Okay i have a 1996 s10 single short bed that i put a LS1 into and i have a 4l80e and a th400 to pick from. I have a LS6 cam and springs, trunion upgrade kit, ARP rod bolts, LS6 intake manifold, s475 single turbo with T4 1.25 rear. The plans for the truck is to drive on the street and also take to the track once or twice a month.

4L80E when i bought it they said has 10k miles on the rebuild with a shift kit and deep hughes pan. The TH400 i just bought as a rebuildable core that i can get rebuilt if i am going to use that.

My question is for what i want to use the truck for which transmission would be better. I was thinking i need a trans brake and manual valve body and i know i need a stall converter but this is my first performance auto so im a little lost. What is everyones opinions on what i should do.

 

Two issues. Do you need overdrive and cost.

4l80 weighs about 50-60 lbs more without converter and dry.

Th400 wont have lockup.

 

the furthest I will probably drive the truck is an hour or hour and a half away. I will be putting 3.23 gears in the 8.8 in the back. the thing that made me go and pick up the TH400 was the price scare people are telling me on the stall converter and trans brake valve body. So cost is a big issue.

 

Keep in mind with those tall gears if you go with a loose converter its gonna produce a ton of heat because of no lock up. You need to check your mph vs rpm and decide if it will work for you otherwise I would do the overdrive. Fun build btw!

 

ya thats one of the issues so many different options and things to take into acct. manuals are so much easier lol

and since i have never done this or researched it to in depth im lost on which one to go with and what options i have or should do with either tranny

 

80 and be done with......planing a similar build and dont find any real reason on why to do a 400

 

An hour and a half away is far, especially at freeway speeds. There is no reason not to go 80e especially if you have one. I absolutely love my 80e. I've built quick street cars without od and it's annoying. A street car without od is an oxymoron. This is why God invented 80e's or gear vendors overdrives...