4L80E in a Challenger - bellhousings?

[Tubbed440]

So, I'm putting a 4L80E in my Challenger.  I have found a fella that makes such a conversion @ SDCE.  However, their kit is like 4 grand or more.  I have a 4L80E core, know ho to build transmissions, but I'm at a loss of which bellhousing to use.  I know that they use a JW ultrabell, but JW doesn't make one for a 4L80 - only TH350-400, powerglide and 4L60.  I do know that the front pump is somewhat different between the 4L80 and the TH400, but they share some of the same parts.  I can machine just about anything to make it fit, but does anyone have any idea which bellhousing people have used for this conversion?  Too be sure that this dude at SDCE is not the only one to do this.   

 - And might I add, I have personally called the guy at SDCE and asked which one they use - and I didn't get a clear answer, but then again, you can't blame the guy, he's trying to sell some kits. 

[gkring]

have you tried Quicktime yet? The seem to be willing to make a bellhousing for anything. If the SDCE kit is complete with trans, computer, and convertor it is not a bad deal at all. Tranny cores go for a grand, the computer can be another grand easily. A convertor that works well and lives behind your setup could be $800, etc, etc. You could also talk to Advance Adapters about a conversion plate. Then you just get a conversion convertor made to take up the extra room from the plate thickness and get it setup with a ring gear to work with your mopar starter. i'd start with Quicktime first since I would rather have an SFI bellhousing at your level than the factory 4L80 one that no one make a sfi ring gear shield or trans shield for.

[tactransman]

Wow! That seems like a very expensive transplant. Why not a 518?

[Tubbed440]

Wow! That seems like a very expensive transplant. Why not a 518?

518+500 inches @ 800HP-1000lb/ft + 3600lbs car = shrapnel.   

I like the idea of having OD, it's pretty much a must.  The power capability of the 4L80 when built correctly is phenomenal.   The core, I already have - 200 bucks.  The transmission controller I have was given to me  - and the trans-go manual conversion kit is only 200 bucks (I already have this to, so I could go either way).  I'm not saying that the guy is overcharging, I'm just saying that I have REAL good connections and shallow pockets.    I'm not your usual E-body owner - I don't have tons of money to throw at it.    I just have real good connections, and access to tooling/resources that not a lot of people have.  I don't mind making/modifying - it's the dropping 5 grand at one fell swoop that I can't do. 

[Tubbed440]

have you tried Quicktime yet? The seem to be willing to make a bellhousing for anything. If the SDCE kit is complete with trans, computer, and convertor it is not a bad deal at all. Tranny cores go for a grand, the computer can be another grand easily. A convertor that works well and lives behind your setup could be $800, etc, etc. You could also talk to Advance Adapters about a conversion plate. Then you just get a conversion convertor made to take up the extra room from the plate thickness and get it setup with a ring gear to work with your mopar starter. i'd start with Quicktime first since I would rather have an SFI bellhousing at your level than the factory 4L80 one that no one make a sfi ring gear shield or trans shield for.

Thanks for the info, I look into it. 

[tactransman]

That's fine if you have the stuff at a good price,but I don't think the 4L80-E is any stronger than the the 518/618. The Cummins has tried out the 618!

[Tubbed440]

That's fine if you have the stuff at a good price,but I don't think the 4L80-E is any stronger than the the 518/618. The Cummins has tried out the 618!

Well, JW has the bell housing for that, but how much do I have to spend on hard parts to get this thing to live behind a high horsepower engine and a heavy car? (not arguing, just fishing for answers) 

[Tubbed440]

Just got this message from Quicktime:

The Mopar to 4L80E's are in the works.  They will be available Feb/March 2009.
 
Thank you,
Ross McCombs
President
QuickTime Inc.
641-673-4468

[tactransman]

Well, JW has the bell housing for that, but how much do I have to spend on hard parts to get this thing to live behind a high horsepower engine and a heavy car? (not arguing, just fishing for answers) 

Here is a thread on it.
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=25669.0

[tactransman]

Just got this message from Quicktime:

The Mopar to 4L80E's are in the works.  They will be available Feb/March 2009.
 
Thank you,
Ross McCombs
President
QuickTime Inc.
641-673-4468

I wouldn't want to be their "guinea pig" and be one of the first to try their kit. 

[gkring]

First hand experience with a 800+ horsepower car and overdrive. 9.01 @ 150 timeslips and 3700 pounds.
Not really needed, but nice to say you have. When it comes down to it the car will not be a daily driver and need the overdrive. The extra weight, expense, and headache of making any overdrive auto live behind that much weight and horsepower pretty much outweighs being able to say you still have overdrive. The fact that you have almost everything needed is a plus that might make it worthwhile. I would go with the manual conversion instead of trying to figure out the controller. We had lots of issues trying to make one work behind a turbo car. Set it wrong and you burn up bands before you know anything is wrong. There are few people doing overdrive autos behind 1000 HP cars that are actually driven, and even fewer doing it with 518/618 trans in gas cars. If it is built good enough for a high HP diesel will it also work as well in a car or are there other factors to consider?

[71chally416]

One factor is OD trannies are big HP suckers. 

[ntstlgl1970]

Take a front pump gasket for the 4L80E and see if the bolt pattern is the same as the TH400. The ultrabell sandwiches the pump between the bell and the case. If the bolt pattern is the same then as long as the bell depth is the same (research converter specs at transtec or a similar site and see) they probably are the same for sake of using the ultrabell. I think that to build either trans will end up being about the same amount of money, with the GM trans having more aftermarket support it would probably be more cost effective. I have about 13-1500 in my 47RE not including the cost of a converter or the electronics to control it. There are standalone controllers for the 4L80E and 6L80E available. I don't know of a standalone that will run the RE series transmissions at this point. I am looking to use the MegaSquirt / Megashift/GPIO setup, but it hasn't been released yet.

[tactransman]

then as long as the bell depth is the same (research converter specs at transtec or a similar site and see) they probably are the same for sake of using the ultrabell.

This is the part that I think will throw a damper into it.

[tactransman]

Ok,I just so happen to be doing a 4L80-E bench job right now and I can verify that the pump bolt pattern is different.