Anybody deal with a gear vendors overdrive?

[connman]

I've got a 1970 lwb with a 454 and a newly installed auburn posi with 373 gears. I'm thinking of purchasing a gear vendors overdrive/underdrive unit. I would like to my cruising rpm's down. Has anybody either installed or dealt with this unit. I here it's bullet proof.

[mnunn454]

I also hear good things about it. A high HP 496 Elky owner I met at a car show last summer had one behind a TH400 and loved it. Stand by with the plastic allowance card though. They're pricy.

Alternatively, as the ad in a recent CHP mag states, you can get a 700R4 tranny from www.eatmyshift.com that'll handle up to 500 HP for about half the price of a GVO.

Main drawbacks to the 700R4 IMO, are (a) correctly adjusting that darned TV cable, (b) relocating the tranny cross member and (c) shortening the driveshaft.

You'd probably have to do (b) and (c) anyway with the GVO.

[70short]

What I hear is by the time you pay for the full conversion (700R4) including torque converter, cables, column, brackets, cross members and shortening the drive line. However we cant include shortening the drive line because you have to do that anyway. By the time this is all said and done you would be close to the cost of the bullet proof TH400 that you already have coupled with A GVO. This is open for discussion! I my self am leaning hard toward the GVO.

Gary

[BCOWANWHEELS]

You Get What You Pay For With A Gv Unit.

[metalmassfab]

I like the GV units, excellent upgrade if you've got the $$$. I also like the idea of a 4L80 tranny. They are pricey too, and you have to use computer components for them to work, but you also can get them built to handle 1200+ hp...they do use up more hp though. Anyway, just my 2 cents...

[metalmassfab]

Oh yeah, one more thing. Bowtie Overdrives builds a 700R4 that handles 630 hp/tq...

[AKChevyman]

I can't tell you how it runs but it was easy to put on just remember you have to take the tail housing off the tranny to put it on. Here is a picture of it installed. With how long the drive train is with it I will be able to shorten my drive shaft and also use a one piece.

[CG]

I have a brand new one in the box. Its not for sale, just waiting to be installed (eventually, lol) In the beginning I was leaning towards one of the factory style overdrives. Yeah they can be built to withstand some high horse power and lots of people swear by em. But I also read way to many stories of em breaking. A good one of those isnt cheap and if you go through a couple of em that adds up. You also have to remember you need a tranny to sit in front of the overdrive unit. So there is an additional cost. If yours is already good your set. For mine I bit the bullet and bought a tci heavy duty turbo 400 and the gearvendors overdrive. I know this combo is gonna be bulletproof, and its going to be one less thing to worry about on my ride when its done.