304 Transmission options???

[Sherro57]

Hey folks, I've seen various threads over the years while searching for things & building assorted projects. And have only just signed up to the site.
I've got a bit of a dilema coz I bought a VQ Stato V8 about 4 years back as a donor car for a '53 Holden project. But the mod laws that came in a little while back nolonger allow me to fit anything with a larger capacity than 4 litre, so I've gone another direction with that project & kept the Stato as a drive car.
Murphys' law happened coz it never gave me any problems, and coz I was over the crap paint I stripped the Stato back, gave it a full paint job & got carried away with fitting up a customised VN Group A body kit, big wheels, exhaust yarda yarda,,, then the 4L60 decided to drop dead
I've got a 4L60e sitting in the garage that was destined for another car, but then I figured it would bolt right up to the 304 in the VQ,,, problem is though, the 4L60e needs an electronic shift controller which the VQ is lacking.
I personally would prefer a manual, but haven't managed to find a conversion set up without buying a whole car.
I can't see the point spending almost $2K on getting the 4L60 rebuilt, and there's no T5 conversions that I can find, plus all I've managed to figure out so far is forking out around $900 for a stand alone shift control module

What's your suggestions other than continuing to use the Stato as a lawn awniment?

PS: Sorry it's such a long post

 

[EYY]

Could you get a vr/vs computer and loom and then get vats turned off? Should be a pretty simple conversion I would think

 

[ari666]

used T700's are popping up all the time on ebay for under 500 bucks, so its cheaper than all the options youve listed so far:
V8 Transmission 5HBD T700 in Glen Waverley, VIC | eBay


how handy are you with spanners and wires? i would image that EYY's idea of a VS computer (that came with the 4l60e) would be the ticket, but not sure how complicated it'd be.

personally, id probably just dump a "good runner" in it. cheapest/easiest/least fk'ing around.

 

[VR38]

IMO just buy the right box for the car or spend the money on a rebuild or the manual conversion.

 

[Deuce]

Im not even 50% sure on this (probably quite less) but:
if you pull the valve body out of the 'e' and install the on from the 4l60, would this make it work for you?

or are there more differences case wise etc??

 

[VR38]

Or, you could buy am electronic controller from a hotrod/speed shop. But honestly, why #### around.

 

[ari666]

Im not even 50% sure on this (probably quite less) but:
if you pull the valve body out of the 'e' and install the on from the 4l60, would this make it work for you?

or are there more differences case wise etc??

cases are different. the E has a plug whereas the T700 has a TV cable. plus the speedo is a cog in the t700 and a reluctor on a E. they are very very close, but not compatable.

unless of course youre talking about the later LS1 2 piece 4L60E and then theyre totally incompatable. the internal drums etc are the same, but the outsides got a complete re-vamp.

 

[Deuce]

cases are different. the E has a plug whereas the T700 has a TV cable. plus the speedo is a cog in the t700 and a reluctor on a E. they are very very close, but not compatable.

unless of course youre talking about the later LS1 2 piece 4L60E and then theyre totally incompatable. the internal drums etc are the same, but the outsides got a complete re-vamp.

Well. . . . . . that answers that question!

(I was actually hoping you would answer this question when I posted the option)

 

[ari666]

yeah i had to do a fair bit of research when swapping my T700 with a 4l60e, even then that f****ing reluctor on the speedo almost beat me, it seems i didnt research enough. in the end i cut it off mostly with an angle grinder, then snapped it with a cold chisel. then had to drill a hole in the (case hardened steel) output shaft to use the old T700 cog.

anyway, i really dont see it as an option, i think OP should just buy a T700. ive done the swaps, ive done the reprogramming of shift points and rewiring of PCM's and id safely say the t700 is the cheapest, the easiest and the best option.

 

[Deuce]

ive done the swaps, ive done the reprogramming of shift points and rewiring of PCM's and id safely say the t700 is the cheapest, the easiest and the best option.

Can't ask for more than that