How good are the bowtie trannies. Or are there any other good builders.
Thanks
Mike

I've heard good things about them but I have no experience with them. I was going to get my 700R4 through them but I have someone close that is sort of one of their consultants. I used a place called Goebel Performance Transmission in Waco Tx. This guy is a Guru! He teaches Fluid dynamics and hydraulics at A&M has a fantastic shop that is immaculate with Dynos and all the tricks / tools.

Goebel custom makes Torque Converters to your engine's performance curve, I do recommend this guy! He does a lot of the Dragster Trannys, ours and many other people's that I know and we race with.

here is a contact page for him if your interested.

http://home.flash.net/~lbperf/goebel/index.html

I bought a Transmission (700R4) from Transmission Masters that I have in my 76 El Camino, Goebel's is in the 80 I have, and I like that transmission also or should I say, I haven't had any issues with it yet and I've had that one about a year now. They also have a WEB site, you can use Google to search their site. I paid $1010.00 for the Transmission and Torque Converter, non-lockup type transmission and converter. They warranted it for me and knew exactly what I was putting it behind.

Goebel's was $900.00 without the Torque Converter (700R4) and its warranted to put up with 500 Horse power and another 250, give or take for a 3000 RPM stall converter that flashes @ 2600 RPM. Its a regular sized converter. The one for the Roadster is a 5000 RPM stall behind a THM 400 and its like 10" that flashes at 4500 RPM and locks at 5000. That converter cost us a bit more than 500.00 but its custom and requires Titanium parts inside. It and the 400 are putting up with well over 1200 horse power most weekends the tracks are open.

Just my thoughs. Good Luck finding yours.

Beware!!!!of Bowtie Overdrives

Unless you have them to install and repair when it breaks stay away!

I ordered one, had it shipped and installed by a certified mechanic as per their instructions with phone consultation with them. The owner was just rude and had to time for consult call !

Then a month later had a problem and they would not warrenty anything they don't install. I ended up doing the later below

Best advice is go with TCI or one of the better companies that have good follow and support their products.

Better yet find a good local shop to build and maintain then get the rear mount from any of the companies that make'm, it can be done for the same $1500.00 you would buy the kit for.

They have a catchy name but not customer friendly. Beware!

I'm enjoying my Bowtie Level 2 200-4R. Everyone I talked to on the phone were really nice, and I had no problems getting my warranty started with them. You have to follow a pretty strict set of guidlines to receive the warranty (temp. gauge, correct line routing, inline filter, pressure checks ect.), but you cant blame them for covering their own asses.

If I were in Tx, though, and you want a 200-4R, I'd talk to Mike Kurtz (200-4R guru). Centurytransmission.com . His site isnt complete yet, but you can give him a call. He also does works with 4L60's.

Yes, I believe in CYA! So, I hire a very reputable service to do the job not having the tools or time. The conditions requried by Bowtie on paper and on the phone and followed them to the T, pressure ck, TV cable adj., temp., cooler. So my warrenty should have been in effect after the final check off phone call to Bowtie! When the tranny took a dump 2 months later, the owner started shoveling BS and would not take calls from me or the shop I payed to install, he had his wife screening calls "he's unavalible". It Hey nothings perfect so maybe I got a defective tranny and the owner at bowtie was wrong and handled worse. I might have felt better if I was pound it and it broke but it wasn't like that. You may be lucky but have you used your warrenty or are you just sdaying you have one?

Havent had to use my warranty, I've had no problems with the tranny. When I was trying to find out who I wanted to buy a tranny from, I couldnt find anyone who had anything bad to say about them.

Sorry about the luck you had with them, but it was a pleasure for me to deal with them.

I've got at least 10,000 miles on one of thier 700r4 stage 3 units in my elky. No problems! I've got a pretty stout 454 and have made some hard runs with it.

I did notice they will get some attude like they are the only ones that know anything, and, I am using a B&M lockup control which they were not familiar with and I had to figure out for myself how to wire it for thier tranny.

The tranny works great though!!!

I have a Bowtie 700R4 with a stock converter in a 70 with a stout 454 as well. Bought the car "as-is" about 4 months ago from a guy in So. California who lived near Bowtie Overdrives (BTO). I have receipts and a few emails from the seller that show the BTO trans had been in and out of Bowtie a few times, under warranty (Because Bowtie installed it). I think one of those visits was a complete trans overhaul. When I took posession of the car (with about 700 miles on the engine and trans), it was definitely not shifting correctly (click here to view my post) (http://www.elcaminocentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=11444) So, I knew I had some immediate work to do to preserve the trans (since BTO was obviously not going to guarantee it to a new owner 3,000 miles away).

Prior to buying the car, I'd never heard of a 700R4, let alone Bowtie Overdrives. Now that I own one, I got motivated to check into it. Compared to a TH350/400, I like the advantages of the lower 1st gear, a 4th gear and lockup torque converter which all translates to better fuel economy for my "beefy beauty".

I visited BTO's website, and frankly got a little scared reading all the warnings and disclaimers regarding TV cable setup, and what could happen if it isn't right. It took took several technical reference articles, a few hours going from under the hood to under the car and back, but today it runs and shifts well.

I'm a mechanic, not a transmission expert, so I don't know today if I'm doing any unseen internal harm. I think I have it set up correctly but cannot be absolutely sure. What I can tell is it's shifting smoothly and normally, and the trans fluid isn't dark and doesn't smell burnt. (something I watch closely).

How does all this help you? If I had it to do over again, I think the 700R4 is a good trans as long as you rebuild [or buy it] it with some stout parts, get good at adjusting the TV linkage, and make sure you keep the trans fluid temp as low as possible.

In fact, I like the 700R4 trans so much in my Elky that I picked up a dead 700R4 from a friend. I plan on rebuilding it one winter and replacing my 69 C-10's TH400. Some would argue that's "backing up", but as long as the trans will stand the 500+ ft lb strain my Elky puts on it, I think the advantages of a 700R4 outweigh its disadvantages (IMHO).

Now, regarding Bowtie, due mostly to the distance involved (opposite coast) and the seller's initial experiences, I probably wouldn't buy one from Bowtie. I'd either (a) take my chances and build one myself (not an option for non-mechanics), (b) Check with the area speed shops to locate a local supplier for high HP transmissions or (c) buy from one of the other favored on-line retailers (like you mention above) that offer better customer service for the price. www.eatmyshifts.com has several links and lots of good technical info. Other on-line suppliers are mentioned in posts above as well.

Hope it helps.

All the Best
Mike