I totally agree with you there, but they didn't have the 80 in a 1/2 ton in 1990. My '99 has the 80 and I'm loving how solid it feels with 225K on it. I can pull local canyons in OD at 70mph with the converter locked that my '97 with the 60 couldn't even do in 3rd at 60 mph.700R4 sucks and fails if it feels like it. 4L80 is much tougher and won't randomly bite the dust unless it's really been beat on, like foot to the floor D-R drops and stuff. They're also programmed to keep the TCC locked even when WOT. A very different animal than a 700R4/4L60.