Sixxpack2go
New Member
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2017
I hope that I am posting in the appropriate place? I have a few general concerns/questions about mating a 200R4 with a fairly well built Pontiac 455- As for how it will fare with handling the torque Pontiacs(not unlike their equally sized Buick cousins) are known for as well as proper flex-plate size/fitment etc. I am also a T-type owner so I'm relatively familiar with the 200R and its general 'mannerisms' and tendency to be somewhat fickle with initial adjustment of the TV cable and so-on. I have been a member of this forum for a short period but I have found COUNTLESS answers to my Buick questions by mainly searching and reading old posts and/or sticky's. This tranny-in-question will be used(hopefully) for my 16 y.o. sons first 'build'('79 T/A- full resto-mod to be powered by a currently-being-refreshed to .060 over transplanted Pontiac 455 with RAIII heads, FiTech 800cfm injection system feeding it 93 octane pump-gas+an AlkyControl progressive injection system piped in to keep that 12+/1 CR causing detonation-monster at bay- wonder how this idea came to fruition lol?) and I couldn't think of a better group of folks ask! To the point now- The donor was an 87' GN that's owner wanted to regress to a 3-speed. He(man we bought the tranny from) was told by 'some Buick guru' that a 200R4 wasn't quite 'beefy enough to take his GN into the 10's(made little sense in my book). The donor GN ran @or just under the 12.00 mark when this nice fellow decided it was sell-thirty for his tranny and a few other non-essentials. In the end, we got it including a new TC for $350 and a 3 hr.(each way) drive. My next question is who(we are in Florida) should/could do we send it to for a good, solid 'gone-thru' to check its guts and make the appropriate and necessary upgrades/adjustments? My feeling is this tranny should fit the 455's power-range of 1500-5700-ish RPM pretty good... I'm hoping anyhow. The T/A currently holds 4.10 gears in the diff, although my thought was to go to a 3.55 or even try to find a 'stock' T/A rear-end with rear disc brakes and 3.23 gears(or even 3.08 perhaps?) for better highway cruising and better fuel economy. Does this present any issue for a 200R4? And lastly, the 200R4 is supposed to be a drop-in replacement(or maybe a small adjustment in DS length) for the original TH350 we pulled out from what my "research" has indicated- hoping this holds some merit? Thank you for reading and my apologies for the 'novel'. My son and I are looking forward to any input, opinions and revelations from my trusted new Buick 'family'