Technical Building a Switch Pitch th400

Classic speed would work for the speedometer. Do a HAMB search for Classic Speed GPS or check it out on my website.

 

Seems kind of bizarre to resort to modern electronics technology for a speedo, just to be able to use crude 1960s technology in a torque converter

 

or add a GearVendor OD

 

He asked for options, including digital. That's what I offered.

 

Wanted to show you guys this switch pitch TH400 with an overdrive unit bolted on the back. Unit is a borg warner r11 overdrive. I seen it online , researched online a little on them last night to see others have done this as well. Have any of you every done or heard of any success of the r11 behind a th400..
Also do you think an adapter is being used to make both of them. The length of this trans ended up being shorter than a GV th400 at 44 inches.


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Thanks Mike, switching back to manual/auto in minutes seems real cool.

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Since the switch pitch th400 has interchangeable parts with the st300 will it also interchange with 1967 olds 2 speed switch pitch jetaway?

Also what is better a 12 or 13 inch converter?.

What would putting a smaller converter intended for a Super turbine or jetaway's yield?

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The Oldsmobile TH400 I used had a frost plug in the case hole and no gear on the shaft. I popped the plug out, slid on a tailshaft speedo gear, installed the speedo drive, and hooked up a cable.

 

that BW overdrive is neat! I wonder how they adapted the shaft?

The torque converter is the only thing that you can swap between the ST300 and ST400, I think. The size of the converter affects the stall speed. Stall speed is what switch pitch is all about...do some more research, then ask more questions if you have them.

 

May be that's why it's still on the shelf and not in service by the owner of this trans.

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At the risk of going tooooo far OT, there’s an old post about the B&J overdrives, long gone. I put one behind a switch pitch 400 back in the early 80’s. They were very difficult to shift, and slow. No where near as nice as an R-10 or R-11, let alone a Gear Vendors unit. I’ve owned and driven all of them. The switch pitch was nice if you got slowed down in O/D and needed to get moving. But as Jim said, the key is getting more stall change than they were designed with. IIRC, the kick down was electric, and that switch had a second set of contacts that activated the converter on a downshift. It worked for its time and my driving circumstances.

Now, unless the 400 was new and free, I’d be looking at a 700R4 or a 2004R with a higher stall converter and lock up. I wouldn’t waste time and money on the switch pitch without some other reason.

Just in case your curious, here’s the old post, mostly about the o/d’s though.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...cue-anyone-remember-the-b-j-overdrive.816579/

 

I would agree here. Jim was building a period piece with his SP deal.
The GS boys like to use an original transmission also.
Other than that, I'd do a 200 4r , higher stall , lock up , and be done with it.
Save your pennies and get in touch with me.I don't have any cores, though, nor do I want to look for them.

 

Old technology did some neat things. If you like using modern stuff, then use modern stuff. There's lots of ways to skin a cat! although I still haven't figured out why anyone would want to skin a cat.

 

On the buick forum I've read guys putting up to 3,000$ in thier 200r4 to handle the torque of a Buick. Can you think of any ways around me dropping less than 1k on upgraded parts like the syncros, torque converter, etc..

What stops me is the money. Still in college/working and got a kid on the way.

If the 200r4 could be done with in my budget I'm all for it.
Let me know what you think.
I would like to do all if most the work in my garage with much research and time.

Any body else?

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The only reason I can see a cat being skined is for consumption lol. I never got that one either lol. Do they produce new style variable pitch th400 converters, just curious.



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Thanks for your post Miker98038

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I thought the only the buick used the sp on the th400 ? I know there was an electric switch on the gas pedal on the others like olds Pontiac etc but that was kick down for passing gear. Olds not having speedo cable provision is right-in my young days I installed an olds 400 into my catalina and didn't realise it-bummer!! has to change trans out for a correct one! learned many new cuss words that day!!

 

Ronnie, Most racers can figure out how to break anything. Ditto, guys trying to emulate the Gas Monkey crew in the parking lot.
If you drive somewhat sensibly and don't get any ideas about squeezing NOS of the line, you can build a solid 11 second 455 street and strip 200 4r for way less than 3K.
How do I know that? Been there..Done that. Didn't hear it down at the Tastee Freeze.

 

when I was in college, I was playing around with trying to figure out how to put an overdrive in my old truck (that got maybe 10 mpg and gas just doubled in price to a buck a gallon, and I was earning almost three bucks an hour).

Maybe you should not worry about doing stuff that you don't really need right now. I finally got overdrive in the old truck in 2017, 40 years after I first started thinking about it.

 

Buick, Olds ,Cadillac, Switch Pitch..No Pontiacs.
Stated many times, right here on the HAMB
Again , maybe not down at the Tastee Freeze

 

Your right Jim.

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Your right too Mark. It's twice you tell me about those gas monkey guys lol. Thanks for your advise.

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Buick also used the LF tire for speedo.

Denny

 

Was it in the 65's, do you remember?

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I don't recall seeing that on a Buick, but I have seen it on a few Oldsmobiles.

I think the point is that you want to look at any transmission you might buy, to make sure you can connect a speedometer to it, if you plan to use a mechanical speedometer.

 

Nailhead Ronnie?

You know I'm all about the 2004r. No need for a $3000 one or a $1000 in parts(well, maybe depending on your torque converter choice). Unless you plan on 500+hp and some sticky tires at the strip. You can assemble it yourself. The magic in there isn't all that magical, but you do need a clean place and pay attention to the details(If you don't set it up with the right clearances it wont last).

Keep up the search. You will get there.

 

Yup it's me Brother Rich! The 2004r is like the scene in Scarface when he said "it just keeps calling me back" honesty it's a show down between the th400 and the 2004r now. I'm not even going to bug with the switch pitch. Hope your good

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If you lived closer I could set you up with a SP out of a 67 GS.

 

Don't tease me LOL I appreciate the offer.

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Just ran across this thread looking for switch pitch TH400 info and have a question that maybe Squirrel or someone else can answer. I got one in the shop that we are building from a 65 Olds. I would like to get rid of the early style filter that was used on 67 and earlier 400's. But to do so I will need to change the valve body to one that has the hole drilled for mounting the filter. My question is are the valve bodies interchangeable between switch pitch and non-switch pitch 400's?