Replaced a th350 with a 200 r4 most stuff fits, I even had not to replace the driveshaft. 700R4 is larger.
http://www.webrodder.com/article.php?AID=426 I think after you read this article it is a no-brainer. If you want to spend the money to build a 200 that can handle 100hp then go for it. But best bang for your buck would be the 700 that hopefully you could pull from a running car and install it into your ride. Jay
"It can take a lot more than the internet / cruise night rumor front says it can." It's pretty clear by now. The 200 4r is a lighter weight tranny for a car. The 700 R4 is a heavier tranny for a truck. You can look at pictures of how big and little all the parts are all day and night. Or you can ask every Tom, Dick, and Harry. The bottom line is, you are building a 32 ford. Light, compared to a truck. Are you gonna tow a camper with your 32? Closer ratios, smaller housing.
This is true. Here's some more "no brainers" Do you need a 3.06 low gear in a light s/b hot rod with 3.73 -4.10 gears? Would you put a large, heavy T400 in same said car , or a T350? Would you put a large , heavy C6 in a SBF rod, or a C4? Would you put a 727 behind a 318-340-360, when you could use a 904?
I read a thread earlier about someone considering a 200-4R for a ride and I wondered what the general concensus was about it here. The search produced this thread, amongst others, but the link I suspected that was circulating was found here. Here is a reply by Jake's Performance (a well respected transmission builder) to the posted link that I copied from a website I moderate: <!-- / message --> A little more educated food for thought on the "debate".
Not a rumor. Here is GM's sales specs. http://9c1.com/1.0/external/pdfs/1989_Chevrolet_Caprice_9C1_Sales_Brochure And if you look close, even GM doesn't know that it is a 200-4r. I'm a 2004r kinda guy. Not that the 700r4 isn't a dandy slush box. Just that the 2004r has a better spread between first n second and that it can be built to do what I wanted. It swaps in for a th350/400 and parts are readily available. Can anyone put one together and it survive? Nope, your builder must have some experience. Are there more builders that can get a 700r4 to live? Yep, but that doesn't make it a better trans, just a more accessible unit for the masses. Like my Dad tells me, "you pays your money and you takes your chances". Good luck with your decision.
Years ago, both transmissions were blasted by the hot rod guys as being weak and unreliable. Fast forward 25 years, and with a better understanding of their internals and good aftermarket support, the 200-4r and the 700r4 have both become an excellent choice. Which ever one you choose, you can't go wrong. If space is a premium, go with the 200. If you like a super low 1st gear and you've got the room, go with a 700. I like the GM overdrive transmissions, and I run them in whatever I can. Gas 'aint cheap, and I like hauling ass in the fast lane.