Correct me if im wrong but arent "brand" Th-350/400 trannys just stock ones with their own rebuild kits installed? Is it worth it at all? Why do they only claim a rating of 400-450HP? Not a whole lot of power.

------------------
350: 10:1/Sportsman II/XE274/performer RPM intake/eddy 750/1 5/8 headers/3000 stall/TH-350

It depends....

What are you thinking is too much...?

I build trannies on the side and started out doing basic quick rebuilds with B&M or my own shift kits.

I used to do them fairly cheap, like $250 for a complete rebuild including parts.
I was using $75 kits that only contained clutches, band, filter, modulator, and seal/gasket kit.

I did alot of them this way and they worked great.

Then I started to notice other wear areas, bushings, thrusts, sprags, races...
Things that I really had not messed with before, just looked at and if it looked OK, called it good.

Also realized there were better ways to make a trans shift firmer, quicker, etc.. without it being harsh.

learned more about the function of the trans, how to beef them up, hydraulics, etc..

Had a really helpful guy that taught me a tremendous amount of knowledge for free..

I'll say now that I will not build a trans for less than $450, that is parts included, but customer supplied core.
I spend an average of $185 on parts to do one.
If I supply a core it will be at least another $100...

So $550 for a basic TH350 or 400 with complete rebuild, shift kit, parts, and core.

I've also learned that if I do the work cheap that a customer thinks I may have done a less than perfect job, just because they know the old adage "you get what you pay for".
So my prices went up, I do quality work and it took me a while to figure out I needed to charge for it.
I like to do favors I guess...

So $600 for a transmission from Summit or others isn't too bad.

Yes the transmissions I build are based on "stock" trannys as are B&M or TCI's.
But usually there are a few minor things you can do to make on more reliable or function better, or handle more power.

$600.00 is pretty fair for a properly-done unit. However- I'm betting that it's the $1500.00 TH-350's Bondo is wondering about.

That being said- I can only suggest it's "market" pricing. If you take your new(er) car (say 1993-up) to a transmission shop- you can't walk out the door for less than $2 grand it seems. If people will put $3,000.00 in transmission work into a 1995 Caravan- I guess the aftermarket transmission companies take the attitude that someone restoring/upgrading a "classic" with a performance unit is not going to get too uppity about $1500.00. The proof must be in the fact they still offer/sell these units and that people will pay for them.

localy built trannys are going for about $500-600. All of which are built by reputable guys, and I would rather have one than a off-the shelf tranny. I wish you lived closer Jakeshoe!

------------------
350: 10:1/Sportsman II/XE274/performer RPM intake/eddy 750/1 5/8 headers/3000 stall/TH-350

paid $650 for a TH-350 no core. from a place called Wilson racing transmissions in OKC,OK. Guy also makes custom converters, hes an older man, a big name around the track down here. Neck-snapping shifts, and the thing has taken quite a bit of abuse already.

------------------
383: protopline heads, eagle rotating assembly, rpm intake, msd pro-billet hei, harland sharp 1.6 roller rockers,comp XE268H,headers,3" flowmaster exhaust,TH-350 S/S package, 3.73 gears.

$500-600 is not bad for a well built tranny. I just put at least $300-400 alone in parts into building my TH400 w/ hughes parts and a B&M shift kit.

300-400 in parts?
What all did you get?
Rebuild kit with what type of clutches?
Any hard parts?
Pan?

Curious for business purposes...

Also,
Did Hughes suggest using the B&M kit?
My understanding is that they use a modified TransGo kit in their own trans.

I got the Hughes master race rebuild kit w/ Alto red race frictions and kolene steels. It also has Kevlar bands. I believe the kit was around $230. I used the B&M transpak which was about $50. Sorry to say no hard parts or pan (wouldve really liked a new drum and intermediate sprag and Hughes pan but couldnt afford those things at the time). So I guess I spent closer to $300 than $400 when I think about it but there was a lot of time spent by myself doing the rebuild. I do trust myself more than most of the tranny shops around here though so I wouldnt have spent the other $300 to have it done for me. Oh and I used the B&M kit b/c I have had good experiences w/ them in the past. After reading up a little more AFTER the rebuild (DOH!!)I wish I had gone w/ the transgo kit. The tranny works great though. Nice quick, crisp shifts and when in manual mode real neck snappers. I am happy with it all in all.

[This message has been edited by 70RATZ28 (edited October 04, 2003).]

As much as I am pleased with the work Hughes has done for me (only 35 minutes from my front door, supurb work with a 2 day turnaround) here a little tidbit you need to be aware of. On page 236 of the latest Summit catalog is a Hughes TH350 COMPLETE for $889, plus $85 truck shipping to your door. If you walk in the front door of Hughes on McDowell in Phoenix that exact same trans will cost you $1122 plus 8.25% sales tax for roughly $1200 vs. $974 to have Summit deliver it to your door. Is that some krazy $#!+ or what.

You want to know why it cost so much to buy a Hughes trans????

http://www.hughesperformance.com/i/Hughes2car.jpg

It's expensive to campaign a two car supercomp team all the way to the national championship!!! That's why. http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/wink.gif I've had the misfortune of lining up next to Jim here in points races http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/frown.gif but can proudly say I finished #6 , Jim finished #34 in the series. (that ought to teach him to be gone to all those stinking NHRA National events on race day eh! LMAO)

This is somewhat different, but in my daily driver(84 elky) my tranny went out. I found a shop that rebuilt and installed and had everything ready to go, all for the grand price of 450 bucks. Now over a year later, things are still good. It isn't a race tranny, but it works.