Looking for 727 rebuild/upgrade parts ideas.

[Boris7K]

I have been searching for a parts list or "recipe" for a 727 I am planning to rebuild but haven't been able to find much. I have Tom Hand's and Carl Munroe's books, I've watched a few videos and feel confident I can handle it. Some improvements make sense to me and others I wonder how much of a difference they will make. The engine will be a 440 I'm building now, should be around 450 hp, cam reccomends around 3000 rpm stall, 8 3/4 suregrip with 3.73 gears, and will eventually be installing a Gear Vendors OD. Looking for durability without going overboard, it will see the usual shenanigans but probably no sticky tire drag racing launching. Any reccomendations would be appreciated.

 

[Lefty71]

I started out same as you....scrutinized those books. I ended up buying rebuild parts from A&A in Camby, IN (Rick Allison) and some very nice hard parts from Cope Racing, also in Indiana. Mine's raced so I bought a whole new valve body and a high dollar front drum. No regurts lol.

 

[Dan64]

Billit steel front drum, 16 roller bolt in sprag, low-band apply valve body and a 5 pinion steel front planetary is where i would start. John Cope has some" build it yourself" kits that may be what you're looking for. He also has you tube videos on 727's and his products. CRT racing transmissions. One of the most important part of that deal will be the torque converter with a gear vendors. I would not even think about buying a " off the shelf" convertor. For that convertor i would call Dynamic convertors ( Frank Luppo) in Delaware. Because of the .78 overdrive you need something built that will act like it's almost locked up at highway cruise but have enough stall for your combo.

 

[DGE330/NC]

I recommend John Cope Racing Transmissions or A&A Cope is a good guy and great parts

 

[zyzzyx]

John Cope has a video on YouTube on putting a 518 in your car and you don't have to spend all that money on
a Gear Vendors unit! A 3000 stall convertor will make some heat, so beware! 450 HP is nothing exotic, so no
problem with the 518. If you start out with a 3:23 and put a G.V. unit in front of it, you would be wasting your
time and money. Most guys put in a 3:55 or 3:90 and then use a G.V. to make it behave better on the highway.
Check out the 518 video. John Cope knows what he's doing.

 

[dvw]

A standard Kit with Borg Warner or Raybestos frictions rebuild kit will easily do the job. Get a TF 2 shift kit (Summit is the cheapest). Make sure it has a 4 plate front drum. There's a few easy little tricks I can help you with as you build it. This combo will actually take well over 600hp with no issue. Probably built over 30 in the last few years.
Go here. Stuff is good,and inexpensive.
Trans Parts Online 727 727 Transmission Parts
for a deep pan, go here. They are nice with a drain plug.
Doug

 

[Dave6T4]

I have used a lot of A&A parts over the years. Rick Allison and his guys are great to work with. They have a very extensive parts catalogue. They have a kit to put 5 clutches in a 4-clutch drum. I have used it in my rebuilds. I looked into a Gear Vendors O/D, but could not justify the cost of it, versus how much I drive my car. I can buy a lot of fuel for $3500.

 

[dvw]

I buy stuff from A&A as well. Not needed in this case though.
Doug

 

[threewood]

Good clutches and steels
Billet servos
Heavy duty clutch apply strut
Automatic shift valve body
3.8 band apply lever
4 pinion planetaries
Grooved solid front band
New bolt it sprag

 

[Dave6T4]

Upgrade to part throttle kickdown valve body, then add shift kit.

 

[66Satellite47]

The parts from either Cope or A&A will do the job for you. I have used Cope products for the last several years, they have been really good. I'd pick a good aftermarket valve body, not some unknown shift kit. You can listen to dvw, he knows his stuff.

 

[dvw]

There is absolutly no reason for billet servos, 4 pin planets, bolt in sprag. The billet drum is a nice addition. As is the 3.8 lever, solid band, HD band strut, 16 element sprag. That is, if it was a racecar. As far as a billet drum. If you use the TF2 kit, you have low band apply. My racecar still runs 3 gear planets. The planet carrier itself will fail before the planet gears themselves, Be it 3, 4, or 5. The solid band cost has gone so high on street builds I've been using flex bands. No failures on any of my builds. Currently building 2 trans. One street 727 for a SB stroker. One A999 for a daily driver truck.
Doug

 

[Boris7K]

A standard Kit with Borg Warner or Raybestos frictions rebuild kit will easily do the job. Get a TF 2 shift kit (Summit is the cheapest). Make sure it has a 4 plate front drum. There's a few easy little tricks I can help you with as you build it. This combo will actually take well over 600hp with no issue. Probably built over 30 in the last few years.
Go here. Stuff is good,and inexpensive.
Trans Parts Online 727 727 Transmission Parts
for a deep pan, go here. They are nice with a drain plug.
Doug

View attachment 1418276

That's what I was looking for, thank you!

 

[Boris7K]

John Cope has a video on YouTube on putting a 518 in your car and you don't have to spend all that money on
a Gear Vendors unit! A 3000 stall convertor will make some heat, so beware! 450 HP is nothing exotic, so no
problem with the 518. If you start out with a 3:23 and put a G.V. unit in front of it, you would be wasting your
time and money. Most guys put in a 3:55 or 3:90 and then use a G.V. to make it behave better on the highway.
Check out the 518 video. John Cope knows what he's doing.

Interesting, THIS may be easier. I'm looking into it.

 

[dvw]

The 518 will not fit the floor pan of Early Mopars. so the floor and torsion bar crossmember need to be modified. It also has a small block bellhousing. So you world need a crankshaft adapter and bell housing adapter. Also a early non electronic core trans and different driveshaft. A lot of work and expense to lower cruise RPM. How many miles a year will you put on driving freeway speed?
Doug

 

[Boris7K]

The 518 will not fit the floor pan of Early Mopars. so the floor and torsion bar crossmember need to be modified. It also has a small block bellhousing. So you world need a crankshaft adapter and bell housing adapter. Also a early non electronic core trans and different driveshaft. A lot of work and expense to lower cruise RPM. How many miles a year will you put on driving freeway speed?
Doug

Still just exploring options, but I would like to be able to do some freeway driving like Salt Lake to Vegas and Moab, most good shows and events can be 100 to 400 miles away.

 

[Dave6T4]

I used to drive from near London, Ontario to Carlisle, Pa. with my '67 R/T, 440, 727, and 3.23 gears. 1000 Mile round trip with no concerns, running around 2400 rpm. As I said, I could not justify the expense of adding O/D. Even if I was running 3.91's, I would find it way cheaper to swap in a 2.94 pot for a special once-in-year trip like this.

 

[66Satellite47]

A 727 with a 3.23 rear gear and the proper convertor will do just fine on the highway. I have used Cope flex bands for the last few years, no complaints. Over the years I have used both solid and flex bands in my drag race 727's behind 550 to 600 HP, mostly solid, but flex did just fine.

 

[Boris7K]

I've got 3.73 gears in it and worry about driving freeway speeds around here, you feel like you're going to get ran over at 75. I had 3.91s in a Challenger back in the day and that was no fun commuting with.

 

[Boris7K]

I'll probably just do a decent rebuild on this 727 and get it on the road, worry about OD later.