72 LS5

I personally love the 200r4 when its built right for the application. The gear ratios are better spaced so you don't have that huge drop from 1st to 2nd like the 700r4. You can use the Turbo 400 crossmember holes on most early muscle cars. Look at this link - even though the 700r4 is longer, the crossmember mount is farther back on the 200r4 because the gear and clutch packs are beefier. http://www.tciauto.com/Products/TechInfo/trans_dims.asp If 10 second Grand National guys have been racing with the 200r4 for years, they have to be decent. I've heard good things about the original Art Carr.....

As a fellow 72 454 guy, I'd love to hear about your 72. Was it advertised nationally? If it was, I may have seen it.... Thanks and good luck with it.

That is a great story! When my boys are a little older, it would make a great bedtime story for them (and me!) Thanks!

I really got a kick out of that! Those 77/78 T-Birds were the ultimate Disco Mobile - I love them (but not disco, lol)!!!

Hey JRB - I saw your cam specs. Is that a comp cam hydraulic? With that kind of duration, how does it affect your power brakes? I have 230 duration a .050 and my brakes are suffering as it is.

I agree with the 2.56 for '70 and 3.31 for '71, but I haven't ever heard of or seen proof of any other gear in an SS454. Can anybody verify this with a build sheet?

3 tenths faster with them out! That's A LOT! Sounds like they are too restrictive with the inserts in....

Hey, it could have been worse. At least he didn't argue that they made console and no buckets cars! Why not make a copy of the build sheet and display it at the car show?

But be careful!!!! There was a 3-speed 200 called the TH Metric 200© - produced until 1986. I had one in my 85 Monte - basically a very week 3 speed auto with lockup converter. I would be sure whatever you are considering has the Overdrive D in the shift indicator. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbo-Hydramatic

I too have that old Chevy Book! Right now I'm running a Srip Dominator, but when I do Dual Plane, I plan on staggering the jets! I'm also curious if Don has some input on this........

Great car - I love the Triple black! Welcome to the club!

I would say they are only worth it if you can get some cores cheap. I did everything that article said and got a fat machine shop bill. I had screw in studs, milled the guides, pushrod guideplates so I could use regular rockers, new springs, etc. I probably could have bought new complete heads for a little more.... I didn't get quite the performance Ol' Yeller gets. I ran 13.30's at 103 in an 85 Monte with 3.73s and 200R4 (XE 274 cam).

I would think the duration at .050" would be affected, but very slightly. With the 1.6 rockers, the valve would be reaching that .050" earlier than with 1.5s and shutting later (slightly). But total duration would not be affected. No matter what the rocker, the valve is shut when on the base circle of the cam.

CB - you almost have me convinced to do mine! Hey JRB - where did you get the oil pressure gauge???? I know the factory gauge cluster never had that..... What did you do for the wiring harness?

Maybe the reason the carb and intake were robbed was because the car was parked from a busted tranny??? Maybe a club member in your area has a tranny.....anybody else?

Marxx - I guess anything is possible.... From my experience, a bad vacuum modulator will affect shift points in all gears. Another sign its bad would be if there is tranny fluid in the transmission vacuum line. Same goes for the governor - it controls the 1-2 shift also. How many miles on the tranny? Is it due for a rebuild?

...what Bob said..... I've heard 3rd and reverse use the same clutch pack. I remember pushing my first Monte out of the parking space in high school (a long time ago!) cuz I lost 3rd and reverse! Fortunately, I had 2.73 gears so that bought me some time .

MC72 has a good point. If you are running a Holley and the idle is deteriorating at a stop, the floats may be too high or a dirty needle and seat resulting in gas dripping from the boosters. A blown power valve could be a huge fuel leak under the throttle blades. I ran my vacuum advance directly from the manifold for years and years and the car ran great. The reason was I had no spark advance port on a Holley 800 DP. I just recently removed it (after reading Don's posts on vacuum advance) and run no vac advance at all with 38 total. I can't tell too much difference in how it actually runs. It feels livelier at lower rpms with the vac advance and won't stall as easy.

Check this article and sponcer links. Chances are you have an 8.5 inch ring gear, but be sure to check the housing to be sure. This article shows the housing differences. http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/49998_10_bolt_identification_guide/index.html Good Luck Mike

Congrats 502!!!! Breaking into the 11s must be a great feeling! That's my goal...

72Yellow - I've never seen anything higher than 3.31 from the factory on these cars. Maybe since they are considered more of a luxury car, steep gears weren't offered...??? Edlipman - that's interesting. I have seen more 70s with the 2.56s..... Anybody else see anything other than 2.56 or 3.31 on SS454s? I got to thinking about that 1970 Car Life road test (see Monte Collectibles section) where they got 16.2 quarter mile times, and that seems to be the ET that gets published in all articles relating to the SS454 (Even though Motor Trend got 14.9 in 1971..). ANYWAY, in that article, they say the car had 2.73 gears, but I think it really had 2.56s. I have that article in a box somewhere, but my point is, 36 years after the fact, I'm publically contesting the fact that the car really had 2.56s instead of 2.73s. Should I write a letter to the editor????

I've only seen SS cars with either the 2.56 or 3.31 ratios. Was the 2.56 standard and everything else optional? What were the choices and were they extra cost items? Thanks!

Unscrew speedo cable from the tranny, remove the speedo gear housing cover, and replace the plastic speedo gear with the correct one from your local Chevy dealer or favorite online store. Put a pan under the tranny as you may loose some fluid.

That's unreal! Congrats! I couldn't imagine going that fast....

I've run the B&M 2400 in my 85 Monte with a 350. No problems with it, but it did not feel as efficient as my TCCI (locally built) in my 72. Rice Racing - what about the efficiency of these converters? Which ones are sloppy at high rpms and which slip less? Thanks