1987 Cutlass Transmission

[marcar1993]

I have a 1987 cutlass with a 307. I want to do some performance work to the motor. I'm curious as to what trans is in the car. It is a Cutlass supreme broughm with a 3 speed column shift automatic. Does anyone know?

[Big Cee]

The money that u would put in that 307 would be lost.This is not a good
engine to Soop up.You might want to get 350rocket or a 403.
By the way ! you might have a Th200c Transmission.
I would swap out for a TH350 or TH 400, they take more punishment.

[Olds64]

Big Cee is correct. You would be better off rebuilding a 350 or 403 for your car. Externally, they are the same as a 307. The only reason you might want to keep the 307 is if you are going to do a complete restoration and make it into a show car.

[OLD SKL 69]

My friend has an 87 with a 307 and a 200R4 Overdrive stock. If you have the overdrive unit, which I think you have, I would beef it up if you plan on going to a 350 or 403. It would be more expensive than building a 350 or 400 Turbo but you would be quicker off of the line and cruise at a lower RPM.

[marcar1993]

I have since done a lot of research and talked to alot of people. I have a roller 307 with 7a heads and a 200c. A 7.5" rear with 2.14's I have a plan all laid out now as to what I want to do. I'm looking for a 403 and a 4 speed (the standard kind ) I'm probably going to get a complete 3.08 or higher rear (7.5) until I can afford a 3.23/3.42 8.5.

[easytobedead]

AH I AM JUST GOING TO KEEP MY 307 AN PUT MONEY IN TO THAT.PEOPLE SAY ITS A BAS IDEA BUT I CAME ACROSS SOME PEOPLE ON THE NET THAT FIX UP THERE 307S AN IT WAS WELL WORTH IT!

[Redog]

Trust us, it's not worth it.

Getting performance parts for an 85 and newer 307 is next to impossible. The aftermarket intake manifolds will NOT port match those 7a heads with the 0142 casting number. The carb and dis are both CPU contorled and those 7a heads have those A.I.R. tubes on them that rust to be broken and all the other 1980's emissions crap that sukced the life outta a motor. Lets not forget the exhaust manifolds from 86 and up, they are so small it's just not worth it.

The 307 in the 442's was as far as these motors could go, A whopping 180 hp

I had a 307 in the Delta, now I have a 350. Performance numbers on the 2

1985 307
140 hp 255 ft lbs
put down 90 hp
car weighed 3990
1/4 mile time 20.60

1968 350
255 hp 355 ft lbs (stock in 1968)
car puts down around 207 hp
car weighs 4207
1/4 mile time 15.51

[Olds64]

I guess if you rebuild the 307 for a stock racing class or a show car it would be worth it. But you would get more power out of a 350 with a dead cylinder running on a two barrle carb.

[easytobedead]

so if i would rip out my engine put the 350 heads an bored it over an jrop a high performance mojilater change the intake manifolds + carb i would not get over 180hp!}: }:

[68conv455]

If your messing with us, that was funny.
If your not, don't believe everything you read on the web....except, that these posts are trying to help you.

[Lady72nRob71]

If you have an OD tranny, you have a 200R4. If not, you have a TH200. Only two choices that year.

It is true that 180HP from a 307 is about the best it could get within a REASONABLE amount of time, effort, and money. There is a 307 "hop-up" page here which sums it up nicely:
http://tlentz.oldsgmail.com/more_power.html

I looked into this a while back, as i have a 307 in my 86 CS.
I finally opted to just leave it alone as stock and get a faster car later...
Now I have heard of a few who swapped in a 70-72 350 and actually got the ECM to work with it (if you are in a state that tests emissions)
I would just leave the sensors in place (and not use) to pass visual inspection should the car not be subject to sniffer tests.

[easytobedead]

how can you tell what trans you got in your car? does it say it some were on the trans?

[dan2286]

Originally Posted by easytobedead

how can you tell what trans you got in your car? does it say it some were on the trans?

Its not to hard in a gbody. First see if it is a 3 or 4 speed. If it is a 3 speed it could be a 200c or th 350, the 200c says metric on the pan, not sure what the th 350 looks like. If it is a 4 speed it is most likely a 200 r4, unless some one swaped something different. The pan on that trans has a very weird look to it, does not look like a normal pan.

[easytobedead]

thank you very much ! good to know hope i have the 350!got to check asap!

[easytobedead]

ok what the info on the 200c trans good or bad?

[dan2286]

Originally Posted by easytobedead

ok what the info on the 200c trans good or bad?

From what I have heard they are worthless. They are not really that strong and dont handle that much power.

[easytobedead]

well that suks! would i have any problems if i found a 350 from the 80s cutlass with the install?

[csstrux]

Originally Posted by easytobedead

well that suks! would i have any problems if i found a 350 from the 80s cutlass with the install?

Some years ago I swapped a th350 into a '79 cutlass cruiser. I believe underpinnings, and floor pans are common. I needed only to swap the flywheel,and starter to do the conversion, this was a corporate (read chevy) swap, but I don't think you will have any problems with yours. BTW the metric 200 is not a bad transmission. The power output that the 307 is capable of is not going to hurt it. IMHO until you are ready to swap in some serious muscle, or are already having problems with it I would leave it alone. Save your money, and get yourself an engine that would satisfy you, then get a tranny to match the power output for it. The metric will give you better mileage and trouble free performance for a long time, as long as you don't abuse it. I swapped mine out because it was toast when I bought the car. When my Dad and I dropped a sbc into an 84 s10 we used a metric200 behind a 305 with a mild cam and slight performance upgrades. Would a th350 with a kit have performed better? you bet, but that was what we had. I had ALOT of fun with that old p.o.s. and it never broke. Its your car, and your decision, but these guys have been around a long time and know what they are talking about. In the long run I think you will save $$ and be happier when the project is done. BTW nice looking car.

[dan2286]

I forgot to mention that the 200c will be fine with the 307. I guess it does come down to what you plan on doin to the car in the future and what your funds are. If you are going to do an engine swap, the tranny depends if you are going to put an Olds or Chevy motor into it. Olds use a BOP(buick, olds, pontiac) bolt pattern on the bellhousing. Some will work with Chevy and BOP engines, I think mainly the 200r4s will fit on both type engines. Transmissions for the Chevy engines are more common and easy to find.

[easytobedead]

thank you for the info. will help me find out what i am going to do.

[csstrux]

You are farther west than I thought, but still not to far. Northeastern IN seems to have a vibrant car culture, and I have seen in my travels a lot of older cars for sale that looked awfully clean from the road. I am assuming that you are young, probably haven't been too far from home. I would check out some bone yards over towards South Bend. It is only a couple of hours away. My wife and I were looking to move in that direction and it was a big draw...for me anyhow. She didn't mind either. You can still find stuff reasonable, even cheep, if you take your time. Decide what you want to do, make a general plan of the order you want to do things in, and collect the parts to do it as you can. sometimes your best bet is to buy a battered old car for parts and sell off what you dont use. So keep and open mind, and your eyes peeled. One piece of advise. Don't sink everything you have into a car. They are wonderfull toys, and nesacerry tools. But that is all they are. Even oldsmobiles. Not status symbols or any other somthin somthin that we era told to think. That way you can keep your priorities straight, because the car will go away at some point in the future. The relationships you develop, who you are now, and who you become. That will last a lifetime. sorry if I preach a bit, I had to learn this the hard way.

[Olds64]

That transmission should be fine behind the 307. You could always change the fluid an filter. Other than that start looking for an engine with a bit more muscle as was said earlier.

[CutlassSalon]

I'm with everyone else. If you aren't going to restore it, get a bigger motor. The 307 is ok to get you from A-B, but there's not much power there. They are right. You can spend the same money building up a 350 and end up with way better results. (No replacement for displacement)

As far as transmissions go, I like the 200-4R. They are a little weak and like to crap out the first time they overheat. But that's what trans coolers are for. I definately like the 200-4R behind small engines because they have a low first gear. Helps get what power you do have to the ground easier. Out of all the GM production transmissions, only 1 has a lower first gear and that's the 700-R4. The way I understand it, for a couple of years they made 700-R4s with both bolt patterns, but good luck finding one. If you get a big engine with raw power, I recommend a TH-400 or a 4L80 or 4L80E.

[CutlassSalon]

Oh yeah. Forgot to tell you. The 4L80 and 4L80E are Chevy transmissions. If you happen to get one of those you'll have to get an adapter plate for it. I think Transdapt makes them, or maybe Moroso. Can't remember, but they are around $50. They allow you to bolt a Chevy trans to a BOPC engine, and they have one to bolt a BOPC trans to a Chevy engine.