'88 dually

[sewlow]

Welcome! More Canadians! Yay!
Nice project! For use as a tow-pig, I'd say LS or BBC, T400, & a Gear Vendors O.D. unit.

http://www.gearvendors.com/

Like the Monte! Specs? 1/4 times?
I had a '73 Laguna S3. Lime green. ALL of it! In & out! Full load, swivel buckets, 350/350. Aunt & Uncle bought it new. I got it in '78. Sold it over 20 years ago with a con rod hangin' out the side of the block. Guy that got it from me dropped in a BBC/T400, painted it, & is still driving it today!
One of my fav.'s of all the vehicles I've had. Another one that got away. (sniff!)

 

[TylerZ281500]

i love gear vendors! roadkill used them on there stepside project truck and tht things bad ass but costly for sure

 

[TylerZ281500]

Cool... Like i have said before, you learn something new every day.

i was surprised when i found that out too, 400trans, d70s the earlier 1 ton duallys were badass!

 

[98_k1500]

I guess the 14 bolt came around the same time the 4l80 did? Never really thought about the duallys running a heavy duty trans before the 4l80 was available.

 

[sewlow]

i love gear vendors! roadkill used them on there stepside project truck and tht things bad ass but costly for sure

Look for one in a wrecker that specializes in motorhomes. Mostly in Class 'C' style, bolted behind BBC/T400's. 1/4 -1/2 the price of new. They are actually a simple unit. Nothing more than an additional planetary gear, really. Rarely do they require rebuilding.
IIRC, two models. Up to 1000 H.P. & over 1000 H.P. (!)

 

[TylerZ281500]

wait what! they had stock overdrive units for 400s in motorhomes?

 

[sewlow]

Eeeeyup! They do!
There' actually 2 Co.'s that make 'em. Gear Vendors & I believe the other is called U.S. Gear, but I could be wrong on that.
G/V uses an adaptor to make 'em fit various transmissions. Chryco, Ford or G.M.
There's an adaptor on Ebay right now for a 4L80e.

 

[TylerZ281500]

and they are factory equiptment on bbc/400 class c motorhomes?

 

[sewlow]

Class 'C's are usually converted 1 ton vans. Purchased from the manufacturer as a cab & chassis, & built from there. The conversion Co. installs the G/V O.D.units.

 

[KRS1]

Hey sewlow, yes good to see a fellow Canadian on this board! The Monte went a 12.01@109 back in 2011 at Napierville dragway. My local tracks are Luskville&Capital City. I am re-doing the engine and hoping to be in the lower 11's or possibly the upper 10's..here is the build thread--

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=366073&highlight=

Yes, the those Languas are cool! I wanted a 75 Malibu back in high school (1994) real bad..those swivel buckets are cool and you could fit a BBC in them..there are heavy though! There is a young lad in the area who bought a survivor Laguna a year ago. He is pulling the engine etc and bringing it to my engine builder. Yes, just like chicks "the ones that got away"--

good to know about the leaf springs. I am hoping to re-use what I can! I might start a build thread here--but first I gotta take care of the purchasing of the truck..

That potential cheap overdrive unit sounds cool. I will keep a eye out for a wrecked motor home. I have heard to expect like 10 mpg in fuel mileage..worse comes to worse buy a vac gauge and monitor it..