[Tom P]

Anyone swapped a 4L80E into a first gen recently? I like the gear ratios better than the 700r4, plus the fully programmable capabilities. Jakes gets good reviews - I also see Hughes and Rossler are building these. Any experience?

[BobKovacs]

I'm in the process now. I'll be ordering the BMR crossmember later this week (they're running a 15% off sale thru the end of the year), as the mounting point is much further back than any of the older trans. I've heard it's a tight fit that may require 90 degree fittings at the trans cooler lines, and they've got to be extended fittings that stick into the trans about 2" like the stock fittings. I think Jake's has them.

[Tom P]

Bob, let us know how it fits, where did you get the transmission?

[BobKovacs]

It came with the 6.0 LS I bought out of a 2002 Silverado HD. I'll be having it freshened up at a local trans shop, but since I'm just planning a light cam swap, I didn't feel I needed to drop $2500 for one of the performance-built units from someplace like Jake's.

[Tom P]

Sounds good. I'd like to drop it in attached to the block (SBC). I need to find exact dimensions and see how if compares to a 400 or 700r4. From the photos it looks loooong

[BobKovacs]

I know it'll drop into mine- the front end sheetmetal is off..... . I just put a tape on it- it's 32.5" from the bell housing face to the end of the output shaft. A short tailshaft TH400 is about 29", and a 700R4 is about 31". If you google " GM trans dimensions", you'll get several sites with diagrams and dimensions

[HwyStarJoe]

I'm dying to know how it fits, and how you plumb it. Your experience will be the deciding factor whether I go 200-4R, 700-R4 or 4L60\65.

[BobKovacs]

Jakes has akit with the right fittings, lines, and a cooler for $200. I may go that way, or I may get a cooler in the radiator tank and just get the fittings from Jakes.

Glad I can be your guinea pig, Joe.....lol

[Tom P]

Bob, hurry it up and take plenty of pics

[HwyStarJoe]

I was gonna say Hurry Up but I didn't want to sound too impatient.

[BobKovacs]

If I decide to leave the trans as it is and not do a rebuild, it should go in in a few weeks. If I decide to rebuild, it'll wait until March for more $$ to come in

[gui67]

I installed a 4L80E in my 67 2 years ago.
there is no fitment problem, only a very tight place for the atf fittings. (It is the old version with both fittings on the front) I would think that the second version with one fitting on the back would be still more difficult.
I rebuilt it with parts from Jakes and a 3500 converter.
The transmission is very long, so the shaft is very short now.

[Tom P]

good info on not having to massage the tranny tunnel. I think Bob is getting close to installing his as well.

I have decided to go with a 4L80E, just not sure which one, but the 6AN aftermarket fittings seem the way to go on the cooler lines

[BobKovacs]

Got mine in today- will post pics on Monday. With the -6AN fittings from Sweet Performance ($20 on Ebay- their website seems to be having shopping cart issues) and some 90 degree swivel fittings, there's roughly 3/8-1/2" of clearance at the tunnel for both fittings. That's with the bellhousng mounting flange sitting around 1 1/2" from the firewall. There's plenty of room at the top of the tunnel for the full length of the trans.

I was going to use the fitting from Jakes, but both email and voicemail messages didn't receive responses, so I went with Sweet. I ordered them around 10pm on a Friday, and had them on Tuesday via first class mail.

[Tom P]

Bob, the Sweets fittings looks like a great solution. How did the BMR crossmember work out?