Hello everyone I have a 1986 Buick Regal limited with 47.000 original miles on it with a 307 5.0l engine that is shot but the block is still rebuildable. but i was thinking to use something with more power. And i just got the 350 engine about a week ago from a 1972 buick skylark, the guy said the engine ran like a champ so maybe i should not change nothing for now but just paint it and change the seal's and gaskets. im still getting the 350 transmission from him but i need to rebuild it first becouse he said its burned. right now i have a 401 trans thats in the car righnow! just wondering if i should change the 401 trans for the 350 trans or just stay with the 401?? whats batter to rebuild and place a shift kit in it?????. The rear differancial its original from the factory, i never worked on differancial so im asking for help on how or what to do about the rear?. can I modify the rear differancial OR DO I HAVE TO GET SOMETHING ELSE? and the one i have on the car will it work fine????. thank you
your rear diff should be an 8.5, and there are plenty of aftermarket parts for it. i suggest buying a posi unit for it, and gear it however you like. if your digging into it that deep, you'll want to replace the bearings as well. if you've never done a rear, i suggest having a local speed shop do it for you. if your going with a 350 sbb, go with about a 3.05 ratio. as far as the engine mounting, it should be the same as the 307, but i'm not positive. i know many who have that vintage regal usually go with a sbc motor...as plenty of aftermarket is available for these motors.
rearend hello ZZ someone else told me i should swap the rear diff for 3.08 right now i maybe have 2.41:1 or 2.56:1, so if i can rebuild the one i have that will be fine and i CAN do it i have all the tools, just wondering if it will cost more money to rebuild it or i be better off just getting the 3.08 from a junk yard? do you know what cars i can get the 3.08? i never worked on rearend that much but i have no problem doing it. Its my first hot car that i want to install all the main parts on it so i dont have to go back and redoit again, like the trans, the engine, and the rear differancial. so the 3.05 ratio is about the same as the 3.08 ratio that this other guy told me. Im not sure what is the main thing i have to do to the rear that will make it right for the 350 i need more info on what to change on the rear end :ball: Sorry if im asking so much questions, im usully working on new cars and i need to get used to the old muscle cars. 350 sbb??? what does the sbb, sbc mean where can i find the meanings of the codes you guys use :rant: \\
3.08 is what i meant, sorry. primarily you are going to need a posi carriage, the ring and pinion gears, and bearings...should cost no more then $500. I was able to get the parts and installation for about $700...i didnt want to do it myself because i'm not that familiar with setting the backlash on the gears. The problem w/ bone yard rears is A) your not sure of the condition of the bearings, and B) you really dont know what gears they have in them. I'm not sure which cars came with 3.08, as even the same model cars could be ordered w/ different ratios. This is why I decided to upgrade my stock diff, this way I know for sure what I have. 350 sbb = Small Block Buick sbc= Small Block Chevy
An 86 Regal has an 8.5 in it? Are you sure about that? I thought they had the 7.5 rear. That 307 couldn't even break that.
401 trans? describe ?? if its stock /original the rear is a 7.5 with 2.41 gears and the trans is a 200 4r overdrive trans the 350 buick engine can be bolted in with v6 motor mounts and v6 frame pads from regal,cutlass 87 and down. get a set of gears from chevy astro van,s-10 .good chance of getting 3.23 or 3.42 from those can get camaro/firbird but v8 cars will likly be 2.92 gears those gears will fit stock 7.5 rears(get ring/pinion and carrier with shims) a 200 4r can be replaced with a 350 easily.can use the 200 4r with shift kit and upgrade servo, extra trans cooler look at trans pan and see if its very long and will say metric on it,will not have a vacuum line to trans as a 400 trans will have vacuum line 400 trans does not have a detent(cable from carb to trans) the 200 4 r does have cable i would use the 200 4r with 3.23s or 3.42s and the 350 will ripp if it runs good.
your the expert, Larry. If you say so, then it's so. lol I thought I read somewhere GM used 8.5s up to 90 something.
I'm no expert :laugh: but I know the GN's and 442's, and maybe the Monte SS's had the 8.5. Not the plain Jane Regals though. And yes, GM did use the 8.5 for quite awhile.
If it's a a Regal limited it is most likely a 7.5". And you probably have the Metric 200 or 250 trans, not the 200 4r. Do you have overdirve on the console or does it just say D, L2, L1?
ummm Hi Shark umm i dont know if i have the 7.5 i need to findout about that 2 morrow and the trans. so do you think i can modify the 7.5 to be posi or more performance .
im back hello everyone and Shark, i just found out the the trans i have is a 406 xxxG, so im thinking it might be better then the 350 trans? that im getting, and just wanted to know when i rebuild it i will need to install a turbo shift kit and a good stall tourq conventer. WHAT YOU THINK?
look at the shape of the pan and if it says metric on it also not where if any the vacuum modulator is i am pretty sure you have a 200r4 in there if you have a vacuum modulator on right side pointing toward pass door its a 400 if it has a vacuum modulator and it points toward rear end and has a cable connected to carb its a 350 if just has a cable to carb with no modulator at all it is a 200 or 2004r both will have the word metric stamped in bottom of pan the 200 has a small pan thats amost square with a corner cut off the 2004r has a long pan funny shape hard to describe those numbers dont designate trans size but someone might be able to use the numbers to tell what it is
hello hi guys, well it says 406 on the top of the trans so i guess thats the model #. i didnt go to the garage 2day so i can't tell you if its the 400 or 200, to see if the vacuum modulator is on right side pointing toward pass door for the 400. just one easy question which one is better the 400 or the 350trans that im getting this week but i have to rebuild it uzzled: ?????? :beer THANK YOU RG67BEAST :beer YOU HELPED ME WITH THE WEBSITE
We can identify the model number by a little metal tag attached near the rear of the tranny (if yours hasn't been taken off). It won't be a 400 if it came with the 86 Regal. The 350 would be a direct swap in and can handle a lot of abuse especially from a 72 350 motor.
the 350 trans will hold up well to just about any street 350 engine no real need for a 400 plus first gear is alittle better in a 350 trans if you go with any shift kit in the trans dont disable the detent cable you will want it to work. when you get it adjusted to your carb the trans will downshift itself rather then you having to do it manually it will make the car more drivable just remember to get all the linkage for trans selector from your old trans it will bolt on to the 350 .you could use the trans cable bracket for the 307 for your 350 but you will need to raise the carb up for a detent on a stock intake or use aftermarket intake for clearance
hi hi, i just got the TH350 trans and needs rebuilding but not sure if i should use any of the turbo shifts kits or just buy the complite rebuild kit and then buy a good tourque conventer, not sure what stall i should use 2000, 2400 or 3200. want to street drive it and if needed burn tires. and i will install a posi on the rear dif.
You need a rebuild kit and a shift kit, unless your trans builder really knows what he is doing. If he does, he can "replicate" a shift kit without buying one. It is really just a matter of drilling some passages larger in the valve body spacer plate, and leaving out some check balls. (At least, this is the case with a TH 400, haven't done a TH 350.) Torque converter stall is a function of many variables, rear end ratio, torque peak of the motor, etc. If you are going to street drive the car, 2500 is probably the max.
