Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

Lost in the 60s · President

200R4 trans cores

SShink · 3K+ Club

Lost in the 60s wrote:
Ad in the latest Line Chaser.
Transmission shop closing, 10 200R4 cores @ $125 each.
Bob 612-239-7850, 763-767-4480

And here I thought you and Loren had hoarded all of them by now!

May have to give them a call. They're getting hard to find, and that's a great price for a core

Larry Lucast · Active Member

I need one for my 79 Malibu, so I called him. It is Bendtsen's transmission in Ham Lake. He has a few 700R4s and about a dozen 200R4s. Most of them are junkyard cut-outs, which means they probably were in a running, driving car most recently. They have a stub of the TV cable and a torched off part of the crossmember. They do not have torque converters, but you always buy a new one anyway. They are moving, but he said he will be there for at least a month. I have never seen so many transmissions.

Lost in the 60s · President

Larry Lucast wrote:
I need one for my 79 Malibu, so I called him. It is Bendtsen's transmission in Ham Lake. He has a few 700R4s and about a dozen 200R4s. Most of them are junkyard cut-outs, which means they probably were in a running, driving car most recently. They have a stub of the TV cable and a torched off part of the crossmember. They do not have torque converters, but you always buy a new one anyway. They are moving, but he said he will be there for at least a month. I have never seen so many transmissions.

Glad you were able to make use of the post, Larry.

I keep thinking I should go get another, but I already have 1 on the shelf...

I would prefer to be putting 5 speed manuals in my cars anyway.

69SSConv · Active Member

That is a good price for cores!

SShink · 3K+ Club

Picked one up today. It's definitely a core since they were all sitting outside exposed to the elements, and the dipstick opening was open, so guessing some water got into it. Although it was under a semi trailer, so fairly covered. And the input shafts are pretty rusty. But for $125 I'm not complaining. It will go on the shelf and wait for the next project.

One word of caution though. I had called ahead and told them I wouldn't be able to get there by 4:30 p.m., and the lady told me Bob would hang around especially for a cash deal, and when I got there at 4:50 p.m., the shop was locked up. He lives in a house on the property, so I got up my nerve and knocked on the door. Bob wasn't happy I was late, but decided he wanted the cash, so we lugged one out from underneath the trailer as he mumbled something that they should be $150 but he wants to get rid of them.

I think he's down to 5 left, and one of them has cracked output shaft housing on the case around where the yoke goes in, but might still be o.k.

Larry Lucast · Active Member

Mine has fairly nice looking input shafts since it was farther under the trailer. So we threw it in the back of my Yukon, and I went to run errands. While I was out, the metal-fab guy called to say my '79 trunk lid was ready to pick up. So it is sitting on top of the transmission in the back of my truck. Because re-assembly of my '64 takes up so much space, I don't have a good, accessible place for either.
When the buffer gets done, I will be able to move stuff and make room. But he is like painters: he thought he would be done last week, he hasn't been here since Friday, and now he "says" he will be here by noon. But he sure does a nice job.

Lost in the 60s · President

Hmmmm... who might this "buffer" be ?? I thought the owner did all this himself...

When you get to unloading the lid and trans, give a shout and I can run over to help.

Probably the only way I will get to see "The Hulk", other than teaser avatar pic...

Jon H · 1K+ Club

Lost in the 60s wrote:
When you get to unloading the lid and trans, give a shout and I can run over to help.

X2

4-door Chevelle · Super Poster

I still have my 200R4 I got from Ian many years ago. Every person I mention to that "maybe this year" I will get that overdrive built for my car they say go with the 700. Either way it will cost about $1500 to get it built plus a torque convertor.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

4-door Chevelle wrote:
I still have my 200R4 I got from Ian many years ago. Every person I mention to that "maybe this year" I will get that overdrive built for my car they say go with the 700. Either way it will cost about $1500 to get it built plus a torque convertor.

I don't like the gear ratios of the 700.

1st is too low, and too big of spread to 2nd.

Larry Lucast · Active Member

The owner started to buff. I got the whole thing wet sanded to 3000 grit, and some buffing done when a friend of a friend offered to do the rest. I had never met him, but he is a perfectionist who wants to grow his paint-and-buff business. When he is done, I will post a "review" of his work in case anyone with an almost ready 66 SS is interested.

Thanks for the offers, but they are pretty easy to move. I use my cherry picker and a rolling cart for the trans, and the trunk lid is light enough for me to carry around.

There are times when I think I might see the car outside under it's own power yet this summer. All that is left is to fill all the fluids, re-assemble all the trim and lights, and get out of the way for Fred the upholsterer. That shouldn't take long, should it?

Larry Lucast · Active Member

Darren, I agree with Derek. For street driving, the one-two shift is less of a drop. The transmissions are equally strong, and the 200 is the same size as the T350 and 400, so you don't have to get a new driveshaft. I had mine rebuilt at:

All Gear Transmission
8850 Xylite St NE, Blaine, MN 55449
Phone: (763) 432-5848

They charged $600 plus any unusual parts. That includes installing your lock-up control if you bring it with. Several high-end repair shops in the area use them. He says it will handle more than 400 HP. I have a stock torque converter you can have. I paid less than $200 online for a 3,000 RPM stall converter from a place that had good reviews. Time will tell.

67ss · 1K+ Club

Derek69SS wrote:

I don't like the gear ratios of the 700.
1st is too low, and too big of spread to 2nd.

They have this out now for the 700, not cheap though.

https://transmissioncenter.net/shop/2-84-ratio-input-carrier-kit/

SShink · 3K+ Club

Obviously...I'm a big 2004R fan enough to buy one and stick it on a shelf without really needing it, but I'm sold on the shift ratio's and overdrive, along with the ease of install for even a shadetree mechanic like me.

Larry-Sounds like we should have the next meeting at your place for a tech session and make vroom vroom sounds with your car back on the road since you're so close!

Lost in the 60s · President

If I remember right, mine and Jon H's 200r4's are built to handle 600 hp. The 700 costs just as much to build to that level and sometimes needs tunnel massaging and the drivesahft shortened. All I did to swap from a TH350, was modify my crossmember, since I couldn't move it back on the '38.

Lost in the 60s · President

Larry Lucast wrote:
The owner started to buff. I got the whole thing wet sanded to 3000 grit, and some buffing done when a friend of a friend offered to do the rest. I had never met him, but he is a perfectionist who wants to grow his paint-and-buff business. When he is done, I will post a "review" of his work in case anyone with an almost ready 66 SS is interested.

If he is an accomplished painter too, yeah, I'm interested in seeing his work. I left a message with Dale Lynch, shortly after I got his info from you and even threw out Van's name and never got a message back. He may have called but his name never appeared on the ID and no message ??

What is it with me and painters ? Is there a black list somewhere that warns them all to avoid trying to meet my expectations ??

4-door Chevelle · Super Poster

I have always been drawn to the 200 for the very reasons you all mention. Maybe I will call All Gear to talk through building for 472HP and a pop-up camper!?! What was that place with the convertor?