Any tranny guys here that would care to chime in? I've read several items on this tranny but I'm not a tranny guy so some of it is Greek to me. I'm going to have someone local build me a 200-4R for my Stage 1 car. I expect to run 3.73 or 3.42 gears on the 10-bolt I'm building with rear discs and be no faster than low 12s when I'm all done. It is OK quick now but I want it to be fast, too! What should I ask for to be included in a solid 500HP capable automatic? My current T400 is bulletproof and lived through many blasts of nitrous before I tired of it. I'd keep the tranny if I just didn't hate to hear the big motor winding over 3000 at 70 MPH. First, are the cores that important or can everything be achieved with about any solid case with the proper internals? Things like a hardened sun shell, bigger servo and whatever else is appropriate for a BBB power level are the kinds of things I'm hoping to learn about. When all is said and done, can a competent local guy even build a solid 200-4R or should I look elsewhere?
If you already have a bulletproof 400, why not pair it with a gear vendors unit? You'd get overdrive, they are said to be bulletproof as well, and I bet you'd end up similar in price to the 200.
#1, You need a competent trans builder who has done MANY 200-4R's. You'll probabally want a hardened input shaft at the least. You are also going to need a throttle bracket that can work with a TV cable, and it must be set properly. Your best bet is to check with the GN/TTYPE crowd, and see what works for them. Trust me, you only want to do this once. If you go with the gear vendor overdrive, I _think_ you are going to have to cut the floor. With the 4 speed 200-4R, lockup convertor, you'll think the car can go 200MPH!! I ran one for a while in my Electra. It felt like a freight train on the highway. ElectraJim
I have heard many, many.............many hard luck stories from people who have tried to have their TH200-4R built by a regular local transmission shop. There are quite a few things that have to be tweaked on those trannys to make them happy behind power. You may consider finding a one of the Gurus who build the Turbo Regal transmissions and have them build it.
x2. You'll spend less on the GV overdrive than you will for everything you need to replace it with, including a stout 200-4R transmission and you'll have a more reliable unit.
I considered it last year and thought long and hard about it but the GV OD is added weight, cutting a drive shaft and I don't want to hack it up any worse than it already is. Shiftworks has the console cable and bracket. TV Made EZ looks like they have a workable TV cable solution. The research I've done points to two nationally known builders, Extreme Automatics and PerformaBuilt as two excellent candidates. I may check with the local guy and see if he'll just do the swap. I don't have the necessary skills yet to do the TV cable. Personally, it looks simple enough but it also scares me a bit the way these things can fry with too little pressure. I guess my other option is to just put 2.56 gears under it and put a bigger switch pitch converter in it.
..AND cut up the transmission tunnel/floor. Can somebody verify this? I think I read where somebody did this GV OD, and this was a must-do. (in a GS) I also think the GV OD requires you to flip a switch. The 200-R4 will do this (4th gear)automatically, everytime, all the time. :Brow: ElectraJim
Check with CK performance,They sold over 100 2004r full billet this last year.I haven't heard of anyone having any issues with them.With the big torque you need to have the proper internals to make it last.Good price too!I work at a tranny shop but will be getting one of these units with everything already done.Chris is easy to talk to also.
i think when the gv is on it works you just have a switch to turn it off like most od units. but i cant see a built 200 costing more than the gv does those thing are like 2k.
Well, a GV OD is $2,600 and all the other crap that has to be done. I was sweet on them a year ago but beating up the floorboard doesn't appeal to me. Too bad they don't make a slightly down sized unit that fits without any modification to the underside. I've seen plenty of BBBs at the nationals with 200-4Rs than I did GV ODs. That has to say something. Even if the 200-4R costs the same, the drive shaft likely will not need cutting and the weight is lower. I'm not a drag racer though I've been down the strip my fair share. I'm not talking transbrake or anything wild. I want a functional car that I can take any where at real highway speeds without the annoying drone of a 3,200 RPM BBB. They say they can make a 200-4R live at 1,000 HP and I only want half that. Heck, I'm more likely to try taking a hard curve marked 35 at 70 than I am doing a smoky burnout.
Check here: http://ckperformance.com/contact.html and:http://www.cpttransmission.com/testimonials.htm and: http://www.extremeautomatics.com/ There may be others... - Bill
The spline count is different on the 200-4R and the driveshaft length is different than your existing shaft.
I know the output shaft/yoke is different. I have a spare stock 350/350 driveshaft. So, I'm thinking no real issue there. Worst is a conversion u-joint if keep the 12-bolt or build a 10-bolt.
The guy building my trany is ordering parts from Art Carr and I'm going to run a lockup torque converter of about 2500 stall. OK, I've been measuring my current Frankenstein drive shaft and comparing to an unmolested turbo 350/8.5 drive shaft. My current drive shaft is a made up unit with a Buick inside clip T400 yoke and a 12 bolt, outside clip at the rear. It appears to be 3.250" in diameter and 54.875" in length from center of u-joint to center of u-joint. The 350/350 drive shaft is 3" around and 55.125" eye to eye. So, it appears my current unit is 0.25" shorter than the spare 350/350. I'm hoping I can just use an adapter u-joint to swap on a T350/200-4R yoke. Sound like it will work? I'll have to probably swap the rear u-joint when I swap the 10 bolt in but no great hardship.
Art Carr Transmissions used to be "the" name in 200s. But, he sold Art Carr Transmissions to another company and they do not have a good reputation in the Turbo Buick community. The real Art Carr now has a transmission shop in California. He is still very respected. Here is a link to his site: http://www.cpttransmission.com
If you have a transmission builder that is familiar with performance build ups he can call either CK or Extreme automatics for what is needed. The core you start with can make a difference. Those out of GN's, Monte SS, or 442 are good. You are OK with that driveshaft and will probably have to play around with U joints but not a big deal. I finally had a custom shaft built this year becuase of the HP increase. Well worth the $320. I use the BTO TV setup but not sure it is worth the extra money. There are other systems to adapt to a carb for less. Use the stock TV cable, they are easy to adjust. Hang out on the GN board in the tranny site and you will see the half dozen shops that do good builds if you want to go that route. Closest to you would be Vince Janis in Ohio.
That's probably in the cards. I've got the resources I didn't have when I was younger to do what I want. Between parting with a Kenne-Bell switch pitch T400 and a 3.73 12 bolt posi, I'm thinking I might come out even. The guy building the 200-4R has been in the business for a long time and John O suggested him to me. John is going to swap the primary throttle shaft to a 350 car version that has a kickdown provision so we can use that as the basis for the TV cable. All in all, I'm feeling pretty confident this should be pretty solid when done. I will probably get a new drive shaft eventually since all my yokes will be 3-R once I'm done.
Not a big fan of C-clips. For now the 12 bolt will stay because I just got the call from my transmission guy yesterday. The torque converter should be built this week! Getting closer. I don't want to be in the middle of lining out the brakes when the call comes to drop it off for the trans swap.
