Knowledge is lacking in today’s world, people wrenching on a car-trans and can’t tell a 9/16” wrench from a 1/2” then blame it on the front drum.

You need a high rpm engine to blow up an OEM 904 drum. It's a non issue.

How high is high RPM?
I'm getting ready to build a 1965 Valiant SB stroker turbo car with a 904 in it, I'll probably have Pro Trans build a 904 tranny for me, but it would be nice to know what RPM the 904 drums are sensitive to

I've never heard of it happening. But I also want to avoid breaking a trans on the starting line.

You should be able to swap a non LBA valve body with a LBA valve body with no other changes.

71Demon- thanks. I need to start collecting 727 parts, have seen too many of these and I'm worried about mine.

Crackedback.... LOL! good point, at least ours scatter when the car isn't going to end up in the wall.



That makes sense, the manual low burnouts seem like bad news, especially with that stock drum!

Maybe when parts scattered, the drum hit the shift linkage just right and pulled it?

A manual low burnout with a stock type valvebody will apply the low band so it technically should not hurt the sprag because the sprag isn't really holding the rear drum from spinning ... if the band is adjusted properly ...


With that in mind when the trans in manual low it is the furthest from being in park but the explosion probably ripped the park rod off the VB and with it pulled out of position into park the trans will go ...

as far as parts you need to be safe , it's really just 1 , but I would spend the extra and get 2 ...

Billet front drum is a must , and an A+A SUPER Sprag , it has more rollers and can't easily be rolled over , if at all.

The internet, youtube, etc. has brought about so many people who believe they have talent, are funny or have some entertainment value of some sort and need to put it out there for everyone to see. All these Roadkill, Last Stop Garage, Azz Monkey Garage etc. wannabes. This trans was probably rigged to do that for the video.

Did you see the hole in the floor and the trans fliud on the drivers side window ???? If it was rigged for that it would have had a blanket on it , only an idiot would rig something like that and then get in it and make it go boom.

World is full of idiots

Been racing my whole life since 16 and have never grenaded a torque flight. Yes, I have broken converters, front pump seals, lost second gear a couple of times but never had one explode. Just build them with good parts.

You can feel and hear a healthy sprag from a damaged one pretty easily by turning the driveshaft with your hands but if possible it's certainly a good idea to pull the trans.

I got my B&M LBA valve bodies back in 73 for pushbutton and the later. I tried the TA one for a year or so and damaged a sprag when I broke an axle, out it came and the old B&M went back in. A&A is going to make me one for my third car this year.

This method will certainly bite you in the a$$. Eventually.

There are a few failure modes - bad springs and rollers are one.

Awesome, thanks. I need to start ordering parts. I assume the higher the rpm that it lets go in 1st gear, the worse the shrapnel is!

Also agree, there is no way that was staged. And, at least Tony offered to help him rebuild his spare or use a trans he had in the shop.

Blowing up a 727 is kind of like shooting someone accidentally. A number of mistakes and broken rules have to happen first. But it happens,

Second gear burnouts. Take it out and look at it if something in the driveline breaks under power in low gear, regardless what kind of valve body is in it. Good front drum.

Miss one. Probably okay. Miss a few, better have a shield on it.

Broke sprag last September due to a worn out transmission case. Very fortunate I have a A&A aluminum drum, or it could have been catastrophic. Went right to the Rev limiter 6700. Dummy me tried it again on return road.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=WdgwaO7IK9I&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE

Driving it around, functioning and seeming to be okay is not a valid test.

Having half the springs smashed will certainly change how it feels when spinning the output shaft. But I'm not going to trust that one either. Take it out and look at it, or roll the dice.

Correct. The springs and rollers are only part of the equation. Propelling functioning and sounding on jack stands isn’t a test and driving seemingly ok isn’t either.

You said it not me.

I don't know. Like I wrote, I guess I'm strange. I'm also suspicious of most things internet and very tired of all the "car people" that have come out of the woodwork and found their way to the internet and tv. A great majority are not entertaining to ME. Fake drama, not funny as they seem to think they are, and just plain dumb. Maybe they did destroy a 727. That doesn't make it worthy of youtube or whatever. Hey, that's just ME and my opinion which is not worth a nickle.

I wish Wayne Carini did Mopars. I could watch him all day long.