[dwwl]

I had a 64 years ago, but don't remember much about the rear end. I put a 250 cu inch 6 cly motor in it, and used the 194 cu inch head to up the comprestion. I then put a 4-speed in it. If i remember, you have to use a different oil pan and oil pick up tube to get a v-8 into the early nova. So you may have a little work ahead of you. You will have to use a bigger radiator. There is a few other things that are going to have to be changed, but is the fun of the these toys. I know you can upgrade the spindles so you can have 5 lug bolt wheels and hubs. But if you go that far, replace the rear with lower gears and use an overdrive. I'm one who prefers the 200 4r to the 700. I had so much fun building mine, that i built a second one for the fun of it. I do recommend that you read alot of all the different articles you can find on the net. Then make up your mind. If you have a non chevrolet motor of GMs, you can only use the 200 4r because it will work on chevrolet and all bop motors, unless you spend more money for addaptor kits.

[JeffB]

If the HEIDT's front end sits lower than stock you may have an issue,the aftermarket oil pans for a NOVA swap are deeper and can cause ground clearance problems.I had a '63 Nova with a 302 SBC and a Milodon oil pan and the stock suspension and it scraped with just normal street driving,ended up raising the car giving it a Gasser look to solve that.If the HEIDT's changes the center link location that may be a non-issue I would ask before you order.but then I love stuff like this:

You Tube

You Tube

[gzn9hh]

Sounds like you know what you are doing with the 200r4. If I havn't located one at a reasonable cost I may leave the PG in for a while. I know I don't want to stay with it.

[cadillacdave1]

You will definitely have to change the rear end gears with either transmission. The 700R4 has a 3.06 first gear to get the car moving so you don't need really steep gears in the rear. But a 3.08 gear won't work well with the overdrive, you will be at 1,400 RPM on the highway. A 3.55 or 3.73 gear will work fine with that combo. The 400 motor will make plenty of torque down low so the 3.55 be the best bet. Good luck with the build.

[dwwl]

The 200 4r is what i liked because it had a better gear spacilng. I found more information on how to build one. It kind of told you how to up the clutch count and the pressure for better life. I put one extra clutch in the forward, two extra in the direct, one extra in the over run, and one extra in fourth. I also like it because you can go into fourth at full throttle. I didn't want to shorten the drive shaft encase my children someday want to put the turbo 350 back in. Like i said before, its like having your cake and eating it to. read the net, it is realy ilnterestilng at what you can do to those 200 4r trannys

[vinniekq2]

Question


Why wont an over drive work with 3.08 gears?
The chevyII is 3100 pounds,no idea what is being done to the 400 sbc.The car is for the grandson,,,,


the power glide worked well with the 6 cylinder,it wont work less with the big V-8. My 67 chevyII had a power glide and 283 with 3.08 gears. Ive had 4 chevyIIs and never changed the gears with stock and near stock engines. 2 were pg cars,1 was a pg and converted to turbo 400,the 65 was a muncie 4 spd,all had 3.08 gears

[cadillacdave1]

I dont think the 3.08 gears would work well with an overdrive. As I stated in my post, those gears wont, let the motor rev enough on the highway. He will be at 1400 rpm at 65 or 70. Why put an overdrive if keeping the 3.08 gears. The car already will run good on the highway. At .70 final gear in OD the car will ug and won't run right, it wont be in its powerband and wont get goof gas mileage. A car shoul run anywhere from 1800 to 2200 RPM on the highway.

[dwwl]

With 3.08 and overdrive your final gear ratio would be around 2.10 or so. That is so high that the vehicle will not perform, it will lug it self around and would drive poorly. With my 3.73 and 200 4r with its .67 over drive, it would like having a gear ratio of 2.50 and that is low enough because i run 255 60 15 tires. The only time i run it is when i'm above 60 mph and i lock up the covertor when i get to 65. I've know that some used it with 3.42 rear gears, but nothing below that, that i know of.

[vinniekq2]

1900 RPM=70 MPH with a 26.5 inch tall tire. what is wrong with that? My car has a solid roller cam,I can run at 2000 RPM with no problem at all. A mild to moderate 400 should be fine.
I dont like to say someone is wrong,but please state why an engine cannot run at 1900 RPM? The new gm cars are set up to run/cruise at 1300 RPM some cars have double overdrive

[cadillacdave1]

1,900 rpm is fine. However. a 3.08 rear with a 200 R tranny and a .67 overdrive wont be at 1900 rpm. It would be much lower and wont run right. Why put an OD with 3.08 gears at all? OD is designed to bring rpms down on highway when using steeper gears. A 3.08 is not steep gear. I have run 700R 4 witha 2.56 rear gear -it doesnt work well rpms too low. Just my opinion

[vinniekq2]

I stand corrected. the .7 o/d is 70 mph@1900RPM and the .67 over/d would generate almost 73 mph at 1900 rpm

[JeffB]

Originally Posted by gzn9hh

Sounds like you know what you are doing with the 200r4. If I havn't located one at a reasonable cost I may leave the PG in for a while. I know I don't want to stay with it.

Powerglides are very popular in drag racing and there is a ton of upgrades available for them,the six cylinder Powerglide actually has a lower first gear which will play OK with the 3:08's.Back in the day when I ran a Powerglide in my Nova all we did was use a shift kit and a 409 clutch pack the 6 cylinder Powerglide used the same converter as the 327 Corvettes in the 60's with your 400 stall should be around 2400-2600.

[gzn9hh]

The 400 sb is from a suburban, sounds stock. My interest was the torque the engine should have. I like the OD trans for the steeper gearing to help launch the car and then if cruising the interstate gaining the advantage of the od. I just don't remember any Chevy 300 hp 327s ever feeling strong at take off withthe PG. With the od trans and this engine, why not just stay in 3rd until road road speed fast enough to let the engine lay at sub 2000rpm in od ? The rear end is not a posi-trac and I am only guessing the ratio is 3.08:1 . I will have to check to see what actual ratio is. I believe the 6cyl/pg was common with this gear. Thanx for all the comments/advise all have offered.

[dwwl]

Ithink i would be more concerned with that motor or any v-8 fitting without the different oil pan. You need to post to someone who has done that and find out that problem first, then work on that od tranny. that 200 4r is what I liked for mine.

[vinniekq2]

oil pan is not a problem.the new front end should accommodate a rear sump
If not,there is a kit that uses a 68 Buick center link that allows a rear sump pan.When you mount the towers for V-8 mounts,make sure the offset is facing rearwards not forwards,I made that mistake when working on my 65 when I was 17.I changed out the 283 foe a 327.back in the early 70s.buy good headers,,,,