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*HEI451* · 06-01-2013, 11:42 AM

I am going to be the hands on experienced voice of adversity here.

From both my contact with these things, and of others of my friends that bought into the BTO con job, they just ain't worth it.

Some years ago, a friend of mine bought a complete 700R4 BTO "kit" for his 1965 small block El Camino. Upon attempted installation, their supposedly perfect modified cross member, DID NOT FIT, and I had to alter it to get the trans mount pad in the right place, so the trans case wouldn't be forced into the underside of the trans tunnel. They said there never was a problem with any other one they had made, and the truck had NO mount mods to the chassis/engine mounts, nor the stock PowerGlide cross member.

After getting the trans in, we wanted to know how go set the kick down cable up, and called BTO. This was while the original BTO founder was still alive, before his son took over the company. All we got was that if WE didn't set the cable and its arc travel up, they wouldn't warranty the trans, not "IF", but when it blew up, and did not add any set up info at all, not even over the phone, nor in with the trans kit documentation. We were virtually left to our own devices. So, we went down to Don Steves Chevy, in La Habra, Ca., and asked the hundred year old auto trans guy what the deal was in setting the 700R4 cable up.

He copied the page for us, straight from the factory GM chassis manual that shows the correct "orientation" for the cable, and we went back and did same. Trans then worked OK, nothing to write home about.

Some months later, when I was vending at Long Beach Swap Meet, he had his BTO booth there, and I slipped over to speak with him, told him of our issues, and the issues of many others that had the same problems and concerns with other of his installs, especially the cable pull info. A month later, I get this bracket set from him, asking to take a look at it, and give my impressions. He as n the basic right track, and that setup became the kit for the cable you purchase from his son at BTO today.

One shop in Whittier, Ca., Lime Works, used two if BTO's transmissions on very high end cars hey built from scratch, with really bad results. After that, Lie Works then used "The Toy Shop" (Ontario/Pomona, Ca.), built 700R4 transmissions, without issue/problems.

BTO, for my money, NOPE.

06-01-2013, 11:42 AM	#2
HEI451 Account Suspended Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Yerington, Nevada Posts: 864	Re: Bowtie Overdrives? Worth it? I am going to be the hands on experienced voice of adversity here. From both my contact with these things, and of others of my friends that bought into the BTO con job, they just ain't worth it. Some years ago, a friend of mine bought a complete 700R4 BTO "kit" for his 1965 small block El Camino. Upon attempted installation, their supposedly perfect modified cross member, DID NOT FIT, and I had to alter it to get the trans mount pad in the right place, so the trans case wouldn't be forced into the underside of the trans tunnel. They said there never was a problem with any other one they had made, and the truck had NO mount mods to the chassis/engine mounts, nor the stock PowerGlide cross member. After getting the trans in, we wanted to know how go set the kick down cable up, and called BTO. This was while the original BTO founder was still alive, before his son took over the company. All we got was that if WE didn't set the cable and its arc travel up, they wouldn't warranty the trans, not "IF", but when it blew up, and did not add any set up info at all, not even over the phone, nor in with the trans kit documentation. We were virtually left to our own devices. So, we went down to Don Steves Chevy, in La Habra, Ca., and asked the hundred year old auto trans guy what the deal was in setting the 700R4 cable up. He copied the page for us, straight from the factory GM chassis manual that shows the correct "orientation" for the cable, and we went back and did same. Trans then worked OK, nothing to write home about. Some months later, when I was vending at Long Beach Swap Meet, he had his BTO booth there, and I slipped over to speak with him, told him of our issues, and the issues of many others that had the same problems and concerns with other of his installs, especially the cable pull info. A month later, I get this bracket set from him, asking to take a look at it, and give my impressions. He as n the basic right track, and that setup became the kit for the cable you purchase from his son at BTO today. One shop in Whittier, Ca., Lime Works, used two if BTO's transmissions on very high end cars hey built from scratch, with really bad results. After that, Lie Works then used "The Toy Shop" (Ontario/Pomona, Ca.), built 700R4 transmissions, without issue/problems. BTO, for my money, NOPE.