TH400 recomendations

Kind of a Generic question: For a street car big block motor car/occasional strip: 500 hp/Ft lbs in a heavy car like a chevelle what upgrades would be suggested when you go to your local hi perf trans shop?

I have head people say anything under 600hp in a street car occasional strip a stock Th400 will do just fine. I have blown quite a few Th400s in an old stock 77 GMC 1/2 ton 454 pickup that I beat the hell out of as a kid so the stock thing doesnt seem appropriate with me.

Im no trans expert and when walking into a shop to discuss rebuilding, it would be nice to know what it is I should want, and know what Im speaking of a little. Just trying to educate myself basically.

thanks in advance for the replies gentlemen.

Well I hope you don't drive like you did when you was a kid. When I was a kid, I didn't know that going in reverse and throwing it into drive doing "J" burnouts would kill my transmission.

A good solid thourough rebuild (new steels too) with replaced wavy plates and a good shift kit set at HD instead of "race" will handle some good power for a street car. To me for a street car, a too solid of a shift just tears stuff up. If you abuse the tranny, I'd dought a high price built one would hold up for a long time.

Like Denny said, go talk to a few shops. I wouldn't act dumb though. Tell them what you have and what you need from them. They should want your business and you as a future costomer. They should give you all the answers you need. If you don't get a good feeling from visiting and viewing their work conditions, just go find another one.