Just wondered if any of the readers here have heard of this company or know what happened to it. Back in the early 90's they built a unit that would slip on to the back end of a 350 or 400 turbo (as well as others) and gave it a tremendously nice extra gear!! It was strong, simple and used the oil from the main trans for lockup pressure and for cooling and could be shifted with a seperate switch at any time the driver chose. If I remember right the price was like $1600 in 1992. I know they filed for protection (Bankrupt) but the product was good and i have to beleive they could have sold the idea to someone. I remember they tested in a motor home as well as a drag rail. The deal was sold with a money back warrenty against failure. I heard they were in Redding Calif and that one of the partners went to Tennesee. But anyway, I have one of these units in a truck and a spare one on the shelf that needs some parts. If anyone knows of a used unit or peices of one I would like to hear about it. Sure would be a neat deal to put in a GS or a Riv!! Thanks for any info ED
www.Gearvendors.com makes a similar unit - I've heard that for A-bodies the floor pan needs to be slightly modified/raised where the unit sits for it to fit Its a very stout unit capable of handling 1000hp hope this helps
Yes..the Gear Vendors unit is supposed to be nice..I have a friend putting one behind a 440 Mopar here...he's not done yet but the people at Gear Vendors basically told him as long as he follows the instructions and uses the correct oil in the unit, he will not be able to tear it up. You can use the overdrive for each gear also. They are not cheap. Patton
I can personally say the gear vendors unit is awesome. Six gears out of three speed and shifts like a ton of bricks. Shift harshness can actually be tailored by changing fluids. Put one in my dual purpose bracket heads up car to stop the rear gear changes from motor to nitrous set up. Unfortunately never had the urge to spray it after installing the gear vendors unit as the heads up rules had changed. Car was 3850lbs. on an 11" street tire ran 10.02 at 142 with 3.50 gear with 1.88 60' with nitrous, ran 10.70 at 127mph with 4.56 gear through gear vendor unit with 1.50 60' I was looking at a mid 9 second ride but the class changed to a mid 8 second class with the new rules. Ran the gear vendors for 1 season with no problems then sold because I was only bracket racing and one extra gear is one more chance for a mistake. Would be an awesome adition to a street strip car or any dual purpose car.
Mine was in a 79 regal and needed no modification at all. The unit is smaller than you would think. One of the magazines installed one in a chevelle and said a small amount of clearancing was needed. Tunnel should only need to be massaged slightly which should be fine on anything short of a totally restored numbers matching car. I can't imagine any cutting would be required except for shortening the driveshaft. I was using a Denny's driveshaft and they shortened it and freshened it up for $35+shipping. Driveshaft is gauranteed for life including changing cars, I would recomend them to anyone.
The Gear Vendors unit is nice, but you better be prepared to spend some money to get one, somewhere around $3200 dollars!!
Bob, Your a "G" high here... GV unit goes for $2200... we will be putting two of them in this coming winter here.. one in a '72 STG 1 convert, one in a '87 Big Block Regal. If you want on OD, in my opinion this is the way to go... costs less than a fully "built" 200R4 trans/converter, (when used with your current trans) and is bulletproof for the long haul.. Not to mention, you end up with a 6 speed trans...:TU: \ Please pass the 4 series differential cases...:Brow: JW
Keep your eyes open, they are available from time to time used. I bought mine used and sold it again when I was done. Retail price was $2600 new at that time. $2200 is a good price for new.
Here ya go guys... price code "A" is for the TH 400, with short tailshaft (4") http://www.gearvendors.com/prices.html JW
Racing aplication wasn't an option last I checked about 2 years ago. I asked for better price for not taking all of the kit, they would remove parts but wouldn't lower price. Well worth the $2200 price tag. Good info Jim.
When i was researching OD it was either the GD unit or a 4L80e.....didn't even consider the 200R4 By the time you're done with the converter and computer for the 4L80, the GD unit is alot less expensive....like 1k worth
Didn't US Gear make an overdrive unit for a T400?? Seems to me that I remember reading or hearing something about them 2 or 3 years ago. I think they were called a VDO overdrive and they attatched to the back of the tranny. Are they sill around o No: ?
US gear makes or made an overdrive or underdrive but was not both and was not shift on the fly. Gear vendors unit takes very little power to run, they claim 1-2% I think. I ran identical MPH with or without the unit on motor alone with 4.10 gear with a bit better E.T. with the unit with 4.56 gear. MPH is the true indicator of efficiency and horsepower not E.T. There are to many factors in E.T. to make a good comparison of power loss.
Bob, My father put a U. S. Gear overdrive behind his TH400 in his 1 ton Dually. It had a 454 and he kind of wanted more mileage. Only helped out about 2mpg dry, but towing made about 3-4 mpg difference. It was a shift on the fly unit, but took a while to figure out how to do it without grinding the OD unit. The only problem he had with it this year(been in the truck for about 40k miles) is that when he went from high to low, it DID NOT go into low. When he parked the truck and put it in Park and walked away, the truck rolled down the hill and hit a tree. The thing is now in low, but will not switch to high gear anymore. Has not had any other trouble, but what is the use of a bolt on OD if it won't go into OD. Several of my friends that run deep geared trucks(I'm talking 6.72:1 gears here) say that the U.S. Gear unit is junk. I think I would agree with them if you can only get 40k out of them. Not at all worth the $$ outlay.:af:
How much was the US Gear unit compared to the GV unit. You are right, it should not have torn up after 40K miles. Longshot here, but its not still under warranty is it? Also how hard is the GV unit to put in a 71GS?
Have patience. Have patience, Bob. Trying to get the info from the folks. I will post it here when they reply to my email. but they are retired and don't really have to move too fast. Guess I'm a little envious!:laugh:
Re: Have patience. No its not under warrenty anymore. Even though it only has about 40k on it dad had it installed in 91 or 92. I believed he paid 2900.00 installed. Sure is nice to have it in there though. Nice to be able to run down the freeway at 85 mph and pull 10 mpg with 4.10 gear.
Just got the email from Ma. The overdrive was installed in 1994. They are coming down this weekend, and they are bringing the book for the overdrive, so I will be able to post the numbers for the thing. Still irrelevant, 8 years and no worky? uzzled: Wait 2 more days and I will have the info needed. I told you before that they don't move too fast :laugh: I ho[pe I have the opportunity to do the same within ?? years.uzzled: Don't see it happening real soon.:ball:
