This newbie needs help.

[Raziel]

Hello. I know that I am new here, but I have been looking through these pages for something to help me but come up a little short. I was hoping that someone could help point me in the right direction.

I have an 86 El Camino (not a Buick, I know...At least it's a G-body) with a stock 200-4R. I have a 327 that I built pretty much following the Super Chevy Magazine article on their Danger Mouse Part 6. I am too new to be able to post URLs right now, otherwise I would have posted the link.

I used the same cam Comp XE262h, the vortec heads, I have flat top pistons for around 10.5 compression, and am debating between the performer or the rpm airgap intake manifold. The engine is .060 over, but it's a '68 block so it's got plenty of meat. the article puts their 355 at having 440 lb-ft and 416hp they used 1.6 rockers I believe, whereas I will be using stock style. I am roughly guessing that my combo will be pushing around 360-380ish hp and around 400 lb-ft of torque.

My plan was to use my 2004r as is, but as I have been reading it seems that this little mouse may be a little much for it... My question is what must I do to this transmission in order to live behind this engine combo? Or would it be more fiscally responsible to just buy a "built" 2004R. Either way I want to be using a 2004R. I just really like them. Also I'll be swapping out my gears from 2.56 to 3.23 or maybe 3.73 soon I hope.

Any help would be very much appreciated. Thank you very much in advance.

 

[SHADOWII]

Welcome pilgrim!....

Glad to have you on board.
Sounds like an interesting project. The 327 was a good motor back in the day.
Had a similar build, 63 block, .060" over, 12.5:1, the octaine allowed for the higher ratios back then. The head of choice was the mondello P/P vette heads w/the double hump. Paid $400.00 just for those heads back then!
Enough memory-lane, back to reality. We hav esoem great vendors here that can help you out, either w/parts to build or a stage trans you can rely on. if you want to know more about the trans yourself, Chris of CKperformance offers a manual for about $65.00 and well worth it. He also offers hardened parts and rebuild kits to transmissions. Lonnie @ Extremeautomatics is another vendor w/like offerings. I personnally use both, I have Lonnies stage III, good to 1k hp in my primary trans and Chris's in my backup. Investigate both and I'm sure you'll find a solution. I would suggest purchasing the trans if you can afford it , as the tools to do yur own work are quite expensive. Ask me how I know!? I could have bought another trans for what I paid!
Again Welcome and thanks for the trip down memory lane.

 

[charlief1]

Read this and it should help. Several of the guys on the board are using the 2004R in 10 second cars and a 327 shouldn't be an issue.

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/tr...ttention-new-version-strengthening-2004r.html

 

[RIFF RAFF]

Welcome

TWO THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW .. LONNIE DIERS & A 327 NO PROBLEM .. HIS USER NAME HERE IS quickt ..

 

[Raziel]

Thanks for the info guys!

ShadowII - I wasn't planning on doing any transmission work myself. I do body work and engine work. I leave the transmission stuff for those qualified. I am too afraid that I would mess something up. Haha... I laugh because it's true....

Charlief1 - I am sorry. I worded my question a little wrong. I am not going to do any of the work myself. I was just wondering what I needed to run up to and just above my desired/specified power level. I had actually read that whole article/thread before I joined. It's a BIG part of why I did join up. I had noticed that it showed all of the upgrades for the transmission but doesn't really say what is needed for any specific amount of power. Though it IS a very good source of information. I just don't want to end up paying for more than I need. Ya know?

Oil Man - I checked out the extreme automatics webpage, and I think that it's great, I just don't want to buy a whole new transmission if I can just have the one I currently have built up to the level that I need. Though I am somewhat leaning toward the idea of a new unit....

Base line is I, just like everyone else in the world, don't want to spend more than I need to. It's hard enough to come by without giving it away for the ability to run more power that I don't have or even really want. I think that a 375hp motor with around 400 ft-lbs is plenty of motor for a daily driver.

 

[charlief1]

Charlief1 - I am sorry. I worded my question a little wrong. I am not going to do any of the work myself. I was just wondering what I needed to run up to and just above my desired/specified power level. I had actually read that whole article/thread before I joined. It's a BIG part of why I did join up. I had noticed that it showed all of the upgrades for the transmission but doesn't really say what is needed for any specific amount of power. Though it IS a very good source of information. I just don't want to end up paying for more than I need. Ya know?

Base line is I, just like everyone else in the world, don't want to spend more than I need to. It's hard enough to come by without giving it away for the ability to run more power that I don't have or even really want. I think that a 375hp motor with around 400 ft-lbs is plenty of motor for a daily driver.

375 HP and 400 Ft-Lbs or torque? These Buicks are making much more that that and then some.:biggrin: Get hold of Chris at CKperformance or I can direct you to Jake Shoe here in Texas. If you want an eye opener go to the B4black section and look up "Finally got some time". It's my car and I've spent years trying to figure out how to build it. It's not the "normal" G body car and it's got quite a few tricks to help it hook better.:biggrin:

 

[Raziel]

Charlief1 - That was a very long thread, but well worth the read. I really like how you beefed up the rear like that, though when I upgrade my rear end I will probably go with an 8.5 or the typical yet durable ford 9". I'm also a huge fan of that sweet disc brake setup you've got going on there. I'll have to convert... I am interested to see your finished vehicle. As far as my transmission needs go, I will have to wait until I return from this deployment to call CK performance. It'll be a couple of weeks.

 

[SSedan64]

For that amount of HP/TQ you wont need a heavily built Trans with all the Billet parts. I would suggest one with the Billet Shaft Forward Drum.
If you want to let the Trans shift itself @WOT you may need some Valvebody & Governor tuning as I know the 327 will like Hi rpm shifts.

The "Sticky" at the top of the Trans Talk section with 'who is who' at the end of the title has a list of good 2004R builders from different area. You don't have a location listed.

An 8.5" rear would be plenty strong. With the 327 I'd use 3.73 or higher rear gears. The SS Monte's used 3.73's with the 305 engine.
With the 2004R's .67 4th/OD, numerically high ratio gears work well.
Rear Ratio------4th/OD.
---3.42 ====== 2.29
---3.73 ====== 2.49
---3.90 ====== 2.61
---4.11 ====== 2.75

Also many are using the 8.8" Mustang Rear, these are cheap, strong as a GM 12-Bolt and come stock with 3.73 gears & Posi Diff.

 

[charlief1]

Charlief1 - That was a very long thread, but well worth the read. I really like how you beefed up the rear like that, though when I upgrade my rear end I will probably go with an 8.5 or the typical yet durable ford 9". I'm also a huge fan of that sweet disc brake setup you've got going on there. I'll have to convert... I am interested to see your finished vehicle. As far as my transmission needs go, I will have to wait until I return from this deployment to call CK performance. It'll be a couple of weeks.

Stay safe on the deployment and HOOAH at you.:biggrin: For those that don't know, that's the sound you make after eating breakfast and doing a 30 hike with full pack, rifle, and extras.:tongue:

Well I've got a 9" but decided to go with the 7.5 to show that it can hold up as well as an 8.5 if done right. Stock for the 80's is 26 spline axles but all you need to do is change the spiders and then it's a 28 spline. That also lets me experiment with the dual rear sway bar idea to see how well it'll work.:biggrin:

Every time I post something new I get about 200 views but only a few guys are willing to comment. I think most of them are thinking it's gonna be a total flop and are just waiting for me to throw in the towel. Hopefully I'll have her back together by the end of the summer and then we'll find out whether I should slink away in shame or stand up and scream at them for doubting my ideas.:tongue:

 

[Raziel]

SSedan64 - That is more the kind of information I was after. I had seen something about being able to use the 8.8 mustang rear once or twice in the past. And then I just kind of forgot about it. It's not that I have a problem with using a ford anything rear end, I just didn't find a lot of support for the idea of using it. I have heard that they are considerably cheaper than a 9" but what would I need to do to fit it into a G-body? I'll look into it some more. I'll have to get back to ya about this. Thanks for the idea.

Charlief1 - Well I don't think it's a total flop. I think that it is something that I do not have the time or the tools to do. and I am very interested to see how it holds up. That diff is seriously beastial looking though. I'd never have thought about doing anything like that.

 

[charlief1]

Charlief1 - Well I don't think it's a total flop. I think that it is something that I do not have the time or the tools to do. and I am very interested to see how it holds up. That diff is seriously beastial looking though. I'd never have thought about doing anything like that.

Thanks. I hang out with a bunch of dirt track guys so I learned a lot of tricks on how to make a 7.5" live behind power. Some of the engines are putting close to 500 HP, but it's mostly in a 3K lbs or less chasis. The tubes are the same diameter but the housing where the tubes go in is the issue. That's where they flex a lot and break axles and housings. Now that I know you can put a 28 spline axle in it this may be the solution to keeping it alive on the drag strip.

 

[Raziel]

Charlief1 - I may do that instead of buying a whole new rear end... My plan is to use my current stock rear end, albeit with a gear swap and a fluid change of course. But I'll probably need to swap that as well.... I am also very unsure as to what kind of power diet the stock rear will endure. I figure with an automatic and street driving it shouldn't be too bad. I could be wrong.

Thank you for all of the help everyone.