Lonnie Pavtis

Glad this thread has come to life.

As for a Lenco, for a racecar yes, but a normal street car... no. I want all the creature comforts & not a jungle jym on the floor. I still average 16-18mpg with 85# injectors & FAST EFI.

The T-56 upgrades are slowly coming around.

I did contemplate a Jerico or G-force due to the conventional shifter arrangement. Clutchless shifts with the road-race sliders would be nice also while still allowing downshifts.

If you have noticed, a manual trans is hard on parts & is not the fast way down the dragstrip.... unless you have a "Pro Stock" type clutch, suspension & like to adjust it constantly to make it work.

Basically, clutches that slip, do not live long. Clutches that grab, break parts & cause traction problems on cars with big power & limited tire/suspension. Ask someone running NSCA or Pro 5.0 classes & they will tell you that with manual trans, the clutch adjustment plays as much into the E.T. as the engine HP does on a sub 10 second car.

Rich,
You are in the same boat as I am.... 18# boost, nitrous, 383 & street car drivability. It's hard to have it all.

Lee,
Glad you accomplished the swap. I had visions of cutting most of the tunnel out.... you made me feel better about this. A couple of notches & dents are not what I consider structural changes. I'll e-mail you for some further info. Thanks for the response.

lee maynard

I have seen a transbrake for a 4L80E but I cant remember where I saw it at, I would probably call around a see if someone can tell you where to look (Transgo, TCI, B&M, Summit), I am going to get a digital camera for christmas and I can post some pics for you guys, I actually pulled the engine and tranny earlier today, so I can get some good ones!!

Fast Caddie

Hell yea! We might just start a 4L80 craze in the F-body world.

Lee, here's some questions for you: the bellhousing is ok? It's just at the back of the trans that hits? Would shorter engine mounts help any, or would it just be better to do like you did and bend the metal? Driveshaft? Torque arm? Shifter? Any other odds and ends? Care to do a write-up? Thanks man!

I'm pretty handy with a welder and such so I could do it. And my uncle has a huge lift in his shop, so moving the car around will not be a problem. I just don't want to have too many gaping holes under my car.

The Big Show

Nice thread....where are you guys locating your 4L80e's? I'd like to use it without the computer so a simple manual valve body would do this?

Fast Caddie

Big Show, take a look at the thread I posted on the other page. It's a fully built 4L80 with a full reverse-manual valvebody and shift kit from PATC. You could also check out some local junkyards with some wrecked heavy-duty GM trucks.

The 2002 4L80E is the toughest ever built: 5-pinion front and rear planetaries!!!! It's called the 4L85E now though.

I like your car too

Hey Lee, buddy where you at?

The Big Show

Thanks for the compliments Eddie. I'm waiting on an intake to finish the thing and get some new pics up.

Man, these trannies aren't cheap. Good lord....

lee maynard

Hey fast caddie I live in Utah, I bought a GM replacement 4L80E for a 95 3500 diesel truck off of E-bay for a grand, check local newer car wrecking yards they usually will seel them for a grand also! they didnt have a full manual kit for that tranny when I built mine but if it is cheaper than the computer you might want to do that, I bought a TCI tranny computer off of E-bay for 500 bucks and it is awesome and easy to use, I love it, Transgo says that that tranny will take 800 horsepower with basic upgrades with no problem at all. With the floor there is only two holes, one for the shifter cable a and a little bigger hole to run the connectors, that is it, like I said before take off all the extra ears that do nothing for your application and it will practically pop in for you, where the tranny cooler lines come out I had to bend the floor out a little to make room for the lines, and I had to make a crossmember, and a new driveline made, and that was about it if you want to shoot the **** hit me up at edge9999@mybluelight.com

The Big Show

Thanks for the info lee. This is the most anyone has ever come out and said and guys/gals have been lookin' for this option for quite some time.

Finding the 4L80E shouldn't be that bigga deal but do you guys know who would sell the manual valve body for them? The Quadzilla is nice and all but at 3K thats a bit ridiculous.

Fast Caddie

well it's either th-350/400 with a gear vendor (high $$$), Lenco (hella high $$$), rebuild your 4L60 every 5 passes at the track ($$$ $$$), a trans 1000+hp ready for a LONG time (Quadzilla), or have no OD at all. Modding these cars sucks, doesn't it?

Cool deal Lee. I've been lurking on this board for a few years and every time this is suggested the "experts" on here just give it the boot right off the bad saying "nope, not possible, forget it.....". Glad someone on here is a trooper and tried it. I would've tried it already if I wasn't in school and had some money. Good job.

Now all we need is some kind of write-up with pics to show ppl that it works. Shoot, the "4L80 swap" might become as popular as the ol' "HOTcam kit" that we read 15 new threads on everyday.

The Big Show

Thought I'd help you guys out since I came across this ad. I also spoke with the seller this morning and he really wants to get rid of it.

4L80E For Sale

I've decided to just stay with my Th400 since I'm having a hard time finding a manual vb for the 80E so thats why I didn't jump on the deal.

ElkyRacer

Im going to bring this thread back from the dead!

I just found a local guy who has a 4L80E pulled from a wrecked 1ton van that I can pick up for around $250. So Im going to be doing this swap, assuming...

I can find a manual valvebody.

And the converter isnt plain outragious!

And I can find a rear yoke to work. This guy said something about not having a normal yoke on it. Ill go look at it and see.

Id like to hear more about the swap, say, crossmember useage. Shifter choice (I havent seen a B@M shifter listed for a 80e), ect.

Kyle

RacinLT1

Kyle,as far as shifter goes you can buy a B&M Pro Stick,then buy the optional 4 speed gate plate.
Thats what i have in mine,GM hasnt changed the shifter cables in decades,so that shouldnt be an issue.

GhostZ

Lee...I'll have to chat with you on this later. My tranny that has been on its last legs for a while is now shot and I was thinking of going either T56 or TH400 but the 4L80 sounds very promising!

dreamer1q

I have no idea what the 4L80E costs as a aftermarket part, but I can tell you from experiance I sell them at work for anywhere from a low of 900.00 for a high miler to a high of 1500.00 for zero mileage setups. Hell, the core on these things from the core buyers are 500 bucks But I will say this also, besides the 4L60E (and not just the F-body ones) the 4L80E is the next most replaced tranny I deal with. They may be stronger, but dont expect to have something that will never break.

Q

Brandy

By the time you spend the money and time to install that big monster you might be better off with a powerglide and a gearvendor over drive unit.

http://www.gearvendors.com/

They are good to 1200hp in stock form. JW is now a dealer for them to.