i have a few ?'s for you guys. like why did you pick a 400 over a 350, what kind of costs are there involed, what is a good conveter

 

I picked my 400 cause it was cheap and avalible. I am going to run a 3500 stall behind my 396 lt1.

 

TH400 is stronger, also heavier and uses more hp to turn. Do you need a TH400 v. a TH350? Depends on hp and weight as well as intended use. If I thought I could get away with a TH350 but still wanted an automatic, I'd consider 700r4 for the OD. Cost depends entirely on what you get, essentially the same with a TH350 vs. a 400 built to the same level. Anywhere from $8-900 to $3,000+ depending what you want. The converter will set you back between $500-1,700 depending what you get. Then you need a tranny cooler, a shifter, and some other odds n' ends.

Transmission: Rossler Transmission www.rosslertrans.com
Converter: Coan Converters (also a source for trannys) www.coanracing.com

Rich Krause

 

I wanted something that would handle an 800ft-lb launch at 5K rpm with a 275-shot of nitrous. Everybody I talked to told me the TH400 was the only choice. I had seen the TH400 stand up to over 1,000HP in a 9-sec 3,900# blown 383, and it seemed like the right choice. I also saw the same car cremate two Art Carr "1,000HP" 700R4's at about 900HP, on moderate "street" launches.

 

On a lighter car (under 3000#) or w/ moderate power (450hp/450#ft), I'd strongly consider a TH350. You can build a 350 to take plenty of power and they're lighter than the 400. If you've got a heavy car (like the above mentioned 383 car) or a lot of power (again, like the above mentioned 383 car), then I'd stick w/ a 400.

I'd give Coan a call or e-mail about a converter and/or tranny help. They were very helpful with me when I needed to pick out the new converter for the car.