200 to a 400...

S

Shifty

Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2006
I bought a 400 turbo trans yesterday, I'm up in the air if I want to use it or not... It needs a build, but I'm planning on doing a reverse manual vb with a trans brake... I just don't know how much I'll miss my full auto, OD, and lock up converter...
Who has done the swap?
How bad is the car driving down the highway with a 3200-3600ish stall, stock 3.42 gears, and 28" tall tires???
I like the idea of a manual valve body(I'm sure that will get old fast) with a trans brake, but I don't want to lose the streetability of my car. When it runs I drive it everywhere as long as it's nice out...
Any advice, good or bad???

Thanks, Gavin
 
It really comes down to what your main usage of your car.

If it's just a weekend warrior, then do the 400.

You posted that you drive everywhere when it's nice out, then you are using it as a driver then stick with the 200.

Billy T.
gnxtc2@aol.com
 
Well it has ET Streets on it all day every day, I drive it alot, but usually only local, never in bad weather, and it's ran hard everytime I take it out... Usually I'm in a 10 mile radius, but I do like drive it to the track alot and race it... I just checked and Cecil County Drag Way is only 25 miles away from my house, so that's not bad at all...
I guess I could just do it and hold onto my 200-4R for a while so I could go back if I wanted to... The car "should" be in the 10's on pump gas, so a "cheap and strong" trans is a great idea...lol... Right now I have a fresh, "built" 200-4R with a 3200 vigilante converter, I've got $2000 in the trans and converter and I don't even have any billet parts yet...lol...
 
I have a turbo 400 and do a lot of weekend driving. I have 3.90 gears and 30" tires and turn about 3000 RPM at about 67 MPH. I have taken this on highway trips of 60 miles round trip or more with no issues or complaints. My engine is a stage 2 headed with a solid roller cam and shift around 7500 rpm.
My transmission is built using mostly CK parts including manual valve body with trans brake, billet input and intermediate shafts, and 36 element super sprag.
 
I had a customers car here with the 400 reverse shift VB .. I drove it around the block.. NO way would I do this to a street car .. opinions opinions :p
 
I'll never have another manual shift car as any kind of street car - I got tired of all that back in my early 20's :). It may be fun 5% of the time but you still have to drive the car the other 95% and it's just work :). I think the reason most go to the reverse pattern manual vb is to get a trans brake, otherwise you could leave it as an automatic. CK (chris718 on here) developed a transbrake to work with a normal auto valve body 400 a few years ago, give him a call.
 
Bottom line a 400 can be built to LAST in the car for the 10's. A 200 may hold but will not go the distance/length of time a 400 will for a 10 sec car and will need freshening before the 400.
How long before the 200 needs freshening thats a good question. But tit for tat the 400 will last longer.
A 400 can hold over 1000 hp easily 200 ..uh nah.

A bud is building a 9sec car and he was going through the same situation as sometimes we drive 40 minutes to do some late night ventures on the street and he was concerned with the lack of OD going to a 400.

It boiled down to the 400 will be put in and will last and the 200 will be a waiting game of the 2-3 developing flare, directs burning up, planets breakage, etc.

Put the 400 in lose OD but have piece of mind you are at the power level. Just MHO
 
Grumpy said:
I had a customers car here with the 400 reverse shift VB .. I drove it around the block.. NO way would I do this to a street car .. opinions opinions :p
Click to expand...


I love driving mine around with the manual shift. This is my Third manual shift street/strip car and would do it again. My other more recent car is a Hemi Challenger with a 727 and manual shift but no trans brake.
 
turbo bitt said:
I love driving mine around with the manual shift. This is my Third manual shift street/strip car and would do it again. My other more recent car is a Hemi Challenger with a 727 and manual shift but no trans brake.
Click to expand...

well I am old an not into manual shifting :p (like I said..opinions opinions) We drive Melissa's 9sec 138+ almost everyday until it snows. We need the OD because its a DRIVER.. on the weekends it goin down to the cape or up to the mountains in NH :D Put the good billet parts in the 200 and it "should" live.. Oh we are goin to take Melissa's trans thats been in her car for almost 2 years apart shortly just to see how things are "wearing". Ill post some pics up when we do. Oh the 2/3 flair?? GOOD trans guys know how to fix that :biggrin: ok outta here to do some cruisin in our "beater" (thanks Melissa)
 
Yea, I'm pretty sure I'd get tired of the full manual valve body, but who knows... I just really like the idea of sub 1.5 60's... Hehehehehehe... I know, I "could" get that with out a trans brake, but I'm thinking I really want one... I guess I'll have to send Chris from CK a message... Thanks guys...
 
Shifty said:
Yea, I'm pretty sure I'd get tired of the full manual valve body, but who knows... I just really like the idea of sub 1.5 60's... Hehehehehehe... I know, I "could" get that with out a trans brake, but I'm thinking I really want one... I guess I'll have to send Chris from CK a message... Thanks guys...
Click to expand...

just because ya have a trans brake doesn't mean ya HAVE to use it.. Melissa has used hers maybe 5 times "practicing" .. :cool:
 
Hahahahahahahaha, if you knew me you'd know I'd use the **** out of it...lol... I'll be launching off the trans brake from freaking red lights...:eek:
 
If your goal is to have the most consistent reliable and cost effective car at the strip with little street driving a 400 with brake is hard too beat. If you want to see what its going to be like rpm wise drive around for a week without using OD. Then make your decision. If your driving more than a couple thousand miles a year i dont think its a convenience at all to use a 400. Especially if you are not running su 9's.
 
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