19f0rmula88

sometime during the weekend. ill be removing my 305/t5 from my formula. im gonna be swapping it to an automatic a rebuilt 700r4 with a shift kit and a b&m shifter for it. im currently hunting down a 350 to swap into it. ill be doing other things like swapping in a painless wiring harness and painting the car. im also installing new weather stripping for doors trunk and ttops. ill post pics of the tear down and reassembly. im hoping to have this thing done and running by spring. summer at the latest. should be a nice little winter project for me. wish me luck and ill come back if i run into any troubles or need any help with something

Guest

You just got a lot of people's hopes up, considering the demand for T5s.

19f0rmula88

i know im trading the t5 and all of its equipment for a 700r4 and all of its equipment. is it a fair trade? i dont know but all i do know is that the 700r4 can hold up to the power i want to make

Angelini

The 700-R4 will have a better chance of holding up to a 350, GM never paired the T5 to a 350 in our cars because it wouldn't handle the torque.

Guest

Back then we didn't have G-Force offering the stronger gears. Now you can get them direct, or through Astro Performance Warehouse, or Hanlon Motorsports, or D&D.
Also back then, GM wouldn't've paid for them even if they had been available.

shortyskater

Why not run a t56? I went from a 5 speed car to an auto and it just isnt as fun to drive anymore. New daily driver will be 5 speed and my Iroc will soon have the 6 speed.

19f0rmula88

i dont have the money for a full t56 swap kit i can afford the 700r4 and a build kit though

19f0rmula88

this is where im basically at so far with everything. i got a 700r4 sitting next to the car under a tarp with a b&m flexplate and b&m ratchet shifter. i plan on getting a tci racing master rebuild kit for it and a trans go shift kit

19f0rmula88

i was thinking about the t56 i found one on craigslist in my area for pretty cheap out of a 95 trans am. but then i was thinking i should just go with automatic because i want to take it to the track and all the guys i talk to about it say auto is better for track racing in case i miss a shift

19f0rmula88

So i was thinking what would be the best route? get everything first then get rebuild kits or should i rebuild it as i go?

i was thinking maybe i should get everything then worry about rebuild kits. for the trans i was thinking about this kit http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TCI-379100/

i was also thinking about getting this shift kit http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TRG-700-2-3/

what do you guys think so far? im still debating on what i want to do engine wise. should i go with a tuned port set up like i always wanted?

88gta3508

the 700Weak4 can not handle a lil 305 I have smoked 6 of them last 2 built with all goodies and trans cooler
yet my WC T5 held up perfectly fine on my HSR 350 pushing over 400RWHP
T5 the shifter is trash.. next would be the 5th gear retainer...
good luck with the 700's pretty soon all the case's will split... like one of mine did....

19f0rmula88

i guess its just a matter of luck i see 700r4s paired to 600 hp ls1 turbo builds and they are fine. we had a 84 trans am with a 700r4 that ran 10s all day and the trans was fine. my 700r4 is out of an 89 trans am. im not plan on building a high horse power engine. i just want something that tickles my fancy. i have a huge thing for tuned port engines. im picking up a tuned port set up for 300 complete with harness and ecm with a chip. im definitely going with a 350 roller cam

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

Sounds like you had a bad egg. Rebuilt and modfied 700R4s are the choice automatic transmissions for hot rodders, because when built right, they can withstand anything from a 300hp 5.3 to a blown 572 (I have seen both). The T5 isn't used by any hot rodders, because of its low hp and tq tolerance. That is a fact.

19f0rmula88

thank you skelitor for basically backing up my point that 700r4s are pretty good transmissions. like i said my father use to have an 84 trans am 10 second car with a 700r4 and it still worked perfect even when the motor blew the tranny was good, it now sits in my cousins 80s monte carlo ss

88gta3508

you guy's are right... every 700 I had must have been rotten
I have yet to see a 700 take serious power for very long they must build them loose to absorb the torque... all the trans builders i know say
build a 2004r if you want overdrive... now if you want overdrive and a real trans. step up to a 4L80E and toss in a manual valve body
if you guys love 700's so much!!! it has all the performance hop UP's
used to roast 3rd that lasted about 2 months. slips all gears now... been sitting around for 3 years now..come get it!!!!

PS we know the low HP rating!! on the T5's I was pulling 113 from 2nd gear @ 2K launches now if the T5 is so much weaker then a 700 why did my last engine not shatter the T5 in to pieces when I launched much harder on the streets... I know mine was one of a kind the Godzilla, Super T5... I do not promote to install a T5 as performance... nor a 700

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Sounds like you need a new trans rebuilder..
I also could smoke stock rebuilds within days. without trying.
I even put the guts of a "built" trans thru the floor of my car, We got clutches to hold an then hard parts failed.
I finally bought some real parts 4 my 700 and havnt had a problem yet.
Point is, a "built" trans is more than 2 extra clutchs and a shift kit. Its a bunch of hard parts chosen and working together properly to make it better.
I have driven over many stock WC T5s in STock mustangs.. I can blow those apart very fast. very easy to rebuild and blowup. the mustang guys kept me busy 4 years!!

88gta3508

no my builder was legit..
I could feel my T5 flex so I did not beat on it that hard but still held up way better then any of the 700's in all the fbody's I had... again come get my 700

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Did you really cut the power steering and fuel lines with tree trimmers????? I'm guessing your not putting the power steering back in??? or if you are you just added cost to your build,unless they leaked and needed replaced..

19f0rmula88

i certainly did. i dont have all of my tools where the car is yet so i had to resource. fuel lines are being replaced since they are rusted pretty bad. and power steering lines were shot as well. im ordering a brand new pump from summit as well as new lines.

19f0rmula88

im currently deciding what to do with the transmission. i traded my t5 for it and its got a b&m shifter and B&M flexplate. im going with a 350 .030 over with a mild cam so it isnt too big for the tuned port. and some tuned port heads. long tube 3 inch headers. do you think i could get the rebuild kit and shift kit and it would be fine? my uncle has rebuilt transmissions for 10 years so im having him do all the work for me on the trans.

1gary

Check this company out:

www.TCIAUTO.com

Call their tech line and let them guide you threw what rebuild parts to buy.Ask them about their constant pressure valve body which eliminates the critical TV cable adjustment and then just uses it as a kickdown passing cable.Also their huge servos and beast sun gear is outstanding.

19f0rmula88

so today i got some more stuff done to the firebird. i was wondering what the body looked like so i sanded down the body and found out that it was rusted pretty bad. the bars beside the windshield are rusted and the quarter panels are pretty rotted. ill get some pics within the next week to show how bad it is. the floor boards are rusted through to the point that you can see through them. i was wondering if i should sell off the body? or should i just replace it? the frame rails are still in good shape and the rest of the body is and floors are pretty good shape. just the quarter panels driver side floor and windshield bars. so you guys let me know what you think i should do?

19f0rmula88

i ordered some parts today for the new engine.
a summit racing 1103 cam kit

im not sure if ill need a return spring for the carbed set up on the engine with the tbi throttle cable?

19f0rmula88

19f0rmula88

so good news for the firebird. i just scored a job ill be starting this weekend!! once the cash starts flowing ill be able to finish alot quicker. im ordering a wiring harness for the car next week and ill be then wiring it up and ill have some more pictures. i also will be getting a battery to test everything.

87irocftw

Is this the same pedal setup as a 87 iroc? If so can I buy pedal setup?

19f0rmula88

this actually came out of an iroc and i would be glad to sell it to you but the thing is, im using it!!! lol

19f0rmula88

i ordered a chassis harness for the car about 2 or 3 days ago. im stopping work on the car even though i havent had much progress lately due to the fact that i found some pretty badly rusted spots... gotta see how money plays out. if its too bad then ill be ditching the frame and getting something in better shape to continue my work on.