RARE MC Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Will a Gear Vendors overdrive fit in the MC's tunnel? I am running a 454 with a TH400. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Check out Bill's Cardomain page, he has the same setup. Well he has a 502 and a TH400 http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2197906 Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 that's the way I'd go too I have a 700R4 trans in my camaro, I HATE IT!!!! give me a gear vendors please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckeng Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Me too. I will have one eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502ci Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Yep it will fit, I did dimple a few spots to make sure I had clearance and there would be no contact. Someone else here has one, I just can't remember who. It is fun to play with shifting gears or when you are not in the mood just set in automatic mode and forget about it and it will shift in and out of overdrive by itself... Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 the 700r4 is a good trans.. when it's built right. but it's a very sensitive beast, and if it's not built _EXACTLY_ right it can be a real headache. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nygel Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I've got a Gear Vendor. Smartest money I have spent on my car. Works awesome. I don't mess with mine at all. Since the day I put it in it has been in the Auto mode. Nygel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBillPatri Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I have a 355 SB with a B&M TH400 When I tried to install my GV OD (1994) it interfered with my tunnel & I gave up & put the tail shaft back on the transmission. Car was in storage for 13 years & now I'm working on it again. Recently, I put in stronger poly motor mounts that were suppose to lower the motor a little & might provide a little more clearance for the GV OD. This was difficult with the motor in the car. BUT, I'm glad I did this as I found out that the "SHISTER SHOP" that put the motor mounts in (1995) (used BTW) left one of the drivers side bolts 1/2 way out. I'm wondering If I can use a 5# hammer & dent up the tunnel enough? Other thoughts are reworking the cross member or moving it to the bottom side of my frame & adding support straps? I will tackle this when the weather warms up my shop & the winter winds stop blowing. BBP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502ci Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 I removed the rubber pads on the frame that the crossmember sat on, that gave me a extra 1/4"...I still mounted it in the proper location on the top of the frame. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RARE MC Posted February 28, 2009 Author Share Posted February 28, 2009 I was able to stop into Gear Vendors in El Cajon this morning. Talked with Curt about switch options. There is a very nicely made hand button and a very stout floor button that looks like a dimmer switch. The floor button is my first choice. They have a unit installed on a TH400 in the showroom. I took a picture of it, but not sure if it came out OK. Curt showed me the two high spots on the unit that will likely interfere. A ball peen should do the trick. At first I didn't think I could take a hammer to MC, but I can see the tach and gas gauge way better than something that far under the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502ci Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 I was able to stop into Gear Vendors in El Cajon this morning. Talked with Curt about switch options. There is a very nicely made hand button and a very stout floor button that looks like a dimmer switch. The floor button is my first choice. I use the floor button...although I have it like 6" from the dimmer switch and a few times over the years when I was playing around I hit the actual dimmer switch thinking it was the gear vendors button... Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RARE MC Posted February 28, 2009 Author Share Posted February 28, 2009 Here's a photo: http://www.firstgenmc.com/ubbthreads/ubb...amp;#Post192935 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nygel Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 I checked with Bill before installing my GV and took the rubber pads out as he suggested. All went smooth and didn't have to hammer on the tunnel at all. No vibrations and no negative issues. I also went with the dimmer switch. It seems much cleaner and works well. Nygel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RARE MC Posted March 18, 2009 Author Share Posted March 18, 2009 My GV is on the way. Found one NIB $1,825. I'll need to change speedo gears. Jeff at GV will give me the GM part #'s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RARE MC Posted March 20, 2009 Author Share Posted March 20, 2009 Will the control box fit in the console? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nygel Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502ci Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Will the control box fit in the console? There are two control boxes, ones the brains and the other is the automatic or manual mode box with a rocker switch on it. Both are fairly small and would fit in the console. Originally Posted By: Nygel yes So I agree with this statement... Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 I've been running w/o those rubber pads for almost 5 years now.. never had a lick of trouble from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quarterbooty Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Just wanted to ask a few clarifying questions about the Gear Vendors fitment. It sounds like the consensus is to remove the rubber isolators from the transmission cross member to gain clearance. Hammering on the transmission tunnel then may or may not be necessary based on the experiences listed here. What about any other changes to the cross member? I've done some searching and found that some Chevelle installations notched the cross member to clear the sump on the Gear Vendors. Is this necessary? I'm guessing you guys would have mentioned it had you needed to do it. Are there any other installation challenges (especially those that might be lesser known) that anyone has come across? An overdrive is finally making its way to the top of my things to change list. The Gear Vendors seems to be the easiest and dare I say most economical way to get there. Thanks for any insights. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROMO Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I have a 385 SB with a built 700r4 and a GV unit, it sits on an aftermarket creossmember. I just had to massage the tunnel a lil bit. One thing no one has mentioned is the condition of the body mouns, it can and will affect the fit. I still havent driven my car still waiting on the wheels. I installed the swith on the hole where the stock radio was, fits very nicely their. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502ci Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I've done some searching and found that some Chevelle installations notched the cross member to clear the sump on the Gear Vendors. Is this necessary? I'm guessing you guys would have mentioned it had you needed to do it. It's been 9 years since I put mine in and can't remember exactly what I did to the crossmember...I remember hammering some dents in it to clear something but I may have also spun it around backward to clear too...whatever I did I managed to get the stock crossmember in without notching it or "severly" modifying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
680HPStroker Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I'm hopefully getting a GV this year as well. Reading this thread I feel as though I probably won't have tunnel, or crossmember fitment as I have a custom crossmember that gives a lot of room for exhaust and tailshaft clearance. Once I get mine in I'll start going on longer cruises again. I miss out on two 2.5 hour trips to Henderson NC every year that my local car club makes to a massive car show and a drive-in cruise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quarterbooty Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Thanks for the information everyone. I called Gear Vendors this afternoon, and the tech said that TH350s (what I have) don't require any modification to the cross member to accept the overdrive assembly. He also said that since a TH350 is about 3 inches shorter than a TH400, less clearancing is required to the transmission tunnel. Indentations near the 10 and 2 o'clock positions of the adapter about 1/4" deep and a few inches long are all that is required. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallaby Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 I did a quick search of the gear vendors unit, and was surprised to see it was integrated into the transmission tailshaft; making the trans & OD one assembled unit. Has that changed over the years? I thought the OD sat on its own crossmember and had a shaft leading in & out of it and a manual shift linkage... then I thought maybe I was thinking of a Hone overdrive, but their website also shows an integrated unit. Anybody know what I was thinking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502ci Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 As far as I know they always were mounted to where the tailshaft would be, never heard of it being separate. I bolted everything up and installed it all at once...not too many cars can that be done on without lifting the car off the ground for the angle that would be needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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