With a 500 HP SBC you're obviously performance minded, so if you want the quickest bang for the buck go with 4.10's.
View Poll Results: Vote on my gear ratio
3.55
14
36.84%
3.70
18
47.37%
You're an idiot - install OD & 4.11
6
15.79%
Voters: 38. You may not vote on this poll
Gear Ratio Question
Thread Starter
NCM Grand Opening Veteran
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 20,979
Likes: 384
From: South of giving a damn
St. Jude Donor '11, '17
Gear Ratio Question
Street car - 396sbc, near 500hp, TH400 tranny. New suspension front & back. Considering a new ratio as Bubba decided he needed better gas mileage. He put a 3.08 in 3.55 pumpkin & I bet he never re-couped. Car is not currently drivable so I don't know how the current combination will work out, but I don't need to go 140. This will be a weekend cruiser.
Sorry about the poll, been spending too much time in OT
Sorry about the poll, been spending too much time in OT
Last edited by ratflinger; Jun 21, 2009 at 10:30 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: State of Confusion!!!
2018 C2 of Year Winner
3.70's are plenty low enough. Any lower and all you will be doing is frazzeling the tires. It will still allow you to run down a couple of exits on the interstate if you decide to. 
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Youngstown Ohio
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,911
Likes: 2
From: gold coast queensland
i like 3.55 for intermediate - good for some highway and good accellaration.3.70 a good choice but you might be bouncing around the joint on take off. 4.10 forget the hiway .
500 hp would push any gears just fine so unless your doing strip i would stick with 3.55 and they will be smoking 1st and 2nd to shreds anyway
500 hp would push any gears just fine so unless your doing strip i would stick with 3.55 and they will be smoking 1st and 2nd to shreds anyway
Last edited by gingerbreadman1977; Jun 21, 2009 at 06:50 PM.
Thread Starter
NCM Grand Opening Veteran
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 20,979
Likes: 384
From: South of giving a damn
St. Jude Donor '11, '17
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Is this a HR motor? How big is cam? What's max RPM for it? How much hwy driving? What converter?
JIM
JIM
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
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From: Naperville Illinois
I just changed my '68 SB from the stock 3.08s to 3.73s. Mine is a weekend cruiser also, 327/300 THM400. I've seen a similar poll in an earlier thread and the 3.70 ratio was the clear winner. Not sure what percentage of voters in the earlier poll were putting out 500HP, though 
I haven't driven mine yet, still installing the new rear suspension. I suspect there will be times I wish I had an overdrive, but with my (old, original, tired) 327 I wanted the torque.
I haven't driven mine yet, still installing the new rear suspension. I suspect there will be times I wish I had an overdrive, but with my (old, original, tired) 327 I wanted the torque.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,187
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From: Chetwynd B.C.
I'm running a BB with around 425RWHP and 3.70 gears (munsie 4spd). Great for running around town but at 60 mph I'm at 2900rpm with 255/60/15 tires on the back end. I don't know what the difference with the auto would be. I'm thinking of going to 3.08 if I don't get a TKO 5spd.
shmoky
shmoky
