Grandmas Skylark project

TurboMinivan

Still plays with cars
Location
Lehi, UT
I vote (no surprise) for a 4L80E. Grab one out of a Chevy Express van in a junkyard for--what? A hundred bucks? Two hundred bucks? Take it home, drop the pan, install a new filter, then bolt it in and fill with fresh fluid. Buy the largest Hayden fuild cooler they make and install that in front of your radiator, then plumb it in. (I didn't even bother running fluid through the radiator's in-tank cooler.) Finally, drop $700 for a FAST EZ-TCU standalone controller.

The above is what I did for my Grand Prix. I didn't even rebuild or open up the transmission, despite having 200,000 miles on it. Damn thing chirps second all over town and will even chirp third at WOT (which is amazing when you think about it). I cannot imagine being happier with an automatic transmission in a muscle car.
 

TurboMinivan

Still plays with cars
Location
Lehi, UT
Irony: after typing the above post, I closed my browser and eventually opened FB... only to have it remind me of what I was doing four years ago today:
 

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mbryson

.......a few dollars more
Supporting Member
I vote (no surprise) for a 4L80E. Grab one out of a Chevy Express van in a junkyard for--what? A hundred bucks? Two hundred bucks? Take it home, drop the pan, install a new filter, then bolt it in and fill with fresh fluid. Buy the largest Hayden fuild cooler they make and install that in front of your radiator, then plumb it in. (I didn't even bother running fluid through the radiator's in-tank cooler.) Finally, drop $700 for a FAST EZ-TCU standalone controller.

The above is what I did for my Grand Prix. I didn't even rebuild or open up the transmission, despite having 200,000 miles on it. Damn thing chirps second all over town and will even chirp third at WOT (which is amazing when you think about it). I cannot imagine being happier with an automatic transmission in a muscle car.



Did you match the converter to your cam or just use the factory van unit?
 

Hickey

Burn-barrel enthusiast
Supporting Member


$7500 and in Washington.





You too could have the 1983 look!



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Just needs some Coors original cans around the car ?
My oldest brother had a 1973 Trans Am with the rear jacked up like that. He had a decal in the rear window that said "Jackrabbit" with a cartoon rabbit driving the same car. I freaking loved that car when I was 9 years old. My dad was pissed when he bought it.
 

mbryson

.......a few dollars more
Supporting Member
My oldest brother had a 1973 Trans Am with the rear jacked up like that. He had a decal in the rear window that said "Jackrabbit" with a cartoon rabbit driving the same car. I freaking loved that car when I was 9 years old. My dad was pissed when he bought it.


I had lunch with your brother today. Same one?
 

nnnnnate

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Location
WVC, UT
I saw a green skylark yesterday on 15 sb then 201 west. There was an old guy driving it with the window down. It wasn't pristine but I'm guessing it had been this guys baby for a long time.

We had a 1960 Ford passenger van about the same shade of green growing up. We called it puke green but on that car, it looked right.
 
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