Sad news for me & my third gen, my transmission is gone. Everything past 2nd gear is no longer an option, so it looks like my third gen will be parked indefinitely. You can read more about it here:

http://phantom552.com/Phantom552/

My blog also contains info & pictures from the rebuild I did on the rest of the car earlier this year.

Anyone know a good place to have a third gen trans rebuilt, or know anyone selling one? lol

Edit: Looks like this probably belongs in the Transmissions thread, so feel free to move it over. My apologies.

 

I have the EXACT same condition in my 89 'Bird that I got from craigslist. The previous owner told me about the fuel pump, but not the tranny hahahahaha.

Anyway, your transmission is just a garden variety 700R4 trans. The only piece that you must keep is the tailshaft housing. Its just four bolts and then it comes right off! Your tailshaft housing has the bolt holes cast in it for the torque arm mount.

You can use a 700R4 from anything V8 except a Corvette, because the rest are all the same size.

The V6 cars use a GM Metric front wheel drive trans bolt pattern, so those won't work. In short, you can just go to the wrecking yard, tell them you need a 700R4, From 1987-1993. Camaro, Firebird, Impala, Pickup Truck, whatever. Just make sure it came with a V8 so it has the right bolt pattern for the trans. When you have the tailshaft off, put your original speedometer gear drive on there, put your tailshaft housing back on, put your VSS back in, and put it in your car.

You can get it rebuilt at any shop, usually they have them on the shelf already to just swap you for yours. They were in our cars from 82-93, but the 87 and newer ones have better internals.

Good luck!

 

Yeah, my dad owns a shop, and Ive got enough knowledge to do the rebuild myself, but the cash to do it is an issue sadly lol, otherwise id have it out & opened up already, but hey, **it happens haha

 

Honestly 700R4 rebuild kits are pretty cheap.