700r4 trans on a 79 L82

[zachh]

Im looking into replacing my old, worn out turbo 350 with a new 700r4. I plan to do it myself in the fall or winter when it cools down. Some people have told me that the 700r4 fit with no modifications, and others have said they needed minor mods like moving the mount foward and shortening the drive shaft. Does anyone here have a 78 or 79 with a new 700r4 and can tell me what you had to do to fit the new trans in your vette, and what make/ model you used?
thanx
zachh

 

[aapple]

You can get all the stuff you need from an '82 "donor", or go with one of the aftermarket "kits". You will need some way to connect the TV(throttle valve) cable from the trans to the carb. The stuff for the 350 will not work properly. You will need the proper speedo gear set, shifter mods(if you want control of all four gears), and a different filler tube/stick.

 

[kiwi vet]

Im looking into replacing my old, worn out turbo 350 with a new 700r4. I plan to do it myself in the fall or winter when it cools down. Some people have told me that the 700r4 fit with no modifications, and others have said they needed minor mods like moving the mount foward and shortening the drive shaft. Does anyone here have a 78 or 79 with a new 700r4 and can tell me what you had to do to fit the new trans in your vette, and what make/ model you used?
thanx
zachh

Hey zachh

Try http://www.700r4.com/sitemap.shtml

All the info you need.

Grant

 

[zachh]

Hey zachh

Try http://www.700r4.com/sitemap.shtml

All the info you need.

Grant

Does anyone know where or even if you can buy a complete kit to switch from the turbo 350 to the 700r4? It would be nice if I could get a kit with everything needed to make the mod. (TV, speedo set, shifter, and filler tube). I saw at a show once a fella with a '77 with a 700r4, and he had instead of a stock shifter, he had a huge, new shifter thing that rose about 8 inches over where the original sat. If I have to buy one of them, I think I might get some other trans. My interior is original, and I would like to keep it original.
THANX
zachh

 

[bossvette]

bowtie overdrive

http://www.bowtieoverdrives.com/index.shtml


like it was said before the 82's had a 700R4 in them get a shifter from one of those, I will be putting a 700R4 into my 76 but will be making everything I need myself I will probably use a Lokar shifter they have a real short one.

 

[Art Jett]

Bowtie Overdrives is the place to go! I have a 77 and I bought my 700R-4 from them. They also sell a kit to modify your original shifter to allow it to control all 4 speeds in the transmission, and crossmembers. I read a thread here about their crossmembers though. It was from a member that had a terrible experience getting the right one. I bought a crossmember from Contemporary Corvettes--a corvette wrecking yard in Pa. for $200.00. If you didn't want to modify your shifter, they would probably have one out of an 82.

 

[zachh]

A few questions:

1. Will this work? 77- 82 shifter conversion kit http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?pf_id=34801&dept_id=1887

2. Can I use my stock wiring and transmission cooling lines?

3. Do I have to shorten my drive shaft? Its a TH350 that I have now.

4. Should I buy a level 1 or a level 2 trans? Mine has about 300- 350 hp. I dont usually race, but sometimes I cant help myself, i do autocross alot too.

5. What is or how do I get my speedo gear set combo?
thanx
zachh

 

[zachh]

Also, I was driving it this morning, and it used to do it on an occasion, but now its all the time. When the trans goes to shift into third, and sometimes second, the engine suddenly stalls, then quickly runs again. Only when it shifts, I can hear it shift, it makes a loud thump, then runs fine. Once it is in third, the engine runs great. I want to make sure its the trans doing it before I buy a new one.
thanx
zachh

 

[Art Jett]

#1. Thats the same kit I used. It was super easy to convert.
#2. The cooling lines will have to be replaced. Bowtie or Eckler's has them. As for the wiring--you will need to buy a kit (Bowtie) to control the lockup feature of the transmission.
#3. The driveshaft will have to be shortened. Bowtie sends detailed instructions for installation and shows how to measure.
#4. I bought a level 2 simply for peace of mind. I'm putting in a TPI 383 stroker (maybe 375-400 HP). The price isn't that much more.
#5. When you call to order they will ask you what your rear end ratio is and what size tires you have. They will calculate which gears you need.
Hope this helps. Art

 

[Art Jett]

Me again. I just got a surprize that I thought I'd bring up so someone else doesn't get the same one. I bought my 700R-4 from Bowtie. Each time I spoke with them I mentioned that the car was a 77 corvette. I even told them that I had a crossmember from an 82 so I wouldn't need one of theirs. I got my car back from the body shop and stuck in the engine and transmission together. When I went to bolt up the crossmember it wasn't even close. I called the salvage yard I had purchased the crossmember from and they said that if the transmission wasn't originally out of a corvette it wouldn't work with the vette crossmember. GREAT!!!!!!!! They said the transmission was probably out of a van or something. Of course it's Saturday so I can't call Bowtie to see what either they intend to do or what I have to do to make this work. Right now I'm seriously bummed! ad :confused

 

[Jack]

Me again. I just got a surprize that I thought I'd bring up so someone else doesn't get the same one. I bought my 700R-4 from Bowtie. Each time I spoke with them I mentioned that the car was a 77 corvette. I even told them that I had a crossmember from an 82 so I wouldn't need one of theirs. I got my car back from the body shop and stuck in the engine and transmission together. When I went to bolt up the crossmember it wasn't even close. I called the salvage yard I had purchased the crossmember from and they said that if the transmission wasn't originally out of a corvette it wouldn't work with the vette crossmember. GREAT!!!!!!!! They said the transmission was probably out of a van or something. Of course it's Saturday so I can't call Bowtie to see what either they intend to do or what I have to do to make this work. Right now I'm seriously bummed! ad :confused

Art ... seems Corvette 700 had a shorter tailshaft housing ... about 7/8" shorter than the others. Looks like all 700 have same mount position but vette 700 is about 7/8" shorter overall due to 7/8" shorter vette ts housing. Check the dimensions in link below ... sorry for ya pal.


http://www.tciauto.com/tech_info/trans_dims.htm

 

[Art Jett]

Art ... seems Corvette 700 had a shorter tailshaft housing ... about 7/8" shorter than the others. Looks like all 700 have same mount position but vette 700 is about 7/8" shorter overall due to 7/8" shorter vette ts housing. Check the dimensions in link below ... sorry for ya pal.


http://www.tciauto.com/tech_info/trans_dims.htm

Jack,
The problem isn't with the tailshaft housing. The trans in the link you sent clearly shows the pan to have an offset on the pass side. Mine is a square pan. It is so close to the mount point that the E-brake pulley supp hits the pan when the holes for the mount in the crossmember are still an inch away from lining up. Also with the square pan the pass side of the crossmember hits the pan so it wouldn't bolt up even without the clearance problem @ the E-brake brkt. The crossmember for the 82 rises up on the pass side for exhaust clearance. I could trim the E-brake brkt to make it fit--no problem, but it would still be a no-go. I would have to cut so much meat out of the crossmember for clearance that there wouldn't be any support left. :confused

 

[Jack]

generic drawing

Jack,
The problem isn't with the tailshaft housing. The trans in the link you sent clearly shows the pan to have an offset on the pass side. Mine is a square pan.

If you're referring to the drawing near top of page I linked (above) ... suggest that drawing is generic ... there to lay out dimensions of several trans on that page.

 

[Art Jett]

Not sure why the crossmember out of the 82 wouldn't bolt up but I'm assured by Bowtie that their crossmember will fit. I ordered one so we'll see. I'm not holding my breath. They said that on the vette 700R-4 the crossmember bolted to the tailshaft housing instead on the case behind the pan. I don't know either way. I'm just going to wait till the new one comes in and hope for the best.

Could someone with an 82 w/ a 700R-4 chime in and clear this up maybe?

 

[zachh]

what kind of wiring kit should i get? Theres alot, and i dont know what I need.
thanx
zachh

 

[bossvette]

what kind of wiring kit should i get? Theres alot, and i dont know what I need.
thanx
zachh

you will need what is known as a "lock-up harness" Painless makes one kit as I am sure many others do click