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'64 Olds Starfire Convertible

kmakar

kmakar

Janitor
So, I went to take the car out this morning so I could put fresh non ethanol 91 in the tank and the trans is pissing fluid out of the bell housing, and when I say pissing, it's running at the rate of 8 oz per 3 to 4 minutes.

Here's my dilemma.... it has a Roto Hydromatic 375 Model 10 (pretty rare transmission and one of the worst if not the worst ever made by GM), and as I've read there are only 3 or 4 guys nationwide who can actually rebuild it correctly. These transmissions are notorious for failing. If it does get rebuilt it has to be adjusted to the car again because it uses a shift rod (much like adjusting the cable for shifting in a 700R4.

Options as I see them:

  • Dump the car and take the loss.
  • A company called Ross Racing Engines supposedly has a THM 400 with all the needed parts to bolt to the 394 (but I don't know the cost).
  • Pull the engine and trans and custom fit a SBC and like a THM350.

Thoughts?
 
Don't think so. I was reading it would bolt up but required machining which Ross Racing remachines the bell housing to fit it.
 
My good friend found an 80's Buick wagon cheap that had a good 200 trans in it that's now in his 72 C10 behind a slightly moded 350 and runs great, think he said he paid $500 for the wagon, pulled the trans and whatever else he needed then scrapped the car
 
What I'm trying to consider is value of the car and what a purist would consider a trans swap. The roto sucks bigtime and sliding in a 400 or 200r4 would increase reliability, but would the car lose value not making it worth the change. I'm not keeping it, so that's a consideration.
 
kmakar said:
What I'm trying to consider is value of the car and what a purist would consider a trans swap. The roto sucks bigtime and sliding in a 400 or 200r4 would increase reliability, but would the car lose value not making it worth the change. I'm not keeping it, so that's a consideration.
Click to expand...
a Purist is going to want original, I'd put a diff trans in it and save the roto trans to go with the car when you sell it but you may take a small hit on price? I'd rather have an OD to really enjoy driving the car but that's me
 
I wonder what other mods would be needed to even put a T350 or T400? BOP trans I mean EDIT Conv, Flexplate, Cross member & mount, cut or extend DS, Yoke?
 
I wish you were closer, I've got a good bop t350 here I'd give you for the cause. A factor I consider when in the same dilemma is my relief after the thing is gone. Do you want that relief now or somewhere in the future after more aggravation, effort, and investment? If it's easy, get it done, if not, size it up to your comfort level.
 
cheveslakr said:
I wish you were closer, I've got a good bop t350 here I'd give you for the cause. A factor I consider when in the same dilemma is my relief after the thing is gone. Do you want that relief now or somewhere in the future after more aggravation, effort, and investment? If it's easy, get it done, if not, size it up to your comfort level.
Click to expand...
I had a TCI 2004R shipping here from NY around 8 months ago, IIRC under $400 so maybe that's another option for Kevin to consider? Edit it did get a BOP broke ear that was nowhere to be found when I got it home and unpacked it
 
Ross sells the whole kit, but as I understand I'd have to massage the tunnel.

I figure selling it now I'd take a hit of $4k to $5k versus a trans (probably $5k) and list it for $30k and be happy selling at $20k to $25k with a profit of $5k to 10k (after paint which I'll do).

This is where I need to weigh it out. Lisa offered that maybe we put in a 200r4, paint a nice color, and keep it. Not sure what I want to do yet.
 
Be careful with the weighing....

10_1_22_24_08c9c8e10c1614fd99e6f751b28d343049401c72.jpg
 
Lisa and I have discussed in detail the pros and cons of each and we've decided to pull the engine and trans and drop in a SBC with a 200r4 and keep it.

Last known price for the TH400 conversion from Ross was $3,850 in 2014 and if I have to go that far I'll just drop a new power plant and trans in, add A/C, paint it, and call it a day.
 
Is that the trans we used to call a Slim Jim? You may be surprised what the 394 and roto will bring on the used market. Video it running and driving before you pull it so someone can see.
 
SSuperDave said:
Is that the trans we used to call a Slim Jim? You may be surprised what the 394 and roto will bring on the used market. Video it running and driving before you pull it so someone can see.
Click to expand...

Yep, it's the slim jim, and you already read my mind. The engine purrs, so that and the trans will go together. I was thinking around $3,500 for both. Thoughts?
 
That's a good starting point, yuo can always go down. There can't be many out there for sale.
 
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