hey guys new on the board. i have a 79 bu i have been working on in my spare time i have a sbc 355, world heads flat tops 10.1 stock rods with arps, steel crank balanced and comp xs282s cam and a ford 9 out back with 3.73-4.10 gears. i cant make up my mined if want to run a 3 speed auto (th350) or a 4 or 5 speed stick? i know the auto is easier on parts and easier to get and build BUT i love a gear jammer! so what is the best man. trans and clutch set up for the poor guys like me. its a street car about 400-450 hp n/a i plan to juice some 150-200 shot one in awhile i run 1/8 mile 90% of the time. ](*,) thanks
auto vs stick
- Thread starter slowbu
- Start date
Your best bet if you plan on making that much power & racing it will probably be a T-56 or TKO500/600, or a Muncie. There are several ways you can go... mechanical clutch linkage will be cheapest but will require headers that allow it. Hydraulic is more flexible but costs more. Unless you're running a Saginaw/T10/Muncie you'll need a custom crossmember & driveshaft length. I have a 4-speed Saginaw in mine right now with about 375hp and it's lived so far, but it's also on street tires & I haven't taken it to the track. Depending on how much you want to spend (not looking at durability) you can go anywhere between $300-$400 (or less depending on the deals you could find on stock parts) to a couple thousand on just the trans alone, not including all the extras needed (bellhousing, linkage, driveshaft, etc.).
I'm a stick transmission guy, but if you're drag racing more than anything else, an auto is MUCH more consistant, doesn't "hit" the tires as hard & is easier on the rear end. For fun/street/road racing, it's a stick for me.
Tommy
Tommy
LS6 Tommy said:
If you have a trans brake it can hit as hard as a stick...
In general an auto is a better combo for the drag strip and cheaper.
Robert1320 said:
I figured he porobably would be foot braking with that combo, but a very good point nonetheless.
Tommy
i was thinking a muncie or a t56. i have heard the fine spline m-22 was the stronger one. but are all the muncie cases the same? i can get a muncie i think its a m-20 or something its out of a chevelle sbc car i think it is a 10 spline input? can it be made into a rockcrusher? i like the t56 for a driver i have a friend with one in his lt1 camaro he put almost 2000 grand in the trans to make it hold up! but it did come with a car around it. so i be looking at about 500-1000 just for the t56 and i live in NC i dont know of a trans shop that build 6 speeds? idk ](*,)
Dont bother trying to "build" up a M-20 to a M-22. Would be cheaper just be a new aftermarket one if that's they way you're headed. Go here.... http://www.autogear.net
I am a stick shift guy and I would agree that an automatic is more consistant on the drag strip. With a clutch I can leave the line at 3000, 3500, 4000 or 4500 rpms etc. What ever I choose without changing converters. If I miss a shift the race is all over. I have the satisfaction that I know I can drive my car after a good pass. When I drive an automatic I feel like I am out for a ride. When I drive a stick I feel like I am driving the car. The ratio of gear choices is better in a manual tanny. As far cost goes it depend on how you figure it. When a converter and auto transmission tears apart it gets pretty expensive. A centerforce clutch and resuface of the flywheel is a pretty cheap comparison if the clutch burns out and usually doesn't destroy the gearbox. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Just remember safety when you decide on a choice. Choose what you want and not what someones tells you to get.
Similar threads
