Im new to the car scene. So im rebuilding an 88 IROC Z and the guy i bought the car from said I can just take the bell housing from a truck and use that for a transmission... I have no idea what that means. The cars in decent condition all its missing is engine and transmission and I bought it for $550. I'm just trying to

figure out if I just need to buy a 700R4 or not.

 

The 700R4 has bell housing molded/integral to the case. They are not separate parts. The standard transmission models had a separate bell housing. Maybe he meant you can use a truck V8 700R4.

 

If you don't find a 700R4 from an F body , your gonna at least need to get one of these F body 700R4 tailshaft housings . See the three big holes ? Those are where your torque arm connects that comes from your rear differential . No other cars than F bodies had that torque arm , so a 700R4 from a truck or Caprice or whatever will still need this tailshaft housing to work . A different solution is that there are "torque arm relocation kits" out there that will allow the torque arm to connect elsewhere than the transmission's tailshaft housing , but one way or the other the torque arm has to be accommodated for .......