I finally got the 55 running after 10 years back in late August, only to find out the original transmission was shot. We were hoping for the best but after removing and opening the trans. we found out it was full of shavings and had some internal damage. She is parked back in the garage for the winter giving me time to research transmission swap information looking for a suitable replacement. I received great information from a few members on this forum already and would welcome anymore. The 55 currently has a 389 c.i. from a 59 or 60 Pontiac. I am leaning towards a Pontiac 400 trans. with conversion kit. It felt good to hear and see life in her again. Hoping to start on trans. in the spring. I have a short video of the 55 running but am having trouble uploading it, any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Brandon.
Brandon, Sorry to hear about the transmission woes. If you're sure you want to swap it out and if you plan to drive the 55 on the highway, you might want to consider a 200-4R or 700-R4 OD trans. If you're looking for "around town", bullet-proof reliability, I agree with your plan; a BOP TH400 is your best bet.
Thanks ModelT1, jmt455. I will look into the 700r4, a coworker was telling me about that same trans. a few months ago.
The 200-4R is another possibility; they had a bolt pattern that would fit B-O-P engine blocks. I don't know if it would work behind your 389, but it might be worth a look. There are aftermarket parts that improve the strength and durability of the 220-4R transmissions. Hopefully, someone with specific expertise will chime in here with more suggestions and recommendations.
I've had a rebuilt 2004R in my '55 Chevy with 305 with modified engine for many years. They make the torque converter kick down and everything else needed in the speedshop catalogs. Heard so many stories good and bad about both trannys it gets confusing. Still both have been around many years in performance cars, trucks, and Suburbans pulling trailers or racing. Good thing about the 2004R swap from a 350 auto is they are basically the same size. Only the tranny mount is moved back a few inches. Much lighter and less bulkier than a 700R4...............
I'm glad to hear you got the Safari running. It's a bummer the trans is shot. At least now you have a reason to upgrade. Keep us posted on your progress.
Here is a short video of the Safari running before we parked it for winter. Thanks for the help Stefan. http://www.stationwagonforums.com/tmp/20150830.mp4
