How much lower does a 4L80e pan sit than a 700r4? Anyone have good pictures of one in a 3rd gen?

I'm debating transmission options and would like to ultimatly run the springs out of one of my old trans ams, but it sat pretty low and I did smack the tranny pan on the TH700r4 a couple of times, so I'm wondering ultimately how practical it will be.

 

Its about 1/2" deeper than a 700R4/4L60E pan. Aftermarket pans can get ridiculous

If you smacked the 700 pan, then definitely lift the car before using the 80'

Only ones I took that give half sense of pan depth

 

Mine sits pretty low as well. I am running a deep finned aftermarket pan though. If you hit with a 700R4 you will definately hit with an 80E.

 

Is that a 1/2" deeper pan or is that 1/2" deeper from the CL of the transmission? Your pictures make it look like it's sitting much lower than the stock one, but it's hard to tell because everything is further back than it is with a 700 and the frame rails tuck up towards the back.

This is driving me crazy, I can't seem to find pics from when I bought, rebuilt or cleaned up the case on the 4l80 right now, but I swear that my pan is totally different then yours (same outside shape but flat bottomed like a 700 pan, yours almost looks like a jaguar or austin martin pan. I also can't find any pics of either of my 3rd gens with 700's in them to compare it to even though I know that I took pics of that area when doing a shift kit, exhaust, TA mount and probaby half a dozen other things...

I do remember that the bent up stock crossemember (maybe 1 to 1-1/2") comes pretty close to lining up with the bottom of the pan, but the 700 pan is flat across the bottom of the tranny where the 4L80 is angled up down at the front.

I could have sworn that somewhere I saw a picture or drawing with measurements showing that most of the 4L80 transmission body sits lower relative to the bellhousing, but I can't seem to find it now.

BTW, I like your approach with mounting the tranny crossmemeber, running the subframe connectors back there rather than trying to hang it off the stock crossmemeber mounting bolts. Do you have pics of how you dealt with the TA mount?

Not this one, its currently an M5 at "stock" (after 25years of sagging) ride height, but I planned on swapping the suspension from my '83 which sat quite low even with fairly tall tires.

As much as I'm a form follows function kind of person, I hate the stock 4x4 look with street tires enough that I'm debating if I just need to figure out something else for a transmission, no idea what.

 

Doing more thinking out loud, where does the pan on a TH400 sit relative to a TH700r4 and 4L80e?

 

Nothing real definitive, but heres how I base the 1/2"

Fbody LS1 pan is dead even with the bottom of the stock K-member. The 4L60E pan is even with that


Sitting flat on the ground Fbody pan and 4L80E, the trans lifts the pan off the ground approx 1/2"


I didnt measure my other '80 with the older flat pan but going from memory it was very close. You might just have to stick it in there and see for yourself

This guy used the older pan, so more pics to compare
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/ltx-...l80e-swap.html

My TA mount took a while to figure out as I wasnt going to drop the stock TA. Now I know I have to, in order to get some measure of proper pinion angle, but thats another thread

Stock clamshell, custom bracket welded to it. Bracket bolts under the trans mount so it doesnt try to rip the mount in half like stock

 

Huh... I wonder if the depth of that pan is different than my square one (honestly, I've only seen the square ones and the aftermarket ones that are also square in person)? If it's the same or even just slightly deeper it would probably be less likely to get hit/crushed in the car because of the rounded/cut off corners, well also if it will interchange...