The 700 started in '82. Stay away from the first few years. It earned a bad rap in the early days, but has been proven to hold up decent in many applications. Two important rules are use a transmission cooler and don't tow in overdrive. The 4WD transmission does not use the same output housing or shaft as the car version since it is bolted to the transfer case instead of accepting a driveshaft. It also uses a different inspection cover that has two large tapped holes in it for some mounting rods that connect to the engine. The input spline count is not important becauseb it is the torque converter that couples the engine output to the tranny. The torque converter has to match your flywheel, have the correct splines for the transmission and be of the lock-up type. There are two sets of splines to match, one for the stator and one for the rotor. I think there were only two types used over the years. The wrong splines will sometimes fit, but not engage, which means after everything is put together the vehicle does not move, so check it out beforehand. The easiest way is to find a mated transmission and transfer case from any full-size GM 4WD with a non-computer controlled engine. The computer controlled engines of the late 80's did not have lock-up valves and relied on the ECM for that function. To overcome that, a speed sensor kit is available to lock the converter above a pre-set speed. Never try to run a 700 without provisions for lock-up intact. To convert the transmission from another application can be done, but it requires changing the output shaft, which requires removal of all transmission guts, making it basically the same amount of work as a transmission rebuild. A truck tranny can often be snagged for less than the cost of the rebuild work. Shift kits are fine, but not mandatory. Make sure you use a locking (sealed) dipstick.
<font color=green>Does a Dyslexic Insomniac Athiest lay awake at night wondering if there's really a Dog?</font color=green>
