swapmeet or where ever to make a few bucks on it to get a trans that a little more streetable. If your in to racing from traffic light to traffic light then it would be a good trans but if you want to do any amout of cruising or long distance travel thats not the tranny you want. By the standards guys are building motors today 400hp aint a lawnmower engine but it isn't a fire breathing monster either. All depends on what you want to build the car for.

 

That does help, I like to hear someone is actually running on of these on the street and I am not totally retarded about think of doing it.


What should I run for a shifter.

 

I run a RMVB with t brake (Art Carr) in my Buick, runs mid 9's @140. It is no problem on the street. It has a 4000 rpm California Art Carr convertor. The gear splits are far enough apart so you won't be shifting as much as you think you would. And I really like the coast on decel. 400s are over engineered, simple and tough. Mine came out of a mid 8 second car. Upon refreshing, everything looked so good it could have gone on to most likely live another 500 passes. Use the biggest stacked plate cooler you can get away with. Don't roll out of a burnout in 2nd. It will kill the sprag when the tires grab. I also don't like ratchet shifters. If the detent looses adjustment and does not let the trans linkage rest in its detents you will burn it up. I use a Q stick. It's a decent, solid gate shifter. I run the brake through a master switch, so if I do accidentally hit the button nothing happens. Which is never because the button is pretty stiff and you have to intentionally depress it.

And T brakes are FUN. I cut over a .1 off my 60 and am much more consistant.

 

Well, not really. There are plenty of choices for a reverse 400. But check out the Hurst Quarterstick, and the B&M Magnum shifters. They are pretty similiar to each other, and both are no fuss no muss.

 

Use a Cheetah SCS from Turbo Action or a Fairbanks gated shifter if you can find one. Both shifters are good heavy duty shifters that a gorrila couldn't brake powershifting.Thay may be a bit pricey but there the best IMHO.

 

I've been running a full race, rev. pattern TH/350 in my coupe for a few years. I race the car and drive it on the street some too...not anything near a daily driver-it has slicks and open dumps, but I strap my little girl in there and take her to the local cruises. The trans has not been a problem on the street if you don't mind shifting. Also you need to excersize a little care with it-I do not downshift until I'm stopped, or going slowly. Even then I stay on the gas a little. The downshifting is hard on some of the internals (Drum). The other area is heat...more relative to how loose you go on the convertor. More slippage will build heat so use a good trans cooler. I used a seperate one with an old motorcycle fan set up to blow on it. I'm no trans expert, but that's been my experience-no problems to date.

-Scott

 

Check And See If It Has A Pro Brake ......those You Have To Hit The Trans Brake Button To Back Up...yeah Its Cool For Maybe The First 2 Days.....after That.....well It Gets Old ....quick......brandon

 

Regular trans brake needs shifter in reverse and then depress button. Trans brake will not engage otherwise. Trans brake stays in reverse as long as the button is on.
PRO brake . different routing to dump the fluid faster. Pro will engage brake "actually reverse gear" anytime you hit the switch. It will engage in nuetral ,park ,I'st gear any time. It will also engage at 100 mph when you accidentally hit the switch. It will take out most everything from the front pump back including ladder bars, rear end assembly ,fuel tank ect. Yes you,can wire it up with a latching relay .
When the brake is installed in a T-400 the kick-down band is left out ,thats why there is no kick-down and will freelwheel.
If you do use it make sure you realize most of yourfriends will not know how to drive it and if you have a lady friend,oh well.