abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
904. Forget about that boat anchor 727
727 or 904?
- Thread starter Magster65
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stroked340
Well-Known Member
Duane
Well-Known Member
The beefiest version I have seen is the late 1980,s version with lockup torque converter. They have all the best and strongest parts.
5 disc front clutch stock,4 pinion steel planetaries, reinforced low reverse drum,12 roller sprague instead of the earlier 10, triple wrap low/reverse band,2.74 low gear, thicker cast aluminum rear support, and they are a dime a dozen. Just swap in a standard pump with a little machining and a manual valve body of choice and a non lockup input shaft is all that is needed
All the good converter manufacturers make the pump necks thicker for many years now to eliminate the cracking issue.
Either transmission will suffice. IMO, if you already have a 727, I would use it. Yes, the 904 may take a few less ponies to turn, but the 727 can be built more reasonably than a 904 to hold up to that kind of power. 904s are great transmissions, but it does cost to make them stronger.
If cost is not an issue, then 904 all the way. If budget is a concern, I think the 727 will win out.
If cost is not an issue, then 904 all the way. If budget is a concern, I think the 727 will win out.
j par
Well-hung Member
I don't know you can probably get a virtually free transmission and put $104 rebuild kit in it and maybe a couple other parts and not be into it as much as you think.
justinp61
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I was thinking more along the lines of a new converter and driveshaft.
The only way I would do all that nonsense would be if it was a drag only car and I was racin for points.
stroked340
Well-Known Member
You want to go fast..how much money ya' got..904 all the way..
RockinRobin
Well-Known Member
It seems like the people on here that only race once in a while are more concerned with being a little bit faster.
That and the folks with unlimited budgets or sponsors (must be nice).
The poor folks like me just want a consistent car, doesn't have to be faster than so and so's car.
That and the folks with unlimited budgets or sponsors (must be nice).
The poor folks like me just want a consistent car, doesn't have to be faster than so and so's car.
moper
Well-Known Member
If you have the 727, it will be a little heavier, it will take a little bit of power, but a basically stock one with a shift kit will live forever behind your stroker in an Abody with street sized/type tires. A 727 will live taking 500hp like it deals with 230.
A 904 will be lighter, will take less power to run, and will require more (a lot more by my definition) money to build to a level I would be comfortable with recommending to a customer. I'd get rid of the single wound spring and upgrade the drum as one mod. I'd upgrade the pump support. I run the Red Alto frictions in the ones I build. A deep pan too.
So as far as what I'd recommend - the 727 will run about $600 in hard parts to live forever assuming the driveshaft and rear stay intact. The 904 will run about $1300 in hard parts to be at a level I'd say "go for it" confidently. Both will work fine. Plenty of 904 guys get beat by 727s. If one thinks the transmission is what's making a car fast at the slower-than-10.50s range it's a mistaken fantasy. I'd build the 727. It's cheapest, because I'm broke and because most of my customers are very concerned with budgets.
A 904 will be lighter, will take less power to run, and will require more (a lot more by my definition) money to build to a level I would be comfortable with recommending to a customer. I'd get rid of the single wound spring and upgrade the drum as one mod. I'd upgrade the pump support. I run the Red Alto frictions in the ones I build. A deep pan too.
So as far as what I'd recommend - the 727 will run about $600 in hard parts to live forever assuming the driveshaft and rear stay intact. The 904 will run about $1300 in hard parts to be at a level I'd say "go for it" confidently. Both will work fine. Plenty of 904 guys get beat by 727s. If one thinks the transmission is what's making a car fast at the slower-than-10.50s range it's a mistaken fantasy. I'd build the 727. It's cheapest, because I'm broke and because most of my customers are very concerned with budgets.
1300 to build a 904....nope....probably got less then 400 dollars in them...minus the valve body....24 spring is a one time expense...
904 does not need aftermarket drum...Never seen one explode.....
All 3 of our cars use stock drum..stock disc and steels...yes...24 spring kit is 120 bucks...single would spring in opposite direction from ATi is 20 bucks...
As someone says...pick your parts and spend your money....and do whatever lets you sleep at night..
904 does not need aftermarket drum...Never seen one explode.....
All 3 of our cars use stock drum..stock disc and steels...yes...24 spring kit is 120 bucks...single would spring in opposite direction from ATi is 20 bucks...
As someone says...pick your parts and spend your money....and do whatever lets you sleep at night..
skrews
Well-Known Member
^^^Truth
B3422w5
Well-Known Member
I am swapping to a 904 in the off season for my new stroker small block. Already have the trans
Somebody is gonna get a deal on my rmvb 727 tranny, Dts driveshaft, and 8 inch convertor when i put the whole setup up for sale
Somebody is gonna get a deal on my rmvb 727 tranny, Dts driveshaft, and 8 inch convertor when i put the whole setup up for sale
72Dart6pack
Harder Better Faster Stronger.
Doing a 904 this week. Blasted & Powder coated. So you know what my vote is. Lol
j par
Well-hung Member
A833 ?
stroked340
Well-Known Member
WHAT..don't have anywhere near that in mine..$500.00 plus the full manual valve body..you can keep the 727's..
justinp61
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I try to do a project on my car every winter and looking at my options a 904 swap is the best bang for the buck. A tubular front end would be nice but it's a lot of $$ and I'm not going to hack my headers to make the rack work. My car is a street/strip deal, if it were a pure drag car I'd pull all the vents, heater and wipers out and lose some weight, but it's not, so it all stays.
I'm a hot rodder and want to make my car faster, nothing wrong with that.
BTW, good 727's aren't cheap to build either. If you value unhurt feet and legs you'll spend $700 up front for a steel or aluminum drum, I did.
I'm a hot rodder and want to make my car faster, nothing wrong with that.
BTW, good 727's aren't cheap to build either. If you value unhurt feet and legs you'll spend $700 up front for a steel or aluminum drum, I did.
cannucky
The Guy With No Birthday
First the 904 I built with $700cdn in parts has lived for 7 years and 25k miles behind 500hp in my barracuda.
Second google exploding torqueflites and tell me how many blown up 904's come up
Third this was this cavemans first attempt at a trans .
Second google exploding torqueflites and tell me how many blown up 904's come up
Third this was this cavemans first attempt at a trans .
Trans builders/companies want to suggest there is a ton of black magic in these transmissions. There isn't!
Either trans has it's benefits and drawbacks.
904, smaller parts, less load holding and you can even roll the sprag and not be in danger of a front drum explosion, can safely use most every hard part inside one for a race trans sans VB.
727, bigger, stronger piece, roll the sprag and you may have a front drum in your lap or breaking a foot (google search it), expensive replacement front drum for safety ($500+), best know what you are doing if driving hard or racing, slower than a 904 due to mass.
A 904 can easily be built for under $500 with frugal shopping. The trans guys out there sell the EXACT same parts as in the transtar kits, bulkpart and WIT just at a big markup! Learn to fish or give a fish....
So simple to rebuild either unit. You could have one in the car and another on the shelf just in case.
Yep. Pick your parts, pay your money!
Either trans has it's benefits and drawbacks.
904, smaller parts, less load holding and you can even roll the sprag and not be in danger of a front drum explosion, can safely use most every hard part inside one for a race trans sans VB.
727, bigger, stronger piece, roll the sprag and you may have a front drum in your lap or breaking a foot (google search it), expensive replacement front drum for safety ($500+), best know what you are doing if driving hard or racing, slower than a 904 due to mass.
A 904 can easily be built for under $500 with frugal shopping. The trans guys out there sell the EXACT same parts as in the transtar kits, bulkpart and WIT just at a big markup! Learn to fish or give a fish....
So simple to rebuild either unit. You could have one in the car and another on the shelf just in case.
Yep. Pick your parts, pay your money!
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moper
Well-Known Member
And if I built it for you, you would have. When you are responsible to spend thousands of dollars of others' money, your experience and choices will evolve. You're have not as yet made enough steam to break what you built. It's that simple.
Nothing wrong with what you've done - for you. It might very well be more than enough for many.
727 unless I'm looking for something cheap and consistent, then I would use a glide.
sounds like a general rebuild, surely not a racing transmission with any amount of hook and power to it.
skrews
Well-Known Member
I've been racing a 904 for 15 years running low 11s to high 10s . Never broke one yet. All stock hard parts with a good valvebody, deep pan, and a multi spring kit. All things that need to be done on a 727 build. The 727 also needs a steel drum if you value your legs and a bolt in sprag is a good idea too , making the 727 more expensive to build in reality. Those claiming the need to upgrade to aftermarket internals would probably have you put a billet crank in a warm street engine too LOL.
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