Hi everyone, first post but i hope i can get a bit of help here. I recently opened up the pan on a 700r4 that is in my 67 camaro. The trans was already there when i bought the car so i really dont know anything about it. After the pan was off i saw that the solenoid and the wiring were removed, does anyone no of a shift kit that would require this se up? I put a new TC in with lockup and and have the tci kit to make it all work but there is the issue of the parts not being there.
So background on the car; 550hp 350
And the TC i have is a 2700 stall with lockup. I have not driven the new set up yet as the engine isnt ready to fire yet. Previously when i drove the car before the car was torn down for restoration the trans shifted VERY positive, almost too positive. 1st to 2nd was a good jerk and would break the tires loose if i were in it fairly hard. Normal driving was still a good jerk.
How can i tell if someone put in some sort of kit previously? I dont want to get all the parts to make the lockup work and find out there is some modification that will cause damage if it is all reinstalled to how its supposed to be.
It might be that you ask too much, M-b-b. At 550hp the camshaft on that 350 most likely won’t deal well with RPMs below 2500 and the engine will never operate the vacuum switch that was designed to engage the lock up clutch. Have you found someone who has successfully mated a 700R4 to a cammed out small block? If so, you might get the details from them, including their rear axle ratio and modulator valve operation. What were you hoping to accomplish with a lock up overdrive on that engine?
Is is possible the previous owner set this car up for drag racing? And, this owner wants to revert back to using it as a street car and every day driver? I think he needs to consult a builder of racing engines and transmissions for advice on where to go from here.
If the engine produces 550 horsepower I would be surprised if that car could be driven on urban/suburban streets. Fowled spark plugs, detonation from carbon build up in the combustion chambers and the constant struggle to keep the engine from stalling and repeatedly restarting when it does stall would not make for an enjoyable driving experience. Anything above 1 horsepower per cubic inch in a large V-8 engine usually eliminates it from being a daily driver.
Usually a shift kit involves changing the valve body gasket and a few springs; not something easily detectable with the eye unless they’re laid out next to the originals.
To go with a lockup converter means some solenoids, wiring, and a brake light switch for TCC operation will also be needed at a minimum.
Like Rod Knox, the first thing to hit me when I read this post is wondering how streetable a 550 HP 350 is going to be.
Some years ago a local guy had a 65 Malibu with a 550 HP 327 which would run low 10s in the quarter mile. On occasion he would bring that beast out for a drive down the main roads and it was a horror show on wheels as far as being even remotely docile in traffic.
You might look around and see if you can find a Turboglide transmission for your vehicle. Fairly docile on the street and it was a favorite of a lot of drag racers. I don’t like the 700R4 for a lot of different reasons.
There would pretty much have to be a number of changes made to make a 700R4 survive behind a 550 horse engine. I didn’t even know one could be built that tough in the first place since they are generally used in much milder applications (<400hp) by people who want to have fun and get semi-reasonable gas mileage. Your build can’t possibly be such a case, not with a 550 horse 350. Most people who have such wild rides go with either a Powerglide or heavily built, non-lockup, manual valve body three speed auto (TH350 or TH400) for longevity.
Why do you want a lockup torque converter? Gas mileage???
For years I took on warranty inspections and repairs for several parts stores and one of them sent me a customer who complained that his newly purchased Holley double pumper wouldn’t idle smoothly. When the customer arrived the carburetor was on a small block Chevrolet V-8 installed in an old English Ford. When I attempted to adjust the carburetor it was quite obvious that the engine was modified way beyond stock and the owner acknowledged that the camshaft was at the upper end of the scale but everything was just like a car that was featured in some magazine and the owner wanted to build one just like it. I assured him that the engine would never idle below 1500 rpm but he assured me that the experts in the magazine knew more than me so we parted company. It’s a shame that magazines and television shows paint such grand pictures of souped up automobiles while leaving out all the downside issues. Maybe if I could have afforded to build one when I was younger I would know more about them and appreciate them more.