727 Specialist

[1978 NYB]

I'm going to Northwest Indiana (near Chicago) next weekend to visit my friend Mike (Newp). We are going to a friend's shop to build a BB 727 lockup transmission for my 1978 Newport. The guy's name is Keith and the name of his shop is 727 Specialist. Keith is on FABO and FBBO. It's going to be a fun weekend and I'll post play by play pictures of the build. Check out Keith's website. He only builds 727's and 904's. He also owns a 1970 Plum Crazy 440-6 Challenger.

http://www.727specialist.com/

 

[68plymouth383]

That's great man. It nice to have a knowledgeable torque flight guru you can go to.

 

[tallhair]

That's great Bob and I look forward to those step by step pics.

Ask him if he needs a bakers dozen of 727's for cores while you are up there if you don't mind ;)

 

[1978 NYB]

I'll ask him while I'm there.

 

[tallhair]

I'll ask him while I'm there.

Cheers Bob

 

[Mr C]

Did your Newport originally come with the lock up? Those are rare. Despite what the literature says, in my personal experience in parting 78's with the 400 over the years, it appears that the lock-up only wound up in some of them (I have no percentages- but I do know that not all of them got one). On the torque converters that I've seen there was an oval decal that said "lock up".

I'd be interested in what your trans expert has to say about them.

 

[commando1]

Mr C, in your encounters with these '78s, did the lockups have anything to do with the type of model it was on.
It was my understanding that H.D., Cop, Towing, etc, pkgs did not get them.

 

[1978 NYB]

I can tell you for sure that the 78 BB's we're the only ones that came with lockups. The early 78 cars didn't have them. My Newport was built in May so I'm pretty optomistic. YesI know about the sticker on converter that says lockup. I'll be able to tell once the pan is off too.

 

[Mr C]

Commando, well, the lock up was not available with the 440, so naturally those are out.

Of the 400 cars, there was no rhyme or reason that I could discern...some were NYBs some Newports. Some had hitches, but most of those were not factory tow pkge cars. I've seen several 440 B body Fury Monaco cars, but I've never parted a pursuit with the 400 myself, so I've got no personal experience there.

 

[1978 NYB]

My plan is to buy a lockup trans core from 727 specialist and rebuild it at his shop with Mike (Newp). Mike is actually the brains for this build. Nothing super radical just a shift kit with great clutches. Just in case I decide to put a 474 or a 484 cam and 10 to 1 pistons in it.

My plan is to have a float txsm and eventually rebuild both of the txsm's and put the originals back in both cars.

 

[Mr C]

Good plan...but I wonder...do they even make new lock up torque converters for the B-727?

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Good plan...but I wonder...do they even make new lock up torque converters for the B-727?

Probably remans and no improvement over stock which were probably marginal at best, not enough friction material to hold a 2bbl l.c. 400, not to mention no increase in stall speed to match engine improvements Bob is thinking about. Will be interested to hear what a expert has to say.

 

[68plymouth383]

I'd go with a non lock up. Parts are plentiful, and you'd have your choice of torque convertors. There's no external changes...

 

[1978 NYB]

Good plan...but I wonder...do they even make new lock up torque converters for the B-727?

Probably remans and no improvement over stock which were probably marginal at best, not enough friction material to hold a 2bbl l.c. 400, not to mention no increase in stall speed to match engine improvements Bob is thinking about. Will be interested to hear what a expert has to say.

I'd go with a non lock up. Parts are plentiful, and you'd have your choice of torque convertors. There's no external changes...

AAP has a low stall and a high stall reman converter available. I will need the high stall when I make the engine mods. Probably need a 2200 rpm stall or that yacht will be a real pig taking off from a dead stop not to mention no vacuum for the power brakes. I'll probably add a vacuum pump and maybe an auxiliary tank to keep vacuum for safe brakes. I asked Mike and he said 727 specialist has a new converter supplier.

 

[1978 NYB]

I don't think the lockup is working in my NYB. It is suppose to lockup at 35 mph and I have never had a noticeable RPM change. But then again I don't have a tach hooked up and the RPM change is only suppose to be about 350-400 rpm's.

 

[1978 NYB]

Jut arrived at the hotel in Indiana. 13 hour drive. The plan for the rest of the day is to meet up with Mike (Newp) and recon the 727 Specialist shop, gather up parts, get something to eat and call it a day and start the teardown and build in the morning.

 

[monaco75]

Tell Mike I say hey, Bob! Have a good time! Look forward to pics.

 

[1978 NYB]

Roger that...I will.

 

[1978 NYB]

What a weekend....

I drove 2,000 miles in 3 days and nothing turned out as planned. I didn't find a rebuildable lockup txsm. Mike (Newp) had a txsm out of that 1977 B3 NYB with a HP 440. Same car that I got the seats from. Anyways...the txsm was rebuilt about 2002 and had 12,000 miles on it. We drained the txsm fluid out of and it looked and smelled like brand new fluid. We pulled the pan off and the pan was clean no residue or anything in it. Removed the valve body and everything looked good. Both bands needed a lot of adjustment. Did some pressure check with air and clutches were good planetary was good and put it back together and hauled it home. Friday night I get a call that my brother is in intensive care...not far from the end stages of alcoholism. He has ammonia build up on the brain, very low blood pressure, kidneys failing....and he is only 48 years old. So that was another 500 miles I wasn't planning on. Then again it might be the last time I see him alive. Then, I get home an hour ago and the NYB is smashed!

 

[1978 NYB]

Sorry....no pictures allowed. He had a couple of rare cars that he didn't want pictures floating around. He did have some race transmissions ready for clients. One was going to Germany.