[Schoust]

Ok Guy's I just picked up a fairly decent 85 El Camino SS which was equipped with a 305 and a three speed 200. It looks as though that train is pretty well spent the fluid is real nasty and from what I have read it does not hold up to any power what so ever? Anyway my idea is to put a replacement trans in place of the 200 in the form of a well built 700r4. register the car and make plans for a much more powerful small block in the form a 400hp roller motor.
Has anyone done this swap? Can I use the same crossmember? What is the secret to the TV cable adjustment?

Thanks Ralph

[fast68]

howdy there well yeah the 200 were the lightest version of the 3 speed my 82 trans am had an actually good one that was rebuilt- that my aunt bought- when she owned the car before the original 305 blew up in it. i swapped in a th350 in place of it. i also had a 79 caprice with 305 as well that the 200 in it died on the way to oklahoma one summer,. had to put in a junkyard one down there to get back to IL here. it lost 3rd gear on the will rogers turnpike, i made it the rest of the trip in 2nd gear, the car was 2.41 ratio axle so it was still able to travel along at around 60 mph

the 700r4 are 3" longer than these 200 trannies, so you will need to cut 3" out of one end of the driveshaft and then arc weld the yoke back on., in which i have done several times now and never had any trouble at all doing.

or go junkyard hunting under various cars trucks vans and look for one that is the right length regardless of the type of trans yoke it has on it,
because at napa you can buy a conversion u joint to allow you to use the 27 spline yoke you have in which is the same as 700r4 and well all the other trans models except the th400 variants.

same crossmember and mount on these two trannies.

just slide it back or weld and extention plate on it to bring the mount back further.

if you dont have a welder or know anyone with one then you could take it to a small time local welder guy and he will do it for cheap.


if you found a 2004r(also found in el caminos like our 85 elky ss with 305) then that will swap in with your existing driveshaft length because the 200 and the 2004r are the same length

2004r is a 4 speed auto with overdrive like the longer 700r4 is.

700r4 TV cable is set by depressing the cable housng lock that is just behind the intake manifold bracket for it, and opening the throttle to WOT and it should click once or twice.

now it is set, and will be good as long as the cable and link in the trans is ok and not stretched or bent badly or anything.


anything else just let us know!

have fun!

[Schoust]

Thanks Bud! Much appreciate the tips!I know that the better of the two trans is the 200 but I simply can not look a gift horse in the mouth. I have purchased a bunch of parts that include a nice 400 hp small block and a whole bunch of extras that go with it along with this 700r4 that is supposed to have been built to run behind the small block? I have no reason to believe that this is not the case so I'm going for it with the 700 r4 and hope that my only experience with that trans was a factory flaw (not) I bought a brand new Pontiac Trans Am back in 86 and at around 17k that 700 bit the dust big time! The dealer tried to tell me that it was only a converter issue? I was not buying and insisted that after spending 22k on a new car that I wanted a new trans period! Needless to say that tranny worked good until I parted with the car at 40k. Anyway for 500 bucks the parts are well worth what I am paying and if it blows behind the small block the next trans will be the 2004spd. Thanks and any more info on the swap is greatly appreciated!!