newer torque converter in older engine??

[bulldog426]

ok heres the deal, i've got a torque converter than fits the mid to late 70s 727, but the tranny i want to use is the older style like early 70s, reason i want to use this tranny is because it has aftermarket goodies in it like cheetah shift kit, valve body etc. i have another trans that came out an rv that's the later 70s that came with my 440, can i just change out the front pump?? and should i use the clutches out the rv trans?? i've heard the rv trans had heavy duty clutches and all in it... or can i just take the aftermaket parts and tail shaft off the older trans and put it in my newer one??

[DartGT66]

Early 70's should use the same splines as the late 70's, except for the lock up trans. I think the splinecount changed for 1967 in the 727.

[John Kunkel]

Yep, pre-'67 727 has 19 splines, '67 and later non-lockup is 24 splines. The only thing you might have to change is the flexplate if going from a 12" converter to an 11" converter or vice-versa.

[bulldog426]

the newer one i think is a lockup type

[John Kunkel]

A lockup converter won't work in an early seventies (pre-'78) trans and the trans can't be converted to lockup.

[bulldog426]

that really sucks.... can i use the manual valve body and shift kit and tail shaft off the earlier trans in my newer one??

[John Kunkel]

It has a manual VB AND a shift kit? Makes no sense.

All '66 and later 727 tailshafts interchange as long as the matching tailhousing is used but you have to be careful of the front spline angle on the tailshaft...it changed in '76 so an earlier front planetary gear can't be used.

Why do you want to use this converter? Seems like it would be easier to find a converter to fit your existing trans.

[bulldog426]

wanna use this torque converter because if i bought another converter i'd be spending money on an extra part when i already have a good converter i bought for the rv trans waay back when but since i got the other trans that has the aftermarket parts in it... i don't know for sure if it's manual valve body all i know is it says cheetah on it, and theres plates and stuff under it that says cheetah on em, thought that was a shift kit?? was those little plates and stuff that makes it shift harder?? i'm not a transmission expert.... the converter i have for the other trans is a 4500 stall and is too much for what i'm doing, i'm running a cam that only requires 2800 stall and its a street car, and the newer converter is a tci 2800...

[John Kunkel]

A "shift kit" is a kit that modifies an automatic valve body for firmer shifts, a reverse manual valve body is built to replace the stocker...both aren't used in the same trans.

Do you have a number for that TCI converter? It probably isn't a lockup.

[bulldog426]

i'll have to go get the number off it, but from what i remember i think it was a lockup when i checked the part number, and i think i slipped it on the transmission one time and it slipped in...