200-4R behind a BBC

[69SCSS]

Just wondering what everyone's opinion is. I have a choice of 2 200-R4's in the area less than $500 each, rebuilt, with TV cable and one has the lockup wiring kit. I'm wondering about if this will live behind a 402. I'm sure if I never open up the secondaries on the carb it'll last forever, or never tow with it, but we all know there's no way I'm keeping my foot out of it! From what i've read they don't have as much torque capacity as a 700R-4 or even the TH400 I currently have. A couple advantages though are the fact it bolts right in place of my TH400 and would even use the same converter as the 700R4 if I decide to swap it out. What do you guys think? Are there multiple versions of the 200-4R like the 700R4 for different engines (one of these is from a 4.3 V6 but he doesn't know what it was originally from). If I had a SBC I wouldn't even worry about this, but I didn't put a BBC into my truck to drive it like a 250.

[Mike C]

I think the 200 4R is a great choice for trans. The $500 may not live that long behind your 402, but it can be built to take 2000 hp Buick Grand National motors. The gear ratio makes so much more sense than the ridiculous 1-2 break on the 700.

You do have to change the yoke on your 400 at minimum since the 200 isn't the 40 spline output but a 32.

[Keith Seymore]

Agree.

I've got a '67 Buick TH400 in my '63 GP; I'd like to go to a 200-4R to make it a bit more freeway friendly. I've heard a lot of good things about them.

K

[bbcmudtruck]

Have you looked into a gear vendors over drive unit? It will install behind your current 400 and will easily handle your power out put. Plus if you decide to go bigger in the future, its rated at 1500 hp. They are pricey, but I have yet to see a supposedly built 700r4 live very long behind a high torque motor. In fact, most of the big name tranny shops wont even build them.

[69SCSS]

Originally Posted by bbcmudtruck

Have you looked into a gear vendors over drive unit? It will install behind your current 400 and will easily handle your power out put. Plus if you decide to go bigger in the future, its rated at 1500 hp. They are pricey, but I have yet to see a supposedly built 700r4 live very long behind a high torque motor. In fact, most of the big name tranny shops wont even build them.

Thought of that and almost bought one off the board here a few months ago, but didn't have the funds at the time so I had to pass. I keep an eye on the board and on Ebay but they're still not too common for reasonable. I found one that started at $400 2 days ago, and it immediately disappeared. I keep fishing for ideas, trying to keep the truck as simple as possible, and the GV unit would make that easy... just gotta find one for less than that $3k asking price new.

[JointTech]

I figure 3k is 7500 miles worth of gas. Youll gain maybe 5mpg with a GV?

Seems like it would take a long time to earn that money back on my grocery getter. In fact I doubt this truck sees another 7500 miles in its lifetime. Would be nice not hearing it scream on the highway though. But then again a new stereo or some ear plugs would take care of that as well.

[jjzepplin]

I don't look at OD's as saving gas but saving your motor. Less rpms mean more longevity. For what it's worth I've had my 1989 700r4 behind my built 406 for over ten years. I built it myself with B-M kit. 9 clutches where there used to be 6 etc. Just stay away from TCI converters. My .02c.
Oh yeah- it cost $50 at the junk yard...

[Bigdav160]

Have you ever looked inside a 200-4R? It's full of sheet metal parts. Without heavy modifications, I'd say, maybe a week before it blew up.

[hugger6933]

I think maybe more study is in order for this swap. First it is the same length and yoke as the th350, not the th400. Next, I'm not real sure about the interchange of the converters either. As for the reilibility they [the General ] put those trannys in behind the Montoe Carlo SS and the Buick Regal T Type with the turbo and those two cars were fairly fast back in the day so if you have to have a 2004R try to get the "good" one like came out of one of those cars.

[Mike C]

Crossmember mount is same position as TH400 but as noted, the length and driveshaft are same as TH350.

Like I said above, the Grand National's 3.8 SFI turbo motor came with a TH200-4R and with a chip it easily put out 350 rwhp and probably 450 lb/ft torque. It should hold up to a mild big block if the trans is built using the internals from one of those. Obviously the TH200 that came behiind a 3.8 non-turbo would not be as beefed up.

[Tom Vogel]

Save your money up and look/ and wait for a used GV unit. You will be the happiest guy on the block, and you Cant break it.

[Rascal_one2001]

I run a trans shop I would never run a bolt on over drive since they break a tiny internal spray and you loose reverse then have to have the entire unit rebuilt. If you have a bop engine yes the 200 r4 is your best bet but since you have a Chevy engine go with the 700 but you will have to have it headed up to handle the torque same with the 200. If you break down both transmissions and look at the hard parts and planetary gears you would run 700r over the 200. You can put raybestos stage 1 clutches, beast sun shell, 5 pinion planets, corvette servo and z pack 3-4 clutches and a 700 is good for 500hp

[bbcmudtruck]

FYI, there is a used GV on the Kansas city craigslist!

[motorcritter]

I agree with Rascal. I used to run a trans shop, and we built 700R4's that put up with serious abuse. It'll be cheaper than a GV unit, and finding and building an adequate 200 can be problematic, in comparison. I'm a big fan of manual trans units, but if were going to use a gen1 sbc or bbc, I would go with a 700 or 4L60- built right, of course. With a modern (LSx) engine, one of the newer GM auto units would be a logical decision.