Hellow everyone,

I am looking to change a turbo 350 to a 700R4. Has anyone purchased a tranny from bowtie overdrives? I checked out their web site and talked to them on the phone. Can anyone tell me how repitable they are?

I have met and spoken with them at the Pomona auto swap meet before. They are really nice guys that seemed very helpful. That is about it.

I have their stage III in my 67 with close to 500hp and it has been great so far, no problems! They are extremely helpful over the phone as well, they know their stuff.

I'm really trying to help here OR I would keep my pie-hole shut!!

I'd consider a built 200 over the 700 only b/c I have yet to read ANYWHERE that the guys have got them to live like they have the 200's!

That said, a built 200 that should easily withstand a 600hp BB is gonna start ta be pricey!!

800hp, moreso...............

Time's have marched on b/c I checked into this several years ago so the 700 may be better today than what it used to be?

Please tell me if I am all wet??

pdq67

Jim, there is a shop in NY you might want to check out, I bought my parts to overhaul my 2004r from he seems real good, I got his name from turbobuick.com. It's CKPerformance.com, Chris is the owner, his prices are compareable with bowtie's. Ron. I'd go with a 200 over a 700 also.

I'm really trying to help here OR I would keep my pie-hole shut!!

I'd consider a built 200 over the 700 only b/c I have yet to read ANYWHERE that the guys have got them to live like they have the 200's!

That said, a built 200 that should easily withstand a 600hp BB is gonna start ta be pricey!!

800hp, moreso...............

Time's have marched on b/c I checked into this several years ago so the 700 may be better today than what it used to be?

Please tell me if I am all wet??

pdq67

Both the 200 and 700 are the same price at Bowtie Overdrives, so it is worth looking into.

I love my 700r, but got it built locally from old codger that was retired tranny guy but still likes to do custom tranny building for old cars. He says the 700r is easier to find parts for if you do any long trips driving and have an issue. They reportedly cant handle huge HP like the 200 so consider that too. My little 350 LM1 loves pushing that 700r thru the gears and the mileage is great on the highway. Check with local tranny shops too, some may do alot of building for car guys. :D

Here's the thing with the 200 vs 700 strength issue...

Stock, a 700 is a stronger trans. It also has a lower first gear, which can be nice in a lot of applications.

The 700 was originally used in full sized cars, pickup trucks, SUV's, and Corvettes.

The 200's were originally used on A Bodies, Monte Carlos, Regals, Etc. Back then (the '80's) losta people were cranking up the boost and racing thier turbo regals. They were also spitting out transmissions at an alarming rate. The aftermarket responded to this by engineering and building LOTS of really strong internals for 200's.

Not so many people were drag racing automatic equipped caprices, Silverados, or vettes (yes, there were lots of vettes raced, but most were stick shift cars)

So it bacame true that it was POSSIBLE to buld a 200 stronger than it was POSSIBLE to build a 700. That gap has been closing in the past decade, cause modern trtansmissions (4l60 and such) are based off the 700, and these are used OFTEN in high output applications today. The aftermarket has been busy engineering strong internals for 4L60's and 4L65's, and most of these fit in 700's too.

When it is said that a 200 is stronger, what is meant is that a FULL RACE AFTERMARKET 200 is stronger, and even that statement is probably based on 5 year old information.

And yes, BTO is known (widely) as a quality vendor.