Transmission dilemma (700r4 currently)

1183 Views 58 Replies 15 Participants Last post by ChrisL, 7 h ago

SSNovaSS396

Discussion Starter · 10 d ago

Its time for a rebuild. I have a 70 Nova with a BBC 454 and 12 bolt posi 4.11 rear end. I currently have an old 700r4 that was rebuilt about 6 years ago and is on its last legs.

In some ways I have been so tired of dealing with the TV cable and all the stupid quirks that the 700r4's have, but Sonnax have designed and made a rebuild kit that pretty much makes it just like the 4L75 (Which is way out of my budget). I am on a strict $4000 budget (Which generally would be a rebuild, not something new), so any 4L80e or something along those lines is very much out of the question.

I am rolling around the idea of possibly going with a manual 5 speed. Will these fit without having to redo the tunnel? I am seeing these anywhere from $1800-3000.

What are my options guys? Before you say go with a 4L80e, keep in mind I would have to also buy the controller, a new drive shaft, speedo adapter kit, plus labor. Its just not in my budget for that this season.

Is there any other ideas so that I can get rid of this darn TV cable and potentially weak 700r4?

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Ernietech

· #2 · 9 d ago

SSNovaSS396 said:
Its time for a rebuild. I have a 70 Nova with a BBC 454 and 12 bolt posi 4.11 rear end. I currently have an old 700r4 that was rebuilt about 6 years ago and is on its last legs.

In some ways I have been so tired of dealing with the TV cable and all the stupid quirks that the 700r4's have, but Sonnax have designed and made a rebuild kit that pretty much makes it just like the 4L75 (Which is way out of my budget). I am on a strict $4000 budget (Which generally would be a rebuild, not something new), so any 4L80e or something along those lines is very much out of the question.

I am rolling around the idea of possibly going with a manual 5 speed. Will these fit without having to redo the tunnel? I am seeing these anywhere from $1800-3000.

What are my options guys? Before you say go with a 4L80e, keep in mind I would have to also buy the controller, a new drive shaft, speedo adapter kit, plus labor. Its just not in my budget for that this season.

Is there any other ideas so that I can get rid of this darn TV cable and potentially weak 700r4?

View attachment 458095

I don't have a trans idea for you. Just wanted to say love the car looks almost identical to my old 69. Ernie.

Reactions: 2

74lsnova

· #3 · 9 d ago

I’m just finishing up a 4l60 to a manual swap on my 74. If your budget is strictly 4000 and you have to pay labor you’ll want to get a trans around that 1800 range as 3000 won’t leave you much room. Just like the 4l80 you will have other expenses.
Clutch pedal
Master and slave or linkage.
Flywheel
Clutch
Bellhousing (if the trans does not have one)
Pilot bearing
Either way you go you will need to lengthen or shorten your driveshaft, no need to replace.
Possibly a shifter depending on what trans you find
Possible Speedo adapter
Shifter boot
Nuts bolts and misc hardware
Labor.
If you find a trans for 3k, do all the labor yourself you will be really tight, with labor, you’ll blow right past your 4K budget. With an 1800 trans paying labor you’ll be tight, I’m assuming the price ranges reflect condition/mileage of transmissions so there’s that to think of as well.
Whichever way you go post the progress on the swap!
Best wishes on your project!!

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74lsnova

· #4 · 9 d ago

74lsnova said:
I’m just finishing up a 4l60 to a manual swap on my 74. If your budget is strictly 4000 and you have to pay labor you’ll want to get a trans around that 1800 range as 3000 won’t leave you much room. Just like the 4l80 you will have other expenses.
Clutch pedal
Master and slave or linkage.
Flywheel
Clutch
Bellhousing (if the trans does not have one)
Pilot bearing
Either way you go you will need to lengthen or shorten your driveshaft, no need to replace.
Possibly a shifter depending on what trans you find
Possible Speedo adapter
Shifter boot
Nuts bolts and misc hardware
Labor.
If you find a trans for 3k, do all the labor yourself you will be really tight, with labor, you’ll blow right past your 4K budget. With an 1800 trans paying labor you’ll be tight, I’m assuming the price ranges reflect condition/mileage of transmissions so there’s that to think of as well.
Whichever way you go post the progress on the swap!
Best wishes on your project!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh, and a brake pedal or modify your current one. I cut off the brake pedal from the lever, bent the lever and made a new pedal the same shape as the clutch pedal and welded it on.

Just trying to add a little insight, I’m hoping to have mine finished up or at least close today.

With most 5 speeds I believe there’s little to no tunnel work, with a t56 there’s a lot more room needed, that thing is BIG.

I was able to do a t56 swap for under 4K but it was labor intense to go that cheap and did all the labor myself. To pay someone else to do it would have been huge money. To pay labor on a 5 speed swap is not as bad as a 6 speed but will still swallow your money quickly.

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SSNovaSS396

Discussion Starter · #5 · 9 d ago

74lsnova said:
Oh, and a brake pedal or modify your current one. I cut off the brake pedal from the lever, bent the lever and made a new pedal the same shape as the clutch pedal and welded it on.

Just trying to add a little insight, I’m hoping to have mine finished up or at least close today.

With most 5 speeds I believe there’s little to no tunnel work, with a t56 there’s a lot more room needed, that thing is BIG.

I was able to do a t56 swap for under 4K but it was labor intense to go that cheap and did all the labor myself. To pay someone else to do it would have been huge money. To pay labor on a 5 speed swap is not as bad as a 6 speed but will still swallow your money quickly.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Then a rebuild on my current 700r4 might still be the way to go. Sonnax makes a full kit that pretty much makes it the 4l75 and handles up to 800HP or somethihg crazy like that. I believe I can get that whole package for $3k and then expecting labor for another $1k.

SSNovaSS396

Discussion Starter · #6 · 9 d ago

Ernietech said:
I don't have a trans idea for you. Just wanted to say love the car looks almost identical to my old 69. Ernie.

Thanks man. Appreciate it. It's so much fun when it's working.

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Ernietech

· #7 · 9 d ago

SSNovaSS396 said:
Thanks man. Appreciate it. It's so much fun when it's working.

I'm not a tranny guy but I think if you have the 700 done over by a reputable guy you will be happy. And save you from getting another automatic. But if you want to go stick now is the time.My Best to you. Ernie.

fltinstructor

· #8 · 9 d ago

There is a valve body that eliminates the TV cable.

SSNovaSS396

Discussion Starter · #9 · 9 d ago

fltinstructor said:
There is a valve body that eliminates the TV cable.

Please explain. I've heard of this. Is it a constant line pressure value body? Doesn't this create extremely hard neck breaking shifts all of the time?

jonnyc

· #10 · 9 d ago

have your trans rebuilt with a consent pressure valve body. it eliminate the need for a tv cable

SSNovaSS396

Discussion Starter · #11 · 9 d ago

jonnyc said:
have your trans rebuilt with a consent pressure valve body. it eliminate the need for a tv cable

Someone above just mentioned that. Can you go more in depth with what that means? So will the shifts just be neck breakingly hard each time and every time?

74lsnova

· #12 · 9 d ago

SSNovaSS396 said:
Then a rebuild on my current 700r4 might still be the way to go. Sonnax makes a full kit that pretty much makes it the 4l75 and handles up to 800HP or somethihg crazy like that. I believe I can get that whole package for $3k and then expecting labor for another $1k.

I’ve never heard of that but it sounds like a solid way to go!! That valve body mentioned below sounds like a solution for the cable.

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SSNovaSS396

Discussion Starter · #13 · 9 d ago

jonnyc said:
have your trans rebuilt with a consent pressure valve body. it eliminate the need for a tv cable

Is that what this helps with?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sox-700r4-lb1

J Mark

· #14 · 9 d ago

SSNovaSS396 said:
Is that what this helps with?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sox-700r4-lb1

Unfortunately that's not it see the link below. I'm not promoting that vendor I just grabbed a site to show you what it is.

milkymotorsports.com

88-92 700R4 Constant Pressure Valve Body

The valve body of a transmission is often called the control valve and has been modified and updated through the years. TCI selects and uses only the valve bodies that will provide the best performance and service. All TCI valve bodies are 100% quality checked for proper function and, where...

milkymotorsports.com

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laser-red-nova

· #15 · 9 d ago

According to the link you gave us on the constant pressure valve body, you still need to hook up the T.V. cable!

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J Mark

· #16 · 9 d ago

Damn I missed that.

SSNovaSS396

Discussion Starter · #17 · 9 d ago

J Mark said:
Unfortunately that's not it see the link below. I'm not promoting that vendor I just grabbed a site to show you what it is.

88-92 700R4 Constant Pressure Valve Body

The valve body of a transmission is often called the control valve and has been modified and updated through the years. TCI selects and uses only the valve bodies that will provide the best performance and service. All TCI valve bodies are 100% quality checked for proper function and, where...

milkymotorsports.com

How is the drive ability with something like that?

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xMLMx

· #18 · 8 d ago

The biggest question is, how much of the labor and wrenching are you doing yourself? A $4,000 budget isn't much for anything, especially if you're paying someone else to rebuild a unit for you.

My 2 cents: Now is the time to make the switch to a better transmission, stick or otherwise. The 700R4's gearing is horrible for a performance application, and the amount of work that's required to make it live behind any sort of power is eclipsed by an otherwise-stock 4l80e. You can reasonably do a 4l80E for ~$3k, but you have to be handy enough to get a trans from a wrecking yard, buy one off somebody else, and do some fab work to make it fit in your car now. Standalone trans controllers exist, as do full manual valve bodies.

I got a quote a little over a year ago for a complete swap kit for a TKX 5-speed for my car, and all told, the kit was $5,200. That included every but nut and bolt required to swap it to a manual transmission. But, I was on the hook for all the labor and work, which is well within my capabilities. If someone else has to do the work, that's an easy $2-3k on top.

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unstable

· #19 · 8 d ago

what about…just ideas here:

go to a bulletproof trans and look at a gear vendors overdrive unit? Not sure what that comes out to be but it could be a viable solution

Pragmatist

· #20 · 8 d ago

SSNovaSS396 said:
How is the drive ability with something like that?

I have had two transmissions built with CPVB and yes you still need the cable. Properly adjusted both drove just like a stock transmission. My last trans held up quite well with over 425HP and my lead foot for several years. For some Dumb A$$ reason I've decided to put in a TKX 5 speed. What a PITA this has been.....

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