Chevy & GMC Vans

safari kev wrote:van is going into the body shop next week to fix damage from accident back in july. getting rf fender and bumper redone, new rf rim, and new running boards
as for the cadillac, I've been debating on whether to use the 200r4 thats in the car or wait and buy a $1200-$1500 beefed up trans. think I'm gonna wait and get a beefier trans since my chevy 350 will be right on the threshold for max torque for the 200r4, and I dont feel like blowing up the trans. the 350 is a goodwrench 350 with smog heads, edelbrock intake, and 1 5/8 headers (still have to order them) and 600 cfm quadrajet. should make approx 270 hp and 350 ft/lbs of torque w/o accessories.

if you go to the aftermarket transmission companies, TCI, Hughes, etc, you will note very few parts to upgrade the 200r4, this is because it is inherently not a very strong transmission. many would argue with me about that.

I realized I spent more money on it than I have in the bank!

LiftedAWDAstro wrote:

brokenwrench wrote:what a beautiful part of your country (if you are American), hadn't been there since about '93. no evidence of the economic collapse that we have been hearing about in our media, most of which is your media. lots of building going on and overall looking prosperous.

Thanks! I am not too far from where you were on I90. I am about 40 minutes north of Syracuse. Even though there appears to be no sign of the economic collapse, there are lots of people feeling the effects. Taxes are up, food prices are way up and fuel (although cheaper than Canada, eh) are still high. Plus add in the lost wages from lost jobs, high energy prices and high home heating prices...we are hurting here. I am VERY lucky to have an awesome good paying job and my wife has a teaching job now. We are doing great but many are not. In the Finger Lakes area where you were, they are still doing very well since we all seem to love alcohol!

yah, it is obviously a wealthy area, gorgeous old victorian homes, beautiful farms, I must say, they have come a long way in their winemaking skills since my last visit,

somehow the gas that we sell you is cheaper in your country.

apparently canada survived the recession better than any other country, very conservative banks, lots of cheap Scottish blood lines. you guys always pull it off, momentum will carry you back up, usa has a cohesivenesss and patriotism that canada does not, well, we have less.

98: oil change and realized i have to change sway bar bushings asap and some others soon
97:oil change and recorded a nasty sound...........

Lifted have i mentioned lately how much your skid plate rocks i love it

I removed this POS

..And I put this MONSTER in!



Still some work to do. I need to fix my cooler lines and make a few adjustments. But it's 95% done! I can't wait to try it out!

I never thought I would say this but, what a beautiful transmission.

brokenwrench wrote:
if you go to the aftermarket transmission companies, TCI, Hughes, etc, you will note very few parts to upgrade the 200r4, this is because it is inherently not a very strong transmission. many would argue with me about that.

unless I get an early 90s 700r4 and get it rebuilt and slightly modded, it still wont be able to handle even a very mild 350. they, like the majority of 200r4's, were just adequate enough to put behind the motors they were paired with (not able to handle much torque).
I've also looked into 700r4's, and once I factor in the cost of a slightly beefed up 700r4 (not much less than a similar 200r4) + j/y crossover+ modifying driveshaft, its cheaper to go with the 200r4 (since I'm having a shop do the work). if I was doing the work myself (dont have a garage or lift) I'd probably go with the 700r4.

van went into the body shop today to repair damage from wreck back in june or july. getting new running boards (right one is destroyed), a new rf rim, and alot of rf fender work. at least she'll look like new again. in the mean time, I get to drive a loaner full size car (since they don't have loaner conversion vans)

Greased the front end... All of it that I could reach, anyway. Steers much better now.

safari kev wrote:

brokenwrench wrote:
if you go to the aftermarket transmission companies, TCI, Hughes, etc, you will note very few parts to upgrade the 200r4, this is because it is inherently not a very strong transmission. many would argue with me about that.

unless I get an early 90s 700r4 and get it rebuilt and slightly modded, it still wont be able to handle even a very mild 350. they, like the majority of 200r4's, were just adequate enough to put behind the motors they were paired with (not able to handle much torque).
I've also looked into 700r4's, and once I factor in the cost of a slightly beefed up 700r4 (not much less than a similar 200r4) + j/y crossover+ modifying driveshaft, its cheaper to go with the 200r4 (since I'm having a shop do the work). if I was doing the work myself (dont have a garage or lift) I'd probably go with the 700r4.

the modifications to make it a 500 hp transmission are cheap and part of any ethical rebuild, basically the sun shell, (TCI Beast replacement) and the 2-4 servo assembly pistons. if you want to really beat it, (nitrous, blower, etc.) an aftermarket hardened input shaft. the first two would add about $200 to the rebuild and make it very durable.


eventually it gets to be the "TH350 vs. TH400" argument, if you spend $2500 on a TH350, it is about as strong as a OTC rebuilder TH400, same goes for the 4L60E vs. 4L80E, a $2500 700R4 / 4L60E is about as strong as a good $150 wrecking yard 4L80E.

it does look good, I love the shiny billet aluminum cover.

brokenwrench wrote:
the modifications to make it a 500 hp transmission are cheap and part of any ethical rebuild, basically the sun shell, (TCI Beast replacement) and the 2-4 servo assembly pistons. if you want to really beat it, (nitrous, blower, etc.) an aftermarket hardened input shaft. the first two would add about $200 to the rebuild and make it very durable.


eventually it gets to be the "TH350 vs. TH400" argument, if you spend $2500 on a TH350, it is about as strong as a OTC rebuilder TH400, same goes for the 4L60E vs. 4L80E, a $2500 700R4 / 4L60E is about as strong as a good $150 wrecking yard 4L80E.

it does look good, I love the shiny billet aluminum cover.

I don't need a crazy built trans because I'm not making a super hi-po motor. by mild I mean I might be making 300 hp. keeping the smog heads (for now) since I am on a shoestring budget here. I might have $2500 in everything, parts and labor, when the motor/ trans is installed. I dont have alot of cash, and I need to get it running by march (when the plates expire)

oh- and the full size loaner I asked for- I got a new ford escape instead. its a hunk of junk. interior is covered in hard abs everywhere. not a p;lush surface anywhere. the seats are like sitting on a pleather covered rock. the stereo (ford premium) blows. the delco radio in my van is way better (and its starting to show its age.) the motor feels decent, but its nothing to write home about (where's the torque?).
on the plus side, Q.C./ fit and finish/ etc. is great. too bad the materials they are using to build it suck. I dunno, maybe I'm just used to luxo barges and vans, but I would never want to drive an escape, even if ford gave it to me. dad's E350 diesel is more comfortable and user friendly (and its a purpose built utilitarian vehicle with a very loud engine.) for $29,585 (priced it out on ford's site) I'd expect alot better vehicle than the escape.

Last Friday, put a Hellwig sway bar on the back of the 05. Man it makes these vans ride and corner so much better! Saturday, hauled 8 people (including myself) to a corn maze/outdoor fun day. Last night, hauled 6 people to dinner!

Yesterday I changed the transmission filter and oil and installed a billet insert grille.
http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm17 ... ?start=all