I'm having one hell of a time deciding what to put behind my 550-600HP 400! I just sold a built 700R4 ( Dynotech 650HP HiPro trans) and Pro Torque Convertor (10.5 3200SS) w/lock-up, because I believed it wouldn't last behind the 400cid +200HP NOS! Now it seems like I have too many options! I was gonna get a built 2004r from Eric at Dyno Tech good for 900HP, but I'm wondering about spending 3K and having the possibilty of breaking that! I trust Eric's work but you talk to other people and they wonder if any OD will last with 750HP! Some other reputable shops won't recommend an OD, they say go TH400, but I need OD! Plus it costs over 2k buy the time I purchase a convertor! I called Gears vendor then and they want $2200 for their OD unit! That plus a TH400 is 4K! Then I noticed a Lakewood bellhousing and flywheel I have laying around and thought what about a manual? I called a couple of places and narrowed it down to 2 manual trans a GM T56 with Viper ratio's and internals for $2500 or a ZFS6-40 for around $1500 or $2500 complete! This would not be a difficult task because as I write my whole interior is apart for a roll cage plus 90 dash upgrade amongst other things (My car is a 89). Both six speeds offer nice close ratios and I guess by the time I buy a good clutch and all the other hardware I'll be around 3K deep just like the auto's. I need some feedback from the stick guys and the auto guys! Sorry to bore you with my whole story, but I had to let it out and my wife stop paying attention 10K ago!

 

You need a Jerico, buddy. You haven't lived til you've driven one of those.

 

What are your main goals with the car ?

Do you want to Drag race it or drive around on the street with it or both ?

For strength and drag racing, I would go with an Auto.
Lots of guys here are running very low 11's with 700R4's.

Vic

 

Auto for the 1/4 6speed for the road course. It'sthe natural order of things, lol.

 

Want to drive it on the streets! But go high 10's at the track and better with NOS! Mostly I'll be on street tires (DR) but occasionally will throw some stickies on and go to the track! I know the auto may be more consistent, but I want the trans to last a while, I'm aware that anything can break but to spend 2-3K on a auto and hope it lasts, I think doesn't make sense, if I can shift this thing (ZF or T56) into the 9's then I'd rather go that way! Eventually, a solid axle and auto will probably be in order, but at that point it won't be much of a street car! Thanks for the replies Keep'em coming!

 

If it were me, I'd want the auto for a north Jersey car. Too much stop and go for a high horsepower car and the accompanying heavy clutch.

 

I've been told the clutch feel will be the same if not slightly stiffer. How do the Viper guys do it! I know the auto/solid diff thing is where I'll eventually wind up, but if I can get the stick into the 9's (NOS) and drive the car for 2 hours at 80mph 2000rpm in 6th, it's gotta be more fun! Nothing against the auto, I could probably do the same with a 4L80E, but think how much heavier and how much power that would rob! Thanks for the replies ! Keep'em coming!

 

I doubt even a highly modified T56 will last at that power level. Wonder if gear vendors has a unit that will work on the tail end of a Jerico. You'd have a hard time breaking that.

 

Check out this website-you may want to give them a call.
www.transmissioncenter.net/700r4.htm

you might want to ask about the 700 Mega Raptor, Hp and torque ratings at 700.

 

Behind a 400 motor a stick will be short lived if your driving it aggressively - especially if you are at the strip with slicks on the car - not to mention the rear end components. An auto is a much wiser choice - and will live MUCH longer even in the 700r4 catagory than your clutch in a manual will.

Your best bet, would be to move to a T350 or T400. Put some 3.07 gears in the rear for a good compromise between street driving and strip performance.

Give Rossler a call, ask for Carl, and tell him I sent you - he just did my T350 with the adapter, and vette tailshaft so it will bolt right into my C-beam. Super good guy to deal with - and produces some of the fastest trannies on the planet that are in some SICK cars.

www.rosslertrans.com

We are running a T350 with a brake behind Dads 555 CI Chevelle - so if it will hold up to that torque - you will be fine.

 

what about a 4L80E... I think someone here has done it

 

I personally think an automatic in a domestic is for the best of both worlds.

OT and FYI:
Sticks are mostly for most hi-performance imports and strictly road courses.

More OT and FYI:
Imports with automatics are useless. Look how slow a stock Honda Civic would be if you compare it to its manual counterpart. 3 seconds of difference in the 1/4th. 16 sec vs 19 sec haha. IMO, I would get an import with a stick. Less power loss, plus the lack of torque on most Asian rev happy cars.

Back OT:
IMO, go with the auto.

 

What about Jeb's 9.90 with a ZF Trans? Vipers and C5's? Mustangs? I agree ,some cars have to be manual when compared to their automatic counterparts, but most domestics can get away with an auto. The auto is defitnitly easier on the drivetrain and more consistant, so I'll be going with a DynoTech HiPro 2004R good upto 900HP according to Eric. I'll be looking into a 3800 convertor that retains lock-up!Thanks for the replies guys! Hopefully I'll get done soon and meet some of you at E-Town or Atco! BTW: I'll be putting a trans member into the cage to hold up the trans and will retain the c-beam and support the D44 with extra bracing!

 

Sounds like most driving will be on the street and the absolute lowest ET is not necessarily the goal. It also does not appear that you need the consistency necessary for competing in a points race at your local track as a bracket racer.

Do you like driving a stick or an auto better?

Both can be made to hold up to the power. Your rear will not see the full brunt of 200+ shot at launch, so you can make that last as well.

I beg to differ...

 

I always thought Chevelle's were automatic. Sorry I am that ignorant in the V8 world, unless it has undergone an auto-manual conversion.

 

What about high performance domestics? I think there's more to "performance driving" then holding the wheel straight and mashing a pedal.

 

Beautiful '67, and damn that guy can DRIVE

 

Nothing to be sorry about, there is nothing stock about his driveline. I just wanted to point out that if you like driving a stick, it is not at all necessary to get an auto just because you plan on drag racing. There are many fast consistent stick drivers having a ball on the street and at the straight track

 

True. It should also noted that manuals in domestics should do better in the 1/4th because of close gearing and less power wasting like autos but for some reason, V8s somehow do better at drag racing and seem to be more consistant in ETs and MPH. Does it have to do with the autos shifting faster than a human and also shifting down to lower where the peak torque is made down?

I know autos in 4 bangers is worst, performance-wise. My old 2001 Honda Civic was automatic and ran low 19s in the 1/4th. The manual counterpart is documented to run mid 16s bone stock.

The irony here is that I even had a header, milled head, port/polish, cold air intake/cold air ramming induction kit, 2.5" exhaust and no spare tire. My friend in a manual, bone stock, 2001 Honda Civic ran a 17 flat. WOW!!!! NOT!!!!

When I sprayed a 75 shot on top of my $hitty setup, I managed to beat him, running a 16.5. He said, "Holy $hit that's FAST!!"

Those were my dumba$$ days when I was a ricer that didn't know even remotely what a real car was. I thought if a car tops out a 110 mph, then it was really FAST!!!

 

If I didn't know any better, I would think he had a BMW SMG type tranny. You hit the paddle and the shift takes like .5 seconds.