Anyone have a 700r4 in a 78 ??? I plan on building a street toy and I want overdrive so I can go up on the interstate. I'm thinking 3.73 gears. Opinions please. For a street vehicle, would 3.73's or 3.42's be better ??? Gas milage isn't a big factor. I just don't want to over rev the engine driving down the interstate at 80mph.

I thought you were just glorifying the high reving of the 327 your thinking about putting in there.....and your worried about over-reving? If you strictly do around town driving then go 3.42 but if you like to "get out the whole" guicker every now and then or if you do any drag racing then i would say go 3.73.

I thought you were just glorifying the high reving of the 327 your thinking about putting in there.....and your worried about over-reving? If you strictly do around town driving then go 3.42 but if you like to "get out the whole" guicker every now and then or if you do any drag racing then i would say go 3.73. I want to be able to take it on a 500+ mile roadtrip, but I also want to be able put the ricer croud in thier place. Being to rev up quick and high in a 1/4 mile race is different the over reving the engine out on the interstate. It's one thing to rap the motor up running down the strip, and a completely different thing holding those r's going down the road.

3.73 gears with the 200R4 is a good combo.

3.73 gears with the 200R4 is a good combo. I used to own a 85 Monte Carlo with a 200r4. Went through 3 of them in a year. Finally went to a 700r4. It was just a stock 4.3 V-6 and whatever the factory stuck in the rear for gears. So I kinda shy away from the 200r4's.

Can't be that bad as it was the OEM trans in the Buick GNXs and I've seen 9 second GNs with modified 200R4s. The early 700Rs don't have much of a reputation either.

Can't be that bad as it was the OEM trans in the Buick GNXs and I've seen 9 second GNs with modified 200R4s. The early 700Rs don't have much of a reputation either. The key word there is " modified ". I told myself I'd never mess with another 200 after the ordeal I went through with the Monte. They didn't last 90 days and had a hell of a fight with the tranny shop over the warranty each time. Just bad experences with the 200r4.

I think you should find yourself another transmission shop; there is nothing inherently wrong with the 200R4, it can be built as strong as the 700R4.

I think you should find yourself another transmission shop; there is nothing inherently wrong with the 200R4, it can be built as strong as the 700R4. It's been quite a few years now (96) but AAMCO is nation wide and it was all warranty. I paid cash for the first one, they ended up giving me a 700r4 in the end, and that was the end of the problem. Like I said, becouse of a bad experence with them, I'll pass on the 200 and go for a 700.

I've got a 700r4 being built, and I've got a new 3:73 ring and pinion waiting to go in, also.

I'm running the GM crate 350 H.O. Deluxe (330hp) and Hooker headers. No CCM, no smog, no CATS, dual exhausts, front and rear sway bars.

Even though AAMCO is a nation wide franchise each shop is individually owned; the quality of the rebuilt product has a lot to do with the individual skills of the person overhauling the transmission. I'm not arguing with you about your particilar experience, I am just saying that the 200R4 is not an inferior version of the 700R4 and that both transmissions properly rebuilt are approximately the same as far as strenght and reliability. This is not just my opinion but the experience of many well known trans builders such as TCI, Carr, etc.

Even though AAMCO is a nation wide franchise each shop is individually owned; the quality of the rebuilt product has a lot to do with the individual skills of the person overhauling the transmission. I'm not arguing with you about your particilar experience, I am just saying that the 200R4 is not an inferior version of the 700R4 and that both transmissions properly rebuilt are approximately the same as far as strenght and reliability. This is not just my opinion but the experience of many well known trans builders such as TCI, Carr, etc. I do like TCI products.

After blowing out three THM 350s behind a strong 383, the last one twisted apart under the truck, I had a 700R4 built up for the 383. It wasn't that terrible as far as cost. I have 3.73:1 and it chirps the tires on an easy takeoff when it shifts to second and third. On a good launch it will burn em up when it hits second and still catch some good scratch in 3rd. On the highway its doing really good as far as RPM goes and my top speed went up from around 90 with the THM 350 to around 140 again with the 700R4.

Mine is a Non Lockup type 700R4 with performance clutches, new pump and valve body mods. It cost me $1,010.00 with torque converter. I have added and extra deep oil pan / oil pump extension and an external cooler.

If you are unfamiliar with adjusting the TV cable then take it to a shop where they have lots of experience in that. Otherwise you could end up going through several 700R4s also. That TV cable is a critical adjustment (set) if its wrong the transmission will shift poorly and can go bad in no time at all. The 200R4 is dependant on the same type of adjustments for longevity and good performance.

Just my add in.

I put a done up 700r4 in my '79 last year and i love it, it has 2200 stall, new clutch packs with more 3-4 discs, vette servo,3-4 high speed shift and shift kit. the rearend is a 8.5" GNX with 3.73 and the combo works great

The only problems i face were A) cross member - which i easily solved with a G force member ( alil pricey especially living in canada but worked great) and the kickdown geometry for the qjet but my tranny guy solved that

with the 700r you can use the standed converter and get it reworked so you can get about 2500 stall and still use the lock up clutch in 4th,on a manual switch.You can use 4.10 gears with a 26in tall tyre ,and in top gear at 80mph with clutch locked up you will be doing 2750rpm. :-P

I would highly recomend the 700R4.
It has been around long enough to get past the first year bugs.
and from previous posts, the key word is CAN be built (TH200)
why start weaker to make it just as strong when the 700 can be had from almost any yard now.
as for putting the buzz bombs in their place I would go with 3.55's
Good all around gears.