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4L60e install on 55 chevy

6494 Views 11 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  hotrodg726, 
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4L60e or 700r on 55 chevy

hey guys
i have a 350 turbo in my 55 chevy. i want to swap out with 4L60E or 700R . anybody knows what do i need . cross member , computor , drive shaft . converter .i have not bought yet . i need to know if it is worth it . which is a better choice.

thanks
AL
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Hombre0321
I am surprised that you havn't recieved a ton of replys on this swap. The 700R4 is a very popular swap, and I am sure sevreal on here are running a 4L60E or a 700R4 and should know the ends and outs of this swap.

A question arrises though and that is WHY? do you want to make this swap? I have some experiance with the 700R4 and for me I wouldn't have one if it was given to me. If you are looking at the Overdrive function as THE reason then you must be running a pretty low rear end and wanting to keep those RPM's lower. If you are running any RPM friendly gear then a 700R4 is just a miserable choice. The gear choices on the 700R4 are not intended for a performance car, if it is just a grocery getter and milage is the prime goal then thats a whole nuther ball game. Look hard at that 700R4 swap and be sure that is the way you want to go, do a little research and I think you will find that your TH350 is probably just as good, maybe better.

My opinion on this is based on my actual experiance with the 700R4 and is not a popular opinion I realize. Do your own looking into this be objective in appraising that tranny and I think you may reconsider swaping a 700R4.

Roland
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hotrodg726
the 700r4 is the way to go . the 4l60e requires a computer also if a 700 is built properly it will work great in any application . I had one in a truck with a 383 and hauled cars all over with it. I have 1 in my 71 el camino with a 400 sb and 3.42 gears and it works great and runs 13.56 in the quarter mile . this trans has been in the car for 12 years and 75000 miles no problems just my 2 cents :party0031::party0031:
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auggie56
The early models of the 300 4R's are the one to stay away from. Otherwise I'd say this one is the better priced one to go with. Just do it right the first time.:anim_25:
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R
I have to strongly disagree with hombre's comments unless you have a track only car. An overdrive is a great asset on a street driven car.

4L60E trasmissions are electronically controlled versions of a 700-R4 (also called a 4L60). You should only use that transmission with an OEM EFI engine that came with a 4L60E. Otherwise use a 700-R4, as it doesn't need computer control.

A 200-4R is also an equivalent choice to a 700-R4.
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55mike
Rick_L said:
I have to strongly disagree with hombre's comments unless you have a track only car. An overdrive is a great asset on a street driven car.

4L60E trasmissions are electronically controlled versions of a 700-R4 (also called a 4L60). You should only use that transmission with an OEM EFI engine that came with a 4L60E. Otherwise use a 700-R4, as it doesn't need computer control.

A 200-4R is also an equivalent choice to a 700-R4.
Click to expand...
I absolutely agree with Rick on the OD feature. A 30% OD allows the use of a 3.50 or 3.70 rear gear, and still be cruising at 75 mph only churning 2200-2300 rpms. Just this past Saturday, I was riding up the freeway at 70 mph (I have a Tremec 5 speed with OD, and 3.50 rear gears) and this guy in a nice German sedan cruised on by me doing 80+ mph.. I decided he would be good to just follow along(let him deal with PoPo) and for about 75 miles I shadowed behind him doing well over 80-85 mph.. RPM's? 2400. At any rate, here is a picture of the bottom of my friend Neal's 55. You can see he has the 4L80e behind his crate 502 fi.

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Hombre0321
Guys, I fully understand just how popular the 700R4 is, I also know the difference between the 700R4 and the 4L60, but thanks for the education anyway. I understand that many folks are defensive about there choice in the 700R4 thinking it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I have been around Hot Rods and building cars for way more years than I care to admit sometimes and when I speak about my opinion on different components I always speak only on my own experiance.

I personally think the 700R4 is a miserable choice for any kind or type of a performance vehicle, JUST MISERABLE. It has a lot of things going against it and very, very little going for it.

The 700R4 is a "Light Duty" transmission designed for Cars and light duty trucks. The gear choice well choice is the wrong word as all 700R4's only have one 1st gear 3.06 and then the 2nd gear is 1.63 that is a difference of 47% in the 1st to 2nd gear change. Just were in a performance build does that figure? I mean think about it in a Muncie 4 speed if you shift from 1st -skip 2nd all together and go directly to 3rd gear that is a difference of only 41%. Hows does that work for you in anykind of Hot Rod? It simple does not work very well at all. The 700R4 was designed and built to satisfy a EPA standared for milage thus the .70 Overdrive.

Now I'm not against overdrives my wife has one in her Chrysler 300. But thats not a performance car. A good overdrive ratio would be in the .75 or even better .78.

I can go on and on but this is all just my opinion, it is after all the only one I am qualified to speak to. You guys with 700R4's and are happy with them thats cool as far as I am concerned, and I never want to see all of us agree on everything. If we all did that all of the cars on this web-site would be one color and one everything else. The man asked for opinions that doesnt mean just one agreeing opinion.

Roland
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55mike
Hombre0321 said:
Guys, I fully understand just how popular the 700R4 is, I also know the difference between the 700R4 and the 4L60, but thanks for the education anyway. I understand that many folks are defensive about there choice in the 700R4 thinking it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I have been around Hot Rods and building cars for way more years than I care to admit sometimes and when I speak about my opinion on different components I always speak only on my own experiance.

I personally think the 700R4 is a miserable choice for any kind or type of a performance vehicle, JUST MISERABLE. It has a lot of things going against it and very, very little going for it.

The 700R4 is a "Light Duty" transmission designed for Cars and light duty trucks. The gear choice well choice is the wrong word as all 700R4's only have one 1st gear 3.06 and then the 2nd gear is 1.63 that is a difference of 47% in the 1st to 2nd gear change. Just were in a performance build does that figure? I mean think about it in a Muncie 4 speed if you shift from 1st -skip 2nd all together and go directly to 3rd gear that is a difference of only 41%. Hows does that work for you in anykind of Hot Rod? It simple does not work very well at all. The 700R4 was designed and built to satisfy a EPA standared for milage thus the .70 Overdrive.

Now I'm not against overdrives my wife has one in her Chrysler 300. But thats not a performance car. A good overdrive ratio would be in the .75 or even better .78.

I can go on and on but this is all just my opinion, it is after all the only one I am qualified to speak to. You guys with 700R4's and are happy with them thats cool as far as I am concerned, and I never want to see all of us agree on everything. If we all did that all of the cars on this web-site would be one color and one everything else. The man asked for opinions that doesnt mean just one agreeing opinion.

Roland
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Roland.. I see your point.. we are indeed talking about a wide ratio going from a 3.00+ first all the way to a .68 OD so there will certainly be trade-offs. For that point, you are absolutely right on!... However, personally when I had a 4 speed non-OD in my car, old blue haired ladies were passing me on the freeway in the slant 6 Plymouth Valants, flipping me the Yankee peace sign.. I was POUNDING the car to stay up to modern freeway speeds. With the OD..and I get 19mpg with an aluminum head 355 featuring a mombo camshaft and Demon carb... not bad.
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G
Rick_L said:
I have to strongly disagree with hombre's comments unless you have a track only car. An overdrive is a great asset on a street driven car.

4L60E trasmissions are electronically controlled versions of a 700-R4 (also called a 4L60). You should only use that transmission with an OEM EFI engine that came with a 4L60E. Otherwise use a 700-R4, as it doesn't need computer control.

A 200-4R is also an equivalent choice to a 700-R4.
Click to expand...


I pulled my TH350 and replaced it with a TH2004R and never looked back. Best thing I ever did. The 200 is practically a direct replacement for the 350; same length, same cooler lines, same shift linkage, same driveshaft splines. You need to move your crossmember back about three inches and install some minor wiring. My car is barely turning over at 80mph on the freeway with a 3:55 rear end
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5
hey guys

thank you all for your comments . i ve decided to go with the 700r4 . i have a 327 400 hp and 10 bolt 342 gears . this will work fine for me . i used to always think about horse power and racing . now i want Cruising and some power . i will add a 2000 stall converter .

thanks
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CARRS57
55mike said:
I absolutely agree with Rick on the OD feature. A 30% OD allows the use of a 3.50 or 3.70 rear gear, and still be cruising at 75 mph only churning 2200-2300 rpms. Just this past Saturday, I was riding up the freeway at 70 mph (I have a Tremec 5 speed with OD, and 3.50 rear gears) and this guy in a nice German sedan cruised on by me doing 80+ mph.. I decided he would be good to just follow along(let him deal with PoPo) and for about 75 miles I shadowed behind him doing well over 80-85 mph.. RPM's? 2400. At any rate, here is a picture of the bottom of my friend Neal's 55. You can see he has the 4L80e behind his crate 502 fi.
Click to expand...
Hey are they using a tps and if yes how with a carb?
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hotrodg726
55chevychevy said:
hey guys

thank you all for your comments . i ve decided to go with the 700r4 . i have a 327 400 hp and 10 bolt 342 gears . this will work fine for me . i used to always think about horse power and racing . now i want Cruising and some power . i will add a 2000 stall converter .

thanks
Click to expand...
best bang for the buck for a street car is a corvettte D code stall converter. works well with 327-350 cu in engines.
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