I will be going with the factory AOD that came on the back of the ford 302. Millions of these were sold, so I count that as "fully developed".
I will be going with the factory AOD that came on the back of the ford 302. Millions of these were sold, so I count that as "fully developed".
Or "fully aftermarketed." They've devised parts to fix any problem you might encounter.
I would personally lean toward the LS. GM transmissions are notoriously interchangeable. Bellhousings are the same for BBC/SBC. The TH350, 350c, 200, 200c, 200-4r, and powerglide are all nearly identical external dimensions. You can swap them all between whatever and not even have to change driveshafts. The only main differences are whether or not it has a vacuum solenoid and/or TV cable, but those are easy fixes. Moving the tranny crossmember will also come in to play.
700r4 is the non-electronic 4L60E. Same basic guts. I don't like them except for heavy trucks, light towing, or otherwise torque-crippled situations. 1st gear is a very deep 3.06. Second is 1.63. Its the largest RPM drop of any automatic. So unless you need a low 1st, skip it. The 200-4r (despite its smaller diameter) has proven mostly as strong. It is also a more friendly 2.48/1.48 ratio spread 1-2. They also all come with a uni-fit bellhousing which opens you up to any GM V8, not just chevy.
I would skip the 200-4r if you are going big on cubes. But, of course, big cubes mean big torque which means the likelihood you would need 4 speeds if very slim. If that's the case, TH400. Or a lighter car... TH350 built up a bit.
Oh... and by the way... Caddy 500s are cheap, only weigh about 80 lbs more than a SBC 350, and make mountains of torque. You're welcome.
You'll need to log in to post.
