Dana or "Pro Built Automatics" here on the boards. Lots of folks here are running their stuff with great success. I just got my "Elite" custom shift kit from Dana. Although now I'm not so sure I have the skills to do the install.
I have not personally dealt with bowtiw overdrives, but i did buy from Raptor or PATC. I got a rebuild kit and from the hack job that the transmission shop left I went for a brand new transmission from Performabuilt. Frank in customer service is most helpful and puts his yahoo messenger ID on the website do you can ask him whenever he is online. Just last week, I was having a wiring problem with my lockup. He was online at 10pm at night and he walked me through the steps. I'd come into the computer room, talk to him for a minute and go to the garage. I'd come back talk for a bit to him and go back out. He led me step by step for a good hour. Customer service is excellent with them. They are building a reputation here in thirdgen.org, but in the 4th gen forums, they are very highly recommended. They are a bit cheaper than Probuilt too. Both probuilt and Performabuilt are backed by a one year warranty.
No I don't think I needed it. It bolted up and connected to all my existing lines. They told me how to customize my wiring (clipping the "d" pin) so that I didn't have the lock-up feature. I also ordered a 1-2 piston accumulator to replace the spring loaded one, so that my shifts were more crisp.
My car is not a daily driver........so you may want to keep the lock up.
__________________ ---What is the Formula?---
355sbc|10.8cr|HSR intake, ram air|Custom Cam specs|30# inj.|2600stall TCS|Granetelli FP 255lph|mezziere electric water pump|Jegs 197cc Aluminum heads|Hooker LT's, 3inch dual|Moroso bullets|3.73 gears|moroso springs|Lakewood struts/traction bars|275's front, 315/35/R17's rear Best Et - 11.9 111 mph 1.64 60 ft. /on slicks
Everyone like's probuilt but I'll share my experiance.
I ordered a pro-built 700r4 for my 91 camaro.
Dana asked what color I wanted it because he painted them. I said white because well no one will see it and it makes finding any leaks easier.
Dana commented I was the only person to ever ask for white at that time.
Would have thought being unique he would have remembered to actually paint it.
Showed up with no paint. Not really a big deal. Just a little detail.
Went to install it and hook up the VSS with the plastic gear like all 91's have.
Nope he put an old style metal gear on the tail shaft for some reason.
Called him and asked him why and he said he thought it had that kind of speedo. Now no 3rdgen had this type of speedo in 91, nor even in 90 so it wasn't a change over year or anything.
Anyway I had to hack saw the gear in half, split it with a flat screw driver then pound it to get it off. Again not the end of the world but another detail overlooked.
Put the tranny in the car. I'll give it credit it worked perfect. perfect for the first ~10K or so. Then it went all to hell. I called him about it. He thought the spring and weight govener assembly might be sticking. I didn't agree, told him the thing was starting out in 2nd and and slipping and all kinds of stuff. But went with it because I figured he knew best.
He sent me a different one. Didn't make any difference. At this point in less then 20 miles the tranny went from good to toast.
Took it to a tranny shop who rebuilt it. A lot of the clutches and bands were toast, along with the front pump. Hard to say if the pump caused the other stuff or if debris from the other stuff messed up the pump.
I think the local place said 4th gear band was gone, 1-2 was toast and 3-4 were " worn but still functional; 6-months from gone, had the rest been good."
Thinking of giving pro-built the benefit of the doubt I thought maybe the stall went bad and contaminated the rest of it, so I also had them cut open a perfectly good stall converter which turned out was fine.
Anyway the tranny shop rebuilt it but didn't want to reuse the valve body if they didn't have to in case of contamination. I couldn't have them use a different one because I know dana mods his with shiftkits and holes and I didn't know if they would be able to match it.
I informed Dana of this and he was nice enough to send me a different one.
He wanted me to switch 2 springs from the old one to the new one which we did. We put it in and it shifted SO soft and slow. I mean I had to baby it, I knew if I stood on it even one time it would burn up all the clutches, that's how soft it was.
I took it back to my local shop, they took the valve body out he sent me, swapped the two springs back and reinstalled the original one. That made it shift fine again so I know the valve body setup he sent me wasn't right.
Last edited by Aaron91RS : 05-06-2008 at 12:01 PM.
I build for a living and have done a ton for local racers. I have had mine in my car for over 2 years and it is a low 10 sec car 130+ on nos. runs 11.7 @118 on motor and still hits 3rd hard after 2 years and over 40 miles a day for work. I have one done here ready to go that is similar to mine with internal parts. I can get really fancy if you want with 5 pinion planets if wanted but more. I will sell it for 600 + shipping or 800+ shipping and will give a 12 12 warranty no questions asked. p.m. if intrested.
Bowtie Overdrive is where I got mine......Level 2.......been running it for 6 years and no problems.
Did you have problems with the governor? I asked for the transmission to shift around 5800 so they put a V6 governor in it but it still shifts at 4500. They should have caught the problem in their test truck before they shipped it. They're sending me a Corvette governor so I'll see how that goes.
I have not personally dealt with bowtiw overdrives, but i did buy from Raptor or PATC. I got a rebuild kit and from the hack job that the transmission shop left I went for a brand new transmission from Performabuilt. Frank in customer service is most helpful and puts his yahoo messenger ID on the website do you can ask him whenever he is online. Just last week, I was having a wiring problem with my lockup. He was online at 10pm at night and he walked me through the steps. I'd come into the computer room, talk to him for a minute and go to the garage. I'd come back talk for a bit to him and go back out. He led me step by step for a good hour. Customer service is excellent with them. They are building a reputation here in thirdgen.org, but in the 4th gen forums, they are very highly recommended. They are a bit cheaper than Probuilt too. Both probuilt and Performabuilt are backed by a one year warranty.
I put in a performabuilt 700r4 lvl2 tranny witha 9.5 inch converter with a 2800 stall and Frank was there all the way from taking all the vital info to come up with what I need for my driving habits right down to the install. Wether it was online in msn or through an email. Even a telephone call. I have nothing bud praise for this company and Frank for looking after the customer service end of it. I have no complaints with my set up either . Ounce I can keep the tires stuck to the pavement I will enjoy it much better.That is what I will be working on this spring with new adjustable Torque arm
