[AT] Chevy transmission question

Sun Nov 6 15:48:02 PST 2005

If you have the choice, stay away from the 85? To maybe 87s 700R4.  That
transmission was originally designed for the S10 and the first years they
put them in the full size truck they were a little weak.  Even if they were
a little weak, I had a 86 van with 220,000 miles without any transmission
problems.  It did have a extra tranny cooler and all towing was in drive.

I put a 305 with 350 auto in a 66 half ton.  It was a bolt-in deal.  I ended
up moving one crossmember to hold the back of the transmission and had to
shorten the driveshaft.  The crossmember originally was the one holding all
of the e-brake stuff.  I had to move it forward about 6 inches or so and
drill a couple of holes in the center of it to bolt the back of the tranny
to it.   I then put a tilt steering wheel from an early 80s Buick in it and
with a little bit of cutting and welding, managed to get the transmission to
shift perfectly with the column shifter.  I also had the key switch and
dimmer in the column.  The best part about a GM is that all the wiring
colors matched between a 66 Chevy and an 80s Buick.  I just started splicing
wires together and everything worked.

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of charlie hill
Sent: Sunday, November 06, 2005 3:50 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] Chevy transmission question

Farmer Chevy started using a 700R4 transmission in the mid to late 80's.  It
has a 30% overdrive and a killer low gear.  The junk yards are full of them
and they hold up pretty well.  Find one that has fluid that's not burned and
you should be ok.  The parts to make it bolt up should be readily available
and reasonable.  It is a bit longer than the old 350 and 400 Chevy
transmissions so you might need to move the rear cross member or something
like that and you will probably have to shorten the drive shaft.  Put a
transmission cooler on it and don't try to tow anything much in overdrive
and you'll be ok.  The one in my 89 pickup made it 276,000 miles of heavy
use and abuse.  When it went I put one out of a wrecked Camaro in it and
have put over 125,000 on that one plus  whatever was on it in the Camaro.

After about 94 they changed them to an electronic shifted model.  You can't
run that one without a computer.  Look for one in a late 80's or early 90's
car or truck.

Charlie

----- Original Message -----
From: "Indiana Robinson" <robinson at svs.net>
To: <truck-blab at yahoogroups.com>; <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 06, 2005 4:00 PM
Subject: [AT] Chevy transmission question

> This is going to sound really stupid to some of you
> younger guys but my Chevy experience is more back from 1948
> to 1977...   :-)   I have had mostly Fords, Dodge and IHC
> over the years. Nothing against Chevy, it just happened
> that when I was looking in more recent years I never ran
> across a Chevy at the right price and at the right time.
> The question... My 83 Ford 1/2 ton and an old wagon I have
> parked as well as my 90 Lincoln I drive all have an
> overdrive automatic with a position on the selector. My
> son's late model F-250D 4x4 has a push button overdrive on
> the end of the shifter... I am completely unaware of
> whether GM made such a tranny or not. I would assume that
> they did but I just have never been involved with one. If
> so how are they identified?
> I am getting back to my 1966 Chevy one ton "project truck"
> this winter and since it has a 250 I am thinking of
> dropping in a 350 I have in another 1 ton and I got to
> thinking about hanging an auto tranny on the back of it. (I
> am getting lazy in my old age) This will be driven empty
> most of the time and will have a bed a little like a
> wrecker bed made as short as I can make it. It will have a
> gooseneck hitch and already has the frame shortened to the
> rear shackles with a heavy tag hitch mounted close (done in
> a previous burst of energy). In spite of those hitches it
> will not be doing a lot of towing, mostly just localish
> tractor shows. Since the rear end is geared low I thought
> the overdrive behind the 350 would give it some decent
> milage running empty and still have the advantage of the
> low gearing when loaded or towing and the overdrive locked
> out. I think I recall that all Chevy engines and trannies
> bolt up OK. I do a bit of metal fabrication so making
> mounts and a drive shaft are not a problem. If I chicken
> out or get lazy on the drive shaft there are several places
> in Indy (30 minutes away) that do a good job reasonably.
> Just not sure which tranny to look for...
> Thanks.
> I do have a good 302 Ford and tranny (the old wagon) but
> I'm afraid if I drop a Ford engine and tranny in it that it
> will cause the paint to peel...   ;-)
>
>
> -- 
> "farmer"
> Hewick Midwest
>
> The master in the art of living makes little distinction
> between his
> work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and
> his body,
> his information and his recreation, his love and his
> religion. He
> hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision
> of
> excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide
> whether he
> is working or playing. To him he's always doing both.
> ~ James A. Michener, attributed
>
> Francis Robinson
> Central Indiana USA
> robinson at svs.net
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> Remembering Our Friend Cecil Monson 11-4-2005
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>
>
> -- 
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