Thread: Transmissions and gearboxes

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This is an area and subject I dont see mentioned much on the site. Transmissions and manual gearboxes along with clutches and clutch linkages, I have had a brief look back on the forum threads and have come to the comclusion that this subject is'nt mentioned much. People on this site must have some technical advice about what works and what does'nt. Sucesses and disasters. EG are cast iron gearbox housings stronger than aluminium ones, are dual plate clutches better for durability than a single plate high pressure clutch ?

I should of mentioned that the site also does'nt talk much about automatics and high stall converters either. S

Southerner, I enjoy hearing from you in spite of the time difference. There was a time in the '55-'65 era when I recall a lot of articles in rod magazines about how to fit heavy duty manual transmissions like Cad, Lasalle or Packard to the "new" OHV V8s like SBC, Chrysler hemi and Olds to Ford bodies. At first folks with souped up Ford Flatheads started to put the new OHV engines in where the flathead was just with an adaptor to the Ford transmission. However those Ford transmissions were pretty fragile and could be shattered even by the Ford engines so they certainly did not last long behind a Chrysler hemi! However when the Powerglide two-speed proved pretty durable followed by the TH350 and TH400 the problem of fitting both clutch and brake linkage into early Ford frames made the idea of an AT desireable without the clutch linkage. So much for my biased view of history, the question of today is about the OD transmissions. I am surprised you did not find more discussion of the 700R4 GM or even the Ford OD units on the threads. I believe Tech1 has given some good information on the 700R4 and he convinced me that gives a good low gear as well as the OD fourth gear. Then there should be other threads on whether the 700R4 needs to be beefed up for engines over 300 H.P. There are articles on sites other than this Forum discussing the optimization of TH350 trans for racing, but maybe you can find some threads here on the 700R4 which I think is the latest trend slowly being adopted by rodders.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Lots of threads their I did'nt pick up with the computer, will go look

Trannies are something that doesnt really need much discussion anyway. Nowadays there are ways and ways to build almost any auto tranny to do what you want. Even the vulnerable Ford AOD can be built to withstand 500HP. As for manuals, there are a ton of options to select from. Muncie, Bog Warner, even the GM 4 and 5 speeds can stand a lot. Its all a question of how much money do you have, how much torque are you pushing and who makes your motor

Originally posted by southerner
Lots of threads their I did'nt pick up with the computer, will go look

to start with get yourself about a 300 lb. flywheel, a heavy ass clutch and pp and a lead foot. thats a good start.