Hi guys,

I'm about to buy a 700-R4 from out of an '89 IROC and I'm going to have it installed into my near-stock 1982 Trans Am. My car has a 305 engine with a computer controlled quadrajet carb, and currently a 200C transmission.

Before I get the new trans installed I thought it'd be best to have some work done on it (I've got no idea on the number of miles it's done). Even though I've done a bit of reading on these transmissions, I'm still not sure on what I should have done exactly and I'd like to build up my knowledge base despite having specialists doing the installation for me.

I intend on using the car as an everyday car, but about once a month I'll take it drag racing. In addition to strength, I'm looking for some sort of combination that will also work well for around town and give me good gas mileage on the open road.

Can some kind soul give me an idea of what sort of upgrades kits I should be getting the transmission specialists to install, and what things I'll have to consider when getting it installed into my car?

Also, is it possible to have the torque converter locked up by vacuum rather than electronically? I don't fancy the idea of having to engage it manually.

Thanks

If you don't know what kind of mileage this transmission has seen, then its a good idea at the very least to restore and refresh it with OEM replacement stuff. What I got done to my 700r4 when it died was a full rebuild as well heavy duty clutch packs, shift kit, case saver (this reduces vibrational wear), and an improved torque converter. Since you're running a 305, I would bump up the stallspeed to around 2400 to make it feel more like a 350 off the line and for good gas mileage I would get either 3.23 or 3.42 gears as they will provide decent acceleration and are still tall enough to make happy with the overdrive.

Thanks for your reply.

What kind of shift kit did you have installed? The trans specialists I spoke to thought about a junior shift kit. As far as shift kits go (not that I know much about them - but I know what they do), something that doesn't cause me whiplash when changing gears would be great, but still has strength.

One day (in a few years perhaps), I plan on popping a 350 in the car but I think the transmission needs replacing first. I've currently got 3.23 gears, so I'm glad about that. Do you know what the stall speed of the factory converter from the IROC would be? I'm just curious. That car had a 305 in it.

My shift kit is an Earl Younger... aka a Transgo.
Never heard of a junior shift kit, but if the shop you are using backs it, then I wouldn't hesitate to let them go ahead and put it in. I believe factory stall is around 1800. Any amount higher and you will notice a difference, but don;t go to high because you don;t want to thrash your transmission, and the 305 doesnt demand it. I'd get a nice 2400 stall.

Hey would you get ****ty gas mileage if you had 3.73 posi rearend with 700R4?

The Jr kit doesent address all the probelms with the 700 just makes it shift better.

I don't have any manuals, so I need some info on my trans.
I've got 700R4 in my '89 GTA with a 350tpi and 3.23 rear gear.
P / R / N are easy to figure out. But under what circumstances, speeds and road conditions do I use CIRCLE D / 2 / 1 ??? What gear is best off the line. When do I shift if ever?? What gear for speeds over 80, 100, 120??? I need to know. Thanx.

'89 GTA 'vert

What other issues should I be addressing and how? Can I have my 700 locking up the converter automatically rather than me having to do it?