Howdy, Did they ever make a TH400 with a lockup? As nice as a switch pitch is I think a TH400 with a lockup and a GVOD would be more efficient and still as fun and durable as a SP400 with a GVOD. With the TH700R4 I had in my 70 Riv it would drop about 350rpm and a good 30F when I locked the converter up and who knows out much the mileage improved. Thanks,
I remember reading in an issue of the GSExtra about a lockup kit for the 400. It was not cheap but had multiple kevlar clutches in the converter. I'll have to see if I can dig it out. The converter I have now is a 3200/1800. It pulls the GVOD, no problem, but does slip if you get into it. Reading up on the GV, I read that one of the reasons that they chose the .78 ratio was so that you could use it with a stall converter and it would be OK.
If I remember correctly, the price was about $2700 plus installation. And it was built with the intention of locking up during a drag race, which would probably help 1 -2 MPH. However I never found out if it was also intended for long-term cruising. (I can't imagine that there is a difference, but you never know) I think the company that made the convertors was in New York City. -Bob Cunningham
OK, I found it. January/February 2001 GSExtra. Precision Industries, 80 Pierce Rd., Oakland TN 38060, 901-466-0267 about 2500.00 The article lists Quad Air, Cotton'sPerformance, and Ron's Custom Auto as possible vendors for this kit. This info is of course 5 1/2 years old. Wonder if they still market this?
I'll ask Jack Cotton and see if its still doing, I'm pretty well connected over on the TurboBuick board. See how all of this stacks up to a built TH200-4R since this is going behind a Turbo6 and that has a new range of considerations on how to avoid a full manual valvebody and keep the modulator happy under boost.
