Please tell me if I'm wrong! I have a 1969 Chevelle that I truely believe to be a real SS. While rebuilding the transmission a few years ago I found the matching numbers on it to the car. Someone recently told me they only put the 400 transmission behind the big blocks and never a small block. Now I have never heard of or seen a 1969 chevelle big block that wasn't a SS. SOOOO I quess what i'm asking is if someone has a 1969 Chevelle with it's origional turbo 400 trans then it left the factory as a big block and therefore an SS?

I would say yes. Even the 300-horse 350 would use the Hydramatic350. I'm about 90% sure that the 400 small-block (I'm talking full-sized cars) only used the TH350 trans as well.

The only TH400 applications behind small-blocks that I'm aware of were the 70-74 Z28, 68-79(?) Corvettes, 67-68 Impala/Caprice with 327 (& 307 in 68). I forgot, also the pickups in 67 & 68 used TH400s behind the 327s; the later models probably used the new-for-69 TH350.

The TH400 is the only automatic trans to come with a big block Chevy

Here's a list of codes from the tag located on the passenger side rear of the trans
http://www.teufert.net/trans/t-400.htm

I would say yes. Even the 300-horse 350 would use the Hydramatic350. I'm about 90% sure that the 400 small-block (I'm talking full-sized cars) only used the TH350 trans as well.

The only TH400 applications behind small-blocks that I'm aware of were the 70-74 Z28, 68-79(?) Corvettes, 67-68 Impala/Caprice with 327 (& 307 in 68). I forgot, also the pickups in 67 & 68 used TH400s behind the 327s; the later models probably used the new-for-69 TH350.

My Dad bought a '69 2Dr. Caprice new in '69 with a 350 4brl. and a TH400 trans. The car was pretty loaded and also had the Vigilite option factory installed. This was our family car for many years. He was a mechanic at the dealership where he bought the car so he knew what tranny was in the car cause he worked on Chevy's everyday. Oh, Dad always says this was the best car he ever owned. He sold it to a fishing buddy that knew it well. He drove it for many years and it had well over 200k miles on it when his friend sold it. Engine had never been apart.

Caprices are a different story. Because they are a large body, Chevy used the TH400 in it no matter what. My friend had a 68 Impala SS custom coupe roofline (similar to a Caprice) and he had the 327ci with the TH400 tranny.

never say never, in 69 you could order just about anything the way you wanted if you talked to the right person. my .02 Jasonl.