Well I have been looking at the pro-built kit today and took the print out of all the parts included in the kit to a local trans shop and they said that the kit wasnt all that great and they could build a better tranny using their parts for less than the pro-built kit ($450). Also they and another shop quoted me a price of around $1200 labor to install the kit. This is even with me bringing them just the tranny. So my questions are:
1) how good is this kit and is the one shop full of $hit?

2) is the labor right or am I alone thinking that way out of the ballpark?

Thanks for any input.
Rob

 

ProBuilt knows his stuff I am very happy with his work, that other shop wants to sell you parts they believe the hype on, they likely want to sell you a billet servo(can punch a hole in the band), maybe the 5 pinion planetary(4 pinion is better to a higher rpm and machined better), probably want Altos 9 clutch pack I seriously fried a set of those in a little over a year some of that time with the "baby LT1" 4.3L V8 that was the base motor in the Caprice most of it with a stock b-body LT1 and a little time with a mild cam putting out around 300crank HP. Fact is most local shops think they can build this thing for performance use and most can't, but would be glad to take your money again in 14 months or so. Seriously get a recommendation from the forum or at least do like you are trying to and get the kit from a reputable forum approved vendor and find an installer willing to follow Dana's(probuilt) recommendations. Here is a feedback thread on him over at the Impala forum http://impalassforum.com/noncgi/ulti...c;f=4;t=004564 Team Tripp who replies is his competition, so a compliment from him really means something, Team Tripp himself is supposed to be good and I believe in GA so maybe look him up several of the Impala/Caprice guys are very happy with his work.

 

You're tranny shop is full of it. Pick a different one. BTW, $1200 labor to install the parts is insane. I paid $250 for mine.

 

I paid 1300 total. Thats pulling the old one out, rebuilding the "new" one w/ a bunch of performance goodies (clutches, boost valve, vette servo, bunch of other stuff I don't understand, b&m shift kit, 2500 stall TC) and installing it. I think I paid a bit too much but i'm fairly happy with the results..

 

Ok, thanks for the help. The one shop also mentioned that they would only do it if they replace the electronics for the tranny too. They said that alone was $500 of the $1200 they quoted me.

Another question: Is the pro-built kit something I could install myself or is it something easily F*** up? Is there any special tools needed or machining?

 

No electronics need to be replaced. Go find a different shop.

A tranny rebuild is something that is best left to a professional, though.

 

ttt

 

The electronics will cost about $130-150 for the parts. Installing them is no more difficult than not installing them during a rebuild. Because it all really has to come out to be cleaned and inspected anyway. Even if a rebuilder did not take the valve body apart, once it's out of the tranny, the electronics are replacable in under 10 minutes. $500 is insane. It's only going to take an experienced tranny guy a half a day to do the rebuild once it's out of the car. For the money they want, you could start looking at a brand new one. I rebuilt my own btw. At first I did not change any of the electronics. Then about a month later a servo went out. Thankfully, it's a fairly easy fix with the tranny still in the car. Looking back I should have just replaced them all while I was in there cauz everything else was new. heh.

 

Loadre, where did you get yours rebuilt? I may be buying one off an HPT member, and it needs rebuilt

 

A tranny shop up in Bristol. I can get you directions and a number if you want. PM me as to not hijack thread.