Hey, I’m getting close to putting the drivetrain into my ‘57 Chevy 2-dr sedan and wanted to get some opinions on what auto trans I should go with. Keeping in mind it will have a 60s period looking 327 in it with a 4 bbl. Thanks for any advice.
I’ve had a Muncie in it for many years and decided I wanted to try an auto for a few reasons. Too much clutching around town and want my kids (daughters) to enjoy it too. They can drive a stick but it’s different for them! Haha.
You want an auto. They came with a powerglide, and there’s got to be thousands of them now with Turbo 350’s in them. Kick down rods, not much visibility to change “period correct”. But the 200-4R is a really nice unit. Fairly small (usual fits where a PG would), light, good ratios, and can be built for plenty of HP. The only drawback is the TV cable linkage at the carb end. Not so “correct”. But easy to do. On a Qjet probably even factory parts will work. Put a set of 3.9’s or 4.11’s behind it and it’s like adding 100hp to a PG car, and still lets you cruise comfortable and quietly. Just don’t go hog wild on the valve body, get something for a street driver and not a race car. This kind of assumes you’ve got side motor mounts, and not the originals front mount and ears on the transmission bell. That’s another thing to consider. And the transmission cross member. But that also pretty easy stuff.
A 200R is a great trans if you use a 3.70-4.11 gear so the OD is friendly; your light-to-light will be fun too. It must be correctly set up the first time you move the car or you can screw it up. Not knowing you rear end and I believe 3.08 is the highest stock one that is available for the housing. The TH350 will buzz more on the highway but will be fine in town too as it has a lower 1st than the original powerglide which probably had a 3.55 rear gear. They have aftermarket indicator for your dash it that's important to you for each. Lastly the original trans of any kind in 57 had bellhousing or torque converter area mounts Any later auto trans do not use these.
if you want to keep a 60s theme going with it, the TH400 is the way to go. If you don't really care, then a TH350 or 700 or 200-4R can all work well. All of these transmissions are at least 30 years old by now, eh?
C4 Oh wait, wrong thread! As the others have laid out, 3 speed 350 or 400 is common, easy and will work. Going to a 3 + OD gains another gear so you get good launch and good cruise.
There are aftermarket adapters that allow these transmissions to be mounted to the original frame horns. I would use a crossmemeber mounted to the transmission tailhousing.
Not necessarily. I'd put a C4 in just about anything before ever dealing with a 700 ever again... hell I'd put C4(plastic) in a 700 just to see it blow up proper since it can't even fail respectively on its own.
People knock the 700R4. I had a car I bought new with one on ‘89. Gave it to my daughter. Few years back she lost a head gasket. About 180k on the V8 and 700. I didn’t beat on it like a read headed stepchild for a 130k miles on it, I’m sure she did it’s out in favor of a T56 now. I think a 700R4 is easier to find than the 2004R. The other option if you think OD would be needed or wanted, have a stout TH350 built, go with a GearVendors OD unit. Eliminates worry about the TV adjustment, but will cost more z(for the GV) than a 200/700 would.
The 2004R has been recommended and is a good choice, just a little harder to find. The 700R4 is also a very good choice. Best if you can find one from a later model (88) or so because they have been upgraded. If you are going with a rebuilt one, they can add the upgrades. Then it began being called a 4L60. Thats what you should look for, as its the most evolved one. Next it became the 4L60E. You don't want that because it will require a controller ($) Both of these trans are very reliable and have been used a lot. You will like having the overdrive for your street driving, and seldom does anyone who has overdrive wish they didn't. Many who don't later wish they did...but won't admit it. If you go with the 700, I'd get this book from Amazon before you go looking for a trans, and then you will be well armed for buying the best one. I'm not aware of any books on the 200R4 but probably plenty of info on the internet.
I have a custom built 700R4 in my 32 Coupe, with a custom torque converter - built to the specs of the car. It is very important that the converter is setup for how you want to drive the car, correct stall, lockup or not, etc..
I'd just put a turbo 350 behind it and be done.... Simply, cheap, effective, plentiful, bolt in, no external hardware needed, easy to find and build, proven..... there, pretty much summed it all up.... ..
I didn't think the 200 4r had a tv cable like others have stated. I thought it was just vacuum with a kickdown cable....? I would just use a th350 unless I had lower than 3.73 out back.
Use that 4 speed in town and in 6 months you'll find yourself not driving it nearly as much as you thought you would. Had a 5 spd. in town in my '55 for years and wound up just leaving it parked. My elco is a TH350 and I drive it everywhere, so easy in town and traffic.
Hello, Back a long time ago, we installed a 4 speed stick transmission in a 57 Chevy Bel Air Hardtop Sedan. It was the only 57 Chevy with a 4 speed installed, in our high school cruising area. This 57 Chevy was the most modified of all of our hot rod coupes and sedans we drove at the time. He liked the automatic Powerglide as it was step on the gas and go, but he also really enjoyed the 4 speed. But, what did I drive? It was originally my brother’s 58 3 speed stick shift 348/280 hp Impala he bought new in 1957. It was fast from the factory and he won a lot of trophies at the local Lion’s Dragstrip. but, by the time it was my turn to drive the 58 Impala, I had to share it with my mom. So, I tried to teach her to drive the 3 speed stick shift. She liked the size of the Impala and said she would learn to drive the stick shift car. Well, that did not turn out as planned as she could steer the car, handle the car in turns and in traffic, but her starts were like watching the local rodeo bucking broncos. It did not last long as she stepped in the clutch again and then let it out to stop the bucking portion. Now, she was all straight ahead driving. After several weeks of driving around Long Beach to get more practice for her, she finally said she liked the Impala, but wanted an automatic like our dad’s Buick sedan. A what? since we still raced the Impala, the powerglide was not going to cut it. so, since our mom said she would pay for the conversion, we opted for an automatic, but a Stick Hydro transmission. In a few weeks, we owned the only 58 Impala in So Cal that had a C&O Stick Hydro transmission in our Impala. Jnaki The Stick Hydro was advantageous as it was a normal transmission, but with the shift points controlled manually or on automatic. It was a perfect transmission for our continued Impala racing moments, but no longer at Lion’s Dragstrip in the A/Stock class we normally raced. The shop made the column shifter for the three speed work the Stick Hydro shifting pattern. One just had to know where each gear was located. In our days, C&O, B&M, and Art Carr were around for custom hydramatic transmission work. Art Carr is still a local So Cal business with the original owner. Note: Some of the well known custom transmission companies are Original Art Carr in Huntington Beach, CA, and the ones most mentioned in builds, Gearstar and Bowler. They are all knowledgeable and ship to your door. The choice is yours, but talk to those companies for your options. YRMV
Art passed away a few months ago. We had a gathering at our Elks Lodge to celebrate his life. He was a long time member. . I talked to his daughter and the shop is still open and the long time employees are staying. The real loss was Arts knowledge which was daily used on the phone continuously.
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