Looking at putting a mild(less than 400hp) 383 chevy in my 53 pickup. I want to drive this truck most every day and I have a bit of a commute. I need to optimize my fuel mileage as well as not twist the motor super tight. I'm curious what would be a good automatic overdrive option as well as a good manual option. I have an s10 t5 and a 700r4 laying around, but my concern is are they tough enough? I don't plan on ragging on the truck, but you never know when some weed eater exhaust may send me over the edge. So what is everyone else running?
700R4 is a good auto OD, just set up the TV cable properly... best to use one 1986 or later (700R4 or 4L60)
Jake's Perfromance (and others) offer a full manual mode for a 4L80E, and he also offers a stand-alone box to shift it normally- http://jakesperformance.com/4L80E_Components.html
Nope - but there are stand alone controllers for it. Your s 10 T5 will get beat like a red headed step child. A 700r4 is ok out of the junkyard, they are awesome out of the trans shop. You'll never break a built unit with 400 HP.
I've got a iron cased A833 O/D behind the blown hemi in my 31 Pontiac coupe. Been trying to blow it up for eleven years now and it's still going strong.
If you're looking for an automatic I'd vote for a 4L80E and something like a Baumann (http://www.usshift.com) controller.
I hate to even say this, but what's the best option on a budget? Sounds like the 700r4 with maybe a freshening up. This is really going to be a truck to put miles on, not beat up.
700r4 has stood up to my 383 in my truck and it's been down the1/4 a few times, just get the cam right because the stall on the torque converters aren't that great
Well then, a 700R4 sounds like it may be in your future, but when I was choosing my Trans I called Hughes, and the guys said to me: "Yes, a 700R4 will work-how many times do you want to take it out for a rebuild?" That did it for me, and I went with a 4L80E-
I had my 700r4 rebuilt and I mated it to a well built 383 stroker motor. It does everything i ask it to do.
NEVER had a problem with my 700r4. Threw it in my car, adjusted the tv cable for the proper shifting (crucial step!!) and drove it 2000 miles cross country a week later with absolutely no issues and none up to this point 3 years later. Plus i like the option for manual od control switch. Set it and forget it! 700 Is my vote
I would go with the 700 and if you can find one out of a corvette it will have most of the good stuff in it and make the rebuild a little cheeper.
^^^gets my vote. After all the original question was "Strongest OD Trans?" Ive got a SP400 with Gear Vendors OD behind the 401 Nailhead in my '50 Chevy sedan delivery and am not afraid to rag on it anytime.
I'll third the A-833 OD, I have an aluminum cased one behind the 375 horse 440 Magnum in my 1970 Dodge Challenger that I beat the snot out of. Drag racing, lots of hole shots, 6000+ RPM shifts. Love it! Found it in a slant six van at a Pick-N-Pull for $180 out the door. I did have a T5 behind a Chump 350 in a '57 Chevy pickup, didn't drive that too mildly and never had to replace it. The throwout bearing once, but never the ******. I did blow the T5 behind the 283 in my Model A Jalopy roadster, but I wailed on that car hard too and a for a while it had a McCulloch blower until I blew that up too. Looking back.... I should just put big block Chrysler and A-833 OD combos in everything I own...
I run a 700r4 and have never had a problem. Take a look at this link to see some reasons that make the transmission a good choice http://www.webrodder.com/article.php?AID=426&SID=6 You should also do a search on HAMB...There has been a lot of discussion about what the best OD transmission is .
G'day, With moderate performance to daily use it is hard to beat the 700r4/4l60. Properly built it can handle a lot of performance. We've used them in an ot mild drag running low 12's plus daily driving. Also used in a big lifted Suburban with one ton running gear and never missed a beat. The 4l80e would be really unnecessary. ms
I had a 383, home grown with good heads and serious torque cam in 69 Chevy PU, 3.73 gears and 4 speed. pulled the 4 speed and replaced it with old Lakewood ****ter shield with dual patterns, then ran a ford top loader out of Granada, late 70's trans I think it was a 28% overdrive. 3 was direct 1:1. never broke it and pulled many trailers behind with 4-6k lbs. on them. so it worked for me (I picked up another transmission at Turlock a few years back) just n case Rich
I've got a 200R4 (cousin to the 700) behind a torque heavy (well over 500 ft lbs) Olds 468 in an OT car for five years and I'm not gentle with it. It's a street car but has made about 150 p***es down the eighth (8.0 with 3.42's) Not one problem. Anyone who says they're weak has never owned one or didn't set it up right
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