delta254

After doing alot of research I want to swap my TH350 for a 200R4 that i can get cheap..as the 200R4 will basically bolt in I will by this kit from
shiftworks my question is besides this kit what else will i need to make the swap easier? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated....

4 Speed Overdrive Kit
Shifter Conversion Kit

joe_padavano

Two other items:

Throttle valve cable and bracket. You'll need to adapt your carb throttle arm to accept the TV cable.

Ebrake cables. The 200-4R puts the crossmember in the TH400 position. Since the ebrake cables hand off the crossmember, you need to swap the front and intermediate cables for the correct ones for a TH400.

jpc647

subscribing, for very useful information.

71 OLDS

Here's 8 pages of what I went through with mine. Maybe a few things will help. Good luck!

-Joe

http://72.22.90.30/phpBB2/viewtopic....=asc&start=105

delta254

Very usefull information I will be doing the swap since my car is sock 350 I can use this used 2004R since I will only be crusing in it I wont need a beefed up tranny maybe if I rebuild my engine I can rebuild tranny at the same time,, thank you for suggestions

delta254

I spoke with a local transmission shop about doing my swap he stated 2004R'S are crap if there not beefed up and he would not reccomend it all in my cutlass .... he recomened a TH700 he told me if i buy the adapter plate for it they would do all the swap tv cable shifter linkage for 1200 including rebuilt 700R does this sould fair?

oddball

There a long debates about this.
Gear Vendors overdrive: direct bolt on, just shorten drive shaft.
200r4: direct bolt on, have to figure out TC lockup, weak from the factory
700r4: Needs adapter plate, stronger from factory, very deep 1st and big 1st to 2nd jump

Part of the ordeal is figuring out what will be sourced from shops, then going with what will work best overall. If the only local tranny help you'll get doesn't like the 200r4s, then you probably won't get good work out of them. They can easily be built to handle this kind of job, just have to be done right. A big cause of failures is bad TV cable setups - the wrong TV setup will kill a 200r4 immediately.

delta254

So the 700R4 does not require TV cable or its set up different?

oddball

It does have the same TV setup and associated issues. The 700r4 is just stronger from the factory so somewhat less likely to grenade from an improper configuration.

delta254

OH ok so it would make sense to go with a 700R4 since its a better built tranny just a little more mods to make it work...at this point my TH350 tranny works fine so its not a must I'm just going to sell the 2004r I have and save up get the rebuilt 700R4 from tranny shop and let them do the do instal and set the TV cable and shifter stuff...and it will come with 3yr 36000 mile warrnty so its the better option with out me having to get my hands dirty...

Im in Waco TX if anybody needs a 200R4 $150 and its not a core its a good working tranny that got pulled working and shifting fine..

matt69olds

Your transmission man is still living in the early 80s, the 2004R trans in Grandmas Cadillac is the same internally as what you would find in a 87 Buick Grand National, with the exception of the governor, valve body and 2nd gear servo. Its no big deal for those transmissions stock to live long life's well into the 12 second range in those cars. If you have a good working trans call CK performance and get one of his recalibration kits, governor, and servo. Those parts will probably cost less than the adapter plate and driveshaft modification. The 2004R trans is about the easiest conversion out there.

delta254

I still got some time to think about but I know either one will work fine still leaning towards the 700R just because i know its going to be a rebuilt from a trany place with a good reputation. The 2004R is used and Im not comfortable with the life span without it being rebuilt Id hate to do the install and it go out on me...then I would still have to do a rebuild on a tranny that was already weak to begin with from factory. My thinking is save up and get a 700R rebuilt from and tranny place as he seems to be very knowledgable in them and he said he has done the swaps before and they always recomend the 700r and never have complains from the local hot rodders here.. ...thanks for all the input guys keep them coming..

Advillin

I can certainly attest that the 200R4 will not hold up. I detonated the last one I had.

delta254

Im sure the 700R will be my final choice I keep hearing more bad than good unless they are beefed up,, I dont want that Im just looking for the best quality 4 speed,,thanks

oddball

There are a lot of 200r4 fans, and they are used in 9 second Grand Nationals. So they can be built appropriately, you just have to use the right parts and the right knowledge. And it's not a Chevy part, so neither of those are as common as for the 700r4. It's "that weird thing that has a tendency to break, so hey why don't you run one of these?" Just like I'm sure everyone has had multiple people ask them why they don't just buy one of those cheap crate engines to put in their Olds. That's certainly cheaper and easier than building up an Olds engine, right?
For me, the determining factor is who will end up doing the labor and responsible for it working right. If you're farming that out, then who do you trust and what do they work best with.

matt69olds

I'm one of the 2004R fans, unless the car was equipped with a 700 there is no way I would use one instead a 2004R. The 2004R bolts in with much less headaches, is smaller and lighter, and has much better gearing. When the 700 first came out everyone thought they were junk and weak, now everybody thinks they are they answer anytime someone wants a overdrive.

delta254

So we know they both will work... the question is being BUILT to factory specs which one will hold up better 2004R or 700R... we know the 2004r can be built for 9 sec GN but I dont wont a beefed up tranny I know it will cost more. The most I will do will be headers, duels, mallory distributor, and maybe a mild cam later. The 700R seEms to have more pro's than con's compared to 2004R.. If I wear going to do it myself then yes i would go with the used 2004R but since my tranny is still working fine I will just save and let the shop do the swap for me and let them work with the 700R they seem very knowledgeble in it and have done 3 speed swaps with them in the past.

1968CutlassSupreme

Gentlemen,

I know this thread is dealing with a floor shift four speed overdrive, but I am wondering if this column shift will work in my 68 cutlass supreme that currently has a two speed transmission in it, when i swap it for a four speed column shift tranny (like the 200r4): http://www.shiftworks.com/lens.htm#1967

Thanks to everyone ahead of time.

Chuck21387

I'm a newb here on the forums, but I've know Matt69olds for 10 years and he is the man when it comes to anything transmission related.

Matt, i'm going to want a 200r4 for my cutlass ;-)

BLUE72RAGTOP

You already have the 200r4. You could purchase the additional items needed for a medium strength rebuild for the price of a 700 core and adapter. Many people have built a relatively stout unit for what you were quoted on the 700 as well. The governor, servo, upgraded clutches, 10 vane pump, and 2nd gear upgrade aren't that much. The high dollar parts are only needed if taking to the track on slicks.

matt69olds

Aww, thanks Chuck! Welcome to ClassicOlds! You meet the nicest people in a Oldsmobile!

Whenever your ready let me know.

matt69olds

I don think there is a big difference in the price of overhaul kits between the 2004R and 700 trans. The converters should be the same price give or take. They both will need friction and band upgrades. In my opinion any builder who tries to pass off a 700 without the later input sprag and required updates is nuts. Those upgrades aren't free! Then the possibility of extra (depending on the original core calibration) parts for the upgraded 3-4 clutch pack. It all adds up. The only big money upgrade needed with the 2004R is the input housing. By the time you buy a driveshaft and adapter plate you probably are about even.

138milkmen

Where is that kit at the top of these posts at? I looked all over the web for that kit that contains the letter selector. Who sells it?

svnt442

If you clicked on the picture it gave you the web address.

Here is a link to the page for you.

http://shiftworks.com/cutlas67-72.htm

138milkmen

Hello again. I swapped a Monster 200r4 into my 72 cutlass s and only thing left is the email brake cables. I read that th400 cable lengths work....but what are the cable lengths? Should I just get the cables for a four door? Or is there some other trick?
Thanks

joe_padavano

The crossmember is in the same place as for a TH400, so get the front and intermediate e-brake cables for your body style with a TH400 (the rear cables from the backing plates don't change). If you have a 2dr (112" wheelbase), get the 2dr cables.

riskyb

71 OLDS

Hi Sorry but all that info/detail from 2012 is long gone. I think that was the older realoldspower site that crashed years ago. Unfortunately that was the only place those 8 pages were saved. I don't even remember exactly what was there but you're probably the 3rd or 4th person to ask about it.

-Joe