TCI Torque Command 904 Transmission - Inside The Aftermarket 904

'You haven't seen it yet, but we've parked the 480hp 370 we built in the Jan. '06 issue in the engine bay of the CC/Rambler, right in front of the leaky three-speed automatic from the '72 Gremlin we pulled from the wrecking yard. Yes, we knew we were going to need a rebuild and were scouting local transmission guys when we thought about looking to the aftermarket for an already rebuilt and race-ready transmission like the one we found from TCI.

Yes, it is a Chrysler transmission, and yes, you can bolt a version of the 904 TorqueFlite up to your small-block A-Body Mopar. The 904 we are talking about has the AMC-patterned housing that first appeared in 1972 and was called the Torque Command, a name patterned after the original Borg-Warner Shift Command that AMC used before 1972. So why do you care? Using the closely related AMC 727 Torque Command housing, Chrysler 904 internals, and a Powerglide tailshaft, you have a transmission that is as light as a Powerglide and has an extra gear. ProFlite builder Marv Ripes from A-1 Automatic Transmissions claimed this hybrid is being used in Super Stock, Modified, and Comp Eliminator cars making over 1,300 hp running 9.0 at 190 mph. You can also buy a housing adapter and mate this transmission to Ford, Chevy, or Chrysler engines.

Obviously, the holy grail combination is a built AMC 727, but since we are making 480 hp instead of 1,300, the slightly modified 904 is perfect for a lightweight car. The AMC 904 weighs 115 pounds, whereas the 727 weighs in at 135-140 pounds, and to keep it inexpensive, the TCI 904 costs around $1,000 compared with the ProFlite that will cost you at least twice that much. The AMC transmissions also have the preferred bellhousing for non-Chrysler or AMC conversions with slimmer dimensions, a lower inspection cover for easy torque-converter access, and a swap-friendly bolt pattern. The final highlight is the First-gear ratio of 2.74 instead of the standard 2.45 you get with the TorqueFlite.

So we found a rad little transmission for about a grand that TCI rates to 450 hp, has a steep First gear, weighs 25 pounds less than the 727, and is small enough to fit into the little '60s two-door post.