Compared 373 to 456 gearing
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Compared 373 to 456 gearing
I got a good deal on a set of ford motorsport 456 gears and thought I would give them a try. Well I tried them last night. My motor is a 355 Ford with nitrous a cage , frame and 4 link.
My grandson was with me and he said " Grampa aren't you going to shift"? No Kyle I am in 5th, I was not crazy about the gears, 1st with 3.27 low was rediculous, I was through the gears before I knew it.
I will probably pull them back out.
My grandson was with me and he said " Grampa aren't you going to shift"? No Kyle I am in 5th, I was not crazy about the gears, 1st with 3.27 low was rediculous, I was through the gears before I knew it.
I will probably pull them back out.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 0
From: spring city pa
Re: Compared 373 to 456 gearing (norvalwilhelm)
Hi Norval , I installed a set of 4:56's in my son ss nova a few years back at his request . It was not very long before he returned for the same reasons you cited in your post . They pull like the devil but , Just not a very practical street gear .
Geo :seeya
Geo :seeya
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,562
Likes: 9
From: B'Ville NY
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05
Re: Compared 373 to 456 gearing (norvalwilhelm)
Norval it sounds like you now need some taller tires in the back to compliment those gears ;)
Is 5th an O/D or 1:1 ?
Is 5th an O/D or 1:1 ?
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 34,455
Likes: 665
From: Republic of Texas
Re: Compared 373 to 456 gearing (SmokedTires)
My dad had 4.30's (factory) in his '68 Hemi GTX. All I can say is "Hold On" because once it hooks it's GONE!:eek:
You should notice quite a difference. :yesnod:
[Modified by Corey_68, 12:04 PM 4/23/2004]
You should notice quite a difference. :yesnod:
[Modified by Corey_68, 12:04 PM 4/23/2004]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Re: Compared 373 to 456 gearing (SmokedTires)
5th should be 0.6 in the stang.
... but this is Norval's, so it has likely been modifed from stock.
:thumbs: :cheers:
[Modified by NHvette, 12:23 PM 4/23/2004]
... but this is Norval's, so it has likely been modifed from stock.
:thumbs: :cheers:
[Modified by NHvette, 12:23 PM 4/23/2004]
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,176
Likes: 88
From: State of Confusion
Re: Compared 373 to 456 gearing (Fevre)
Don't know how guys drive around with 4.11's and no O/D. :confused:
:crazy:
Since I rarely drove that car on the highway, and kept it below 45-50 MPH in-and-around town going to the strip, I thought they were a blast!!!
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 1,612
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix Arizona
Re: Compared 373 to 456 gearing (norvalwilhelm)
(with 3.27 1st gear)
With 4.56's, the final drive ratio in 1st gear-- 14.91 to one :eek:
With 3.73's- 12.20 to one
With 3.27's- 10.69 to one
This is quite a steep 1st gear FDR with these 3.27's!!!!! Nevermind with 4.56's!
(thinking outloud here!!)
I bet you can't really even use 1st gear, right? It reminds me of the granny low 1st gear in a U-Haul truck I once rented!!
Bob
With 4.56's, the final drive ratio in 1st gear-- 14.91 to one :eek:
With 3.73's- 12.20 to one
With 3.27's- 10.69 to one
This is quite a steep 1st gear FDR with these 3.27's!!!!! Nevermind with 4.56's!
(thinking outloud here!!)
I bet you can't really even use 1st gear, right? It reminds me of the granny low 1st gear in a U-Haul truck I once rented!!
Bob
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,909
Likes: 26
From: Clymer PA
Re: Compared 373 to 456 gearing (Fevre)
Don't know how guys drive around with 4.11's and no O/D.
Norval:
3.27 first gear and a 4.56 rear gear is an effective 1st gear of 14.91! That's a "tractor-like" 1st gear. The 3.73 rear gear is about perfect with your 5 speed. You still pulling the front wheels off the ground with that Mustang? :)
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Compared 373 to 456 gearing (norvalwilhelm)
The transmission is overdrive so the final ratio in 5th is 3.1 which isn't too bad. The worst thing is 1st gear, you move about a car length, are revved out and pulling the next gear, It is a stump puller, alot more gear then I need.
With the 373's and slicks the thing would pull the front end on launch. The slicks are gone for new Goodyear F1's which I got a good deal on earlier this week. You can drive around town at 30 mph in 5th.
It was just something to try and keeps me in practice changing gears. Once you do a few rearends they are really nothing and can be done in an evening.
I will give it a summer, this is the 3rd car I used 456 in. In my vet the 4.11's were just too low in first but I don't mind reving the ford up. While the motor has only 3 or 4 summers on it I would like to pull it this winter or next and stroke it to about 400 + with alot more compression
With the 373's and slicks the thing would pull the front end on launch. The slicks are gone for new Goodyear F1's which I got a good deal on earlier this week. You can drive around town at 30 mph in 5th.
It was just something to try and keeps me in practice changing gears. Once you do a few rearends they are really nothing and can be done in an evening.
I will give it a summer, this is the 3rd car I used 456 in. In my vet the 4.11's were just too low in first but I don't mind reving the ford up. While the motor has only 3 or 4 summers on it I would like to pull it this winter or next and stroke it to about 400 + with alot more compression
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Compared 373 to 456 gearing (norvalwilhelm)
While this is my post I want to show you guys a picture of the walk behind snow blower my son put together from spare parts, The motor is a 700cc 18 vee. It has a open header, a road gear that allows you to jog behind it, a twist throttle so you can blip the throttle and a monster tac.
He was just having fun, Here is a picture of it.
Double click to enlarge
He was just having fun, Here is a picture of it.
Double click to enlarge
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
Likes: 54
From: Taylor Michigan
Re: Compared 373 to 456 gearing (norvalwilhelm)
Nothing wrong with a 4.56 or a 4.11. I use them both. A 4.56 will be a little quicker, but the 4.11 will probably out MPH the taller gear. I could never see the object of building a fancy motor and then using a low reving hydraulic cam and 3 series gears that will allow you to do a buck fifty on the freeway and wonder why it wont do well in the quarter. :confused: If you build them correct, it will perform correct :D :thumbs:
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Compared 373 to 456 gearing (Ironcross)
The overdrive makes the 456 actually perform like 3.1 on the expressways which is fine but there is such a thing as too much gearing out of the hole. My vet with the 4.11's and 3.27 first gear just never had a chance to start pulling, it just spun even with big slicks. In this case I was much happier with 308's. I still spin like crazy if pushed but at least I can clear the intersection without shifting into 3rd.
I have had 3 cars with 456, a couple with 411, one with 355 and my present 308's in the vet.
If you don't can the power you can help with gearing but if the power is really there regardless of the gears the car will put.
My 10 to one in the vet will easily outpull the 14 to one in the mustang regardless of the nitrous and 355 motor.
What the mustang has that the vet doesn't is the ability to hook. Given equal tires/slicks the mustang with holeshot the vet plus do a wheels up launch.
Guys I have driven/owned cars that explode out of the hole, come out at 6500, hook up solid and pull second at 7500 and do it all in a car length and my vet has never hooked like this. That was another ford as well.
The gears are in for now, I keep looking for another gear all the time but they will stay in for the summer but not sure if they will survive the winter.
I have had 3 cars with 456, a couple with 411, one with 355 and my present 308's in the vet.
If you don't can the power you can help with gearing but if the power is really there regardless of the gears the car will put.
My 10 to one in the vet will easily outpull the 14 to one in the mustang regardless of the nitrous and 355 motor.
What the mustang has that the vet doesn't is the ability to hook. Given equal tires/slicks the mustang with holeshot the vet plus do a wheels up launch.
Guys I have driven/owned cars that explode out of the hole, come out at 6500, hook up solid and pull second at 7500 and do it all in a car length and my vet has never hooked like this. That was another ford as well.
The gears are in for now, I keep looking for another gear all the time but they will stay in for the summer but not sure if they will survive the winter.
