For those of you who read this and also saw my post about the Allison, I now have a backwards question.
I just received a '97 4WD Suburban with a 454 in a trade. Will the 454 rip the guts out of my 60 in my 1500? Or is there a simple and inexpensive way to make the 80 work for my 2wd? Planning on doing an engine/computer/harness swap and selling the 'Burban, as I have no use for a 4x4, mainly took the trade for the 454, it's a crate with only 5K on it (yes, I have receipts, etc). Thanks in advance for input

 

The 60 would live idling around on 5 or 6 cylinders... Past that, it's a crap shoot.

 

My observations in life, & persoanl exp.: Swaps are never cheap, just labor intensive. And in my case, blew my budget outta the water.

I think I do better when I do things in stages, better restraint.

But, just 60E --> 80E swap. No I didn't read your other thread just this 1. Anyway, read the stickies on 80E swap under drivetrain. Very informative, nonnelsman tells wiring. Tune for 80E.
Xmember & d/shaft shortening need to be solved.

IMO, I wouldn't put a stock 60 behind a built motor, 454, blower, turbo, or NOS.

 

2 for 2 say no-go. 10-4, thanks for the info boys

 

Others can weigh in too, don't just go by what us 2 say.
I'm not sayin a 60E can't be built, it can. But even to go up +55 hp or so from a 305/ 350 to an LT1 in an '89 C1500, took a 167,000 mi stock 700r4 out in a week. 205HP to 260+.
Just a FYI. I'd think a BB would up the torque ante by what, 75 if not 100. U are goin from what a TBI 60E & wantin it to live behind said Big Block?

An 80E would be a more solid choice. Even stock. I wanna say a stock 60E was rated somethin like 360 TQ. capacity. A 5.3 would reach that pretty fast w/. only a few mods.

 

I agree, but for what my options are right now, might as well find a 2wd 80. Not looking to build anything, just a straight and simple swap

 

I that case, just a straight swap. I concur w/. Ben wholeheartedly now that I know that.
80E. Heavier, more power to turn, gearin differs, but you'll reap rewards w/. what it'll handle. But that weight only matters if u gotta lift it once.

 

I know that's right! Thanks again. My guts always right but it never hurts to get an opinion from other guts!

 

Trust your gut

Just a stock for stock swap on the BB will have you way past what the 60E is useful for. It's simply a light duty trans. Combine that Tq and weight and you'll be gutting sunshells and input shafts/drums like crazy (with no upgraded parts) it's just way out of the league of what that trans was designed for. The 80E has its shortcomings as well but stock for stock there's no way id put anything less than a 80E or TH400 behind a 454, doesnt matter if I was building it for my granny to put put to the grocery store in.

- Just so you don't think I'm just throwing rocks at the 60E.... I've had several built units. Some lasted, some didn't. I've personally helped a guy put a built-to-the-sky 60E behind a pretty much stock 454 in a 2wd 3/4 ton RCLB truck and he got all of 2500 miles out of it.... 3/4's were toast, band was hammered pretty bad and the converter clutch was coming apart. Admittedly he never broke a hard part (probably due to his easy driving habits) but the frictions just wouldn't eat the tq, and drag the weight... No way I'd try it in a suburban at that...

 

Good info, I appreciate it. Looks like I'm on the hunt for an 2wd 80 then