building a strong 200 4r on a budget

[karolko]

so here is my plan.

i want to build a tranny that will handle the high nine's, but as with almost everyone out here, i too am on a budget.

what parts are a MUST BUY, in order for this tranny to live threw friday night racing at the track and occasional street slayings?

input would be great.


Thank you,


Adrian

 

[Otto J]

i want to build a tranny that will handle the high nine's, but as with almost everyone out here, i too am on a budget.


Adrian

Budget does not come into play if you want it to handle 9sec power.
Reliabilty will mean all billet and roller parts.
But who you buy your parts from could play a big part in the money laid out.

 

[bison]

so here is my plan.

i want to build a tranny that will handle the high nine's, but as with almost everyone out here, i too am on a budget.

what parts are a MUST BUY, in order for this tranny to live threw friday night racing at the track and occasional street slayings?

input would be great.


Thank you,


Adrian

I hope your budget is high. If not you are in for some big suprises. You will need about $1200 in hard parts your cost not including the rebuild or shift recalibration parts and anything else that may be worn in there (pump, drum, gears, etc). Billet forward shaft, input, ring gear and OD planet. Also most of trans should be rollerized which will add $. A deeper pan and pickup is a must for drag racing. You will also need to have a reputable builder assemble the trans with all these parts and too top it off you will need a decent converter and oil cooler and associated plumbing. Plan on at least $4000.

 

[GNsnake]

Get in touch with Russ Merritt or Lonnie Diers.

 

[Sleeper-6]

How skiled are you? You can save a bunch on labor doing it yourself with the CK Performance book. the money could go toward the billet parts you're going to need. I did mine last winter with a billet input shaft, forward drum, and new pump for less that what it would have cost for a basic performance rebuild. It's really not as scary as it looks.

 

[karolko]

yes i am mechanically inclined, and i would love to put it together myself. if it is a matter of changing stock parts to billet parts then i cannot see it being to hard. i have never done a tranny before, so it is intimidating, but most say it is not all that bad.

what about ck and pts??? and how can i get in touch with lonnie. is he a sponsored member here?

 

[Sleeper-6]

I've been really happy dealing with CK because he's only about 45 min from me. He has taken the time to test drive my car with me when I was finished and gave it his approvial before I turned up the wick. You can't go wrong with any of the places mentioned in this post, having one of them nearby is always a plus.

 

[brian]

What converter are you looking to use?
Lock up or non l/u.

This will make a major difference in prices, and parts needed.

Brian

 

[karolko]

I do know. currently i have a lock up, but what would be better?

 

[chris718]

get the book and build it yourself with confidence.:biggrin:

 

[bnewsom]

I'm not a transmission expert and I know this is not an answer the question asked but if my goal were 9 seconds on a budget I would be running a turbo 400. I'm guessing you could do that for a third of what the 200-4r would cost. I can't see the advatage to overdrive on a 9 second car.
Bob

 

[karolko]

i would like to save the weight by having the 200 r4, plus the gearing is a little higher, alstly i am going to be driving this thing, so fourth gear would be great on the highway.

 

[bison]

i would like to save the weight by having the 200 r4, plus the gearing is a little higher, alstly i am going to be driving this thing, so fourth gear would be great on the highway.

There is little difference in weight. The 400 is definitely more of a budget item in this case. 4th is nice though.

 

[bnewsom]

Same reasons I'm using the 200-4r but if I get into the
14's I'll be surprised. But totally different car and goals for me. When I think anything under 12's in any other car streetability gets progressively worse. I don't have a turbo Buick but I just check in on this board to soak up some knowledge. It amazes me how quick and well manered your Buicks are. Good luck with the build.
Bob

 

[SHADOWII]

I would ....

recommend getting Chris' book and reading up on the trans, to see if you have enough confidence to actually tackle the task. You will be able to understand a great deal more of what's involved and whether or not you care to invest in the tools. The tools cost more than Chris' repair kit and book. He explains what tools are required in the book. I have 4 transmissions and have dealt w/both Lonnie and Chris. Both are great guys and vendors.:biggrin:
By the way, I would recommend staying w/the l/u.:biggrin:

 

[Sleeper-6]

The tools aren't too bad if you keep an eye out on Ebay you can pick up the essentials pretty cheap. I got creative and made my own for a few things.