Thanks or the replies. The 4L60 may be a good idea. I've heard little about them - seems the 700R4? is the common one here. Not sure of 4L60 apps and production numbers, but I could certainly use the O.D. If they're found in the full sized vans then they'll be really cheap here as rotted running gas vans with under 75,000 miles go for about $400 here.
I wonder about attempting the rebuild myself. I'm not that intimidated by the idea - I work on much more complex and high tolerance equipment every day, but worry about the lack of specific experience and "grandaddy feel" for the tranny and what to really look for. I'd have to obviously rely on a very good manual, but there's nothing like the feeling of doing it yourself, Eh? I have the space and time. Does the job consist of (horribly understated) disassembly and parts replacement, or is there shop specific tasks that are simply beyond the scope of D.I.Y. to do it right? For example the bushings or machine work.
