Under the index for under a grand!

[Billy Nees]

I'm getting to a point with this project where I'm going to have to get serious about putting together the engine. But first, I'll talk about the trans.
As with almost everything else, it is from a previous project. When I bought my Lemans, it was a running NHRA Stocker (and a really nice body). The previous owner wanted to go in a different direction and wanted the car gone. Now here's the "Dime Rocket" tip, when you are buying a car, ask the owner what goes with the car AND just kinda look around his garage for any other connections. He was going with a different brand of car and complaining about all of the clutter in his "space". Well, after talking to him for a while he says to me "if it says GM on it, get it out of here". I went home with a beautiful, low mileage car AND a pick-up full of parts and the spare trans was one of the parts. Not to go too far off topic but when this GP came home, while talking about the car, the owner came out with a spare intake, carb and a couple of carb kits. All usable stuff.
The trans is a T-200 that is a fresh, stock rebuild with a Trans-Go kit in it. I've used it before, it shifts fine and I'm going to try and play with getting it to auto shift itself by tuning the governor.
I know that it's not a "racing" trans but it is a known piece and it will work. After all, I'm trying to get it under the index not under the record. Better pieces can come at a later date. I am on a strict budget!

[Joe Toller]

I have been eagerly awaiting the trans and engine info...thanks for this thread Billy.

[Billy Nees]

I'm getting the mid-winter doldrums out here in the "West End". Can't wait to head out to Fla. for the points meet next week.
I boxed the stock rear control arms yesterday. They came out pretty good, really stiffened them up. I'm going to start working on putting the engine together later.

[John Leichtamer Jr]

We will be waiting for you in Fl. ................

Hammer

[cicero819]

Billy, how is your project coming on? I wanted to ask what is in the brown four door Nees Nova? Claude

[Billy Nees]

Well, the engine is on hold till I get back from Fla.. It seems that I may have had an attack of CRS and can't remember which cams went where! At any rate, I'll be sending an old cam core out to be re-ground when I get back(dime rocket tip of the week!).
So, let's talk torque converters today. First, a little bit of personal commentary, beyond the motor, there is more to be gained(IMHO) in the correct torque converter than anything else in the car(assuming the car is right). Now I already know that this car is going to want a tight 8" converter but it isn't in my budget(maybe later).
Back in the 70s the hot lick for going fast cheap was to go and get a "Vega" or "Pinto" converter. They were very inefficient and fragile but they were fairly fast and easy to find. Not so in the 21st century so I actually had a converter made, cheap. I already know that my combo makes very good torque for a small motor as I ran my GP with the race motor and a stock converter for a couple of weeks before getting a good one. My car actually ran a tenth under with the stock one but it's got a bit more motor in it. Through a friend in the transmission business, I contacted a (stock) converter rebuilder and asked him what my options were. He looked up my stock converter and found it to have a 1600(that's right) RPM stall and figured that by mixing and matching some stock parts and assembling it with the widest tolorances he could get me about 2800-3000 RPM. Price? $80, for that I'll give it a try.
Now I want to be perfectly clear here, my car picked up a half of a second by putting the correct race converter in the car so the money spent is well worth it but this is being done on a strict budget and if it doesn't work, shame on me.
I'll be back in a week!

[Larry Hill]

Hurry up Billy we are starting to run out of popcorn. Good luck and go fast.

[art leong]

Billy we used to do a cheap converter for the turbo dodges. Talk to me about it this weekend. I'll be rolling in on Friday morning.

[Joe Toller]

I am VERY interested in the converter discussion Billy!

[pontiacchuck]

you said you went to manual brakes did it save any wt and what would you charge for everything to change over to manual 78 gp