Geezzz !!@#$

I can't get the link to work

Geez...sounds like the trans could be legendary junk. :( Jerico or G-Force with a road race slider?

Eric- thabks for continuing to update thia thread and sharing both the good parts as well as the challe ges! A TH400 will give you an inexpensive baseline and some time to enjoy the car for what it is- an excellent dream car realized. You can alway put a 4 speed in again- or any maual.

I just think you would NOT be wasting your time trying it out with a friendly automatic.

It would take another $3K to swap the car to a 400 Turbo at this point--build the trans, add an Ultra Bell, ATI converter, shifter + requisite fab work to install it, trans lines & cooler, plus another driveshaft.

Not happening.

Calling the place I bought the trans from tomorrow to see if I can arrange a return to Legend to get this box fixed or if I get to eat a $4K+ trans. God only knows how much more down-time this will add--probably wouldn't be able to get the car out again this year.

There's a very, VERY strong probability I'm just going to cut my losses on this car and sell it. I'm so sick of looking at it's not funny.

I don't think I'll ever be able to enjoy it at this point.

I'd have to agree, this project has fought you too hard. Time to make your exit strategy and move on. Good luck.

Sorry to hear this Eric, best of luck with whatever you deside to do.

I've made contact with Legend through the dealer I bought the trans from, waiting to hear back from them.

At this point, my plans are to sell this car, and I'm going to throw a cheap beater together so I have something to test with. The Chevelle just isn't suited for my needs at this point--it's an original 4 speed car, so permanently converting it to automatic just doesn't sit right with me. Most importantly, it's already got low 11 second potential, and that means a cage, which is not happening in this car.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place, as the old saying goes.

As I'm planning to build something else, whatever I build is going to need a transmission. As such, I'm trying to figure out a way to get my 400 Turbo core built and get my hands on a suitable converter. If I can manage to make that happen, I'm looking to TEMPORARILY stuff it in the Chevelle so I can at least have one more shot at getting this slug-bucket bitch down the track in a manner representative of its power level. I'm sick to death of driveline breakage on this car making me look like a ******* chump @ the track.

After that, the driveline comes out along with the interior peripherals (gauges, etc.), the 4.56 12 bolt comes out and the 3.73 goes in, then it's off to a new owner (I hope).

There's no repairing the relationship between me and this car at this point. I loathe the sight of it right now, and all I want is for it to be out of my face.

Hang in there Eric -- there WILL be better days ... TAZ

Time for an Oldsmobile:-)

W-Machines are hot!!!

Ryan

Lenco time

Not for all the rice in China.

Found the source of the vibration, but the trans noise is definitely still there.

I can't figure out how to copy the link from Facebook, but there's a video of the trans noise on my Vintage page. The link is below in my signature line.

Try this:

https://www.facebook.com/15728980262...6142718934109/

My transmission guy Jody Haag from the Chevelle site assures me the noise is being caused by the solid hub twin disc clutch set-up causing the gears to rattle. I've never heard a box make this much noise, but by the same token I've never ran a non-sprung hub clutch on the street either. If he says it's normal and good to go, then I'll take his word for it.

Let the beatings commence.

I sure hope I'm not jinxing myself here.....but I think I've got the entire 5 speed set-up in the Chevelle sold lock, stock & barrel.

If this pans out the car will be temporarily converted over to a 400 Turbo for track testing purposes.

Once that's done, the 496 is coming out of the car and a mild engine will be going back in along with a Muncie 4 speed and appropriate peripherals.

Hard lesson learned here: making a heavy stick car haul ass is WAY above my pay grade.

Maybe once the car has a slushbox in it the "fire" will re-kindle between me & the car.

We'll see. I hope.

I always ask the same question -- do you want a race car or a cruiser. The answer is simple ... a good race car is not a cruiser and a cruiser is not a race car ... nuf said? TAZ

Still looking for a suitable (read: cheap, preferably ugly and something I don't give a rats ass about) mule to use as a test bed for my engine projects. Leaning heavily towards another G body, or perhaps a 3rd gen F body if I can find one someone's already done most of the work on for the right deal.

The Chevelle will soon be relegated to nice cruiser status, no more stupid power in it like this. In my defense, I never in my wildest dreams thought this relatively mild 496 would run like it does.

Payment has been sent for the trans & peripherals.

Slushbox time.

First test drive with the 400 Turbo is in the bag--just a quick jaunt around the neighborhood.

This dinky converter is definitely gonn'a take a little getting used to lol...but I can live with it.

Of course I had to give it a little whack...:naughty:

:3gears: <-----------this should give you a hint. :D

The car actually smoked the tires through 1st and 2nd from a roll this time lol. The throttle response is absolutely ridiculous now that it doesn't have that heavy-ass flywheel & clutch hanging off the back of the crank. Maybe I'll post a short video clip tomorrow.

Next on the "to do" list is get that 4.56 screw outt'a the back and get the 4.10's in, but that'll have to wait until spring.

:beers::3gears:

Niiiiiiccceee!

Posted a couple short videos on my Facebook page.

Got the first ~10 mile drive in today. I can definitely work with this. I actually enjoyed driving this car for the first time I've owned it. Lesson learned here: Sticks are undeniably cool--given the right circumstances--but a stick in a heavy-ass tank that hooks and has a lott'a low end grunt are not a good mix for me.

Rear end work is coming up very soon, then--God willing--another trip to the digs.

4.56 out, 3.73 going in.