Auto or Standard in my Rod proj

[prb51]

I'm building a ShadowRods steel XL27 roadster..27 body on a 32 frame with 32 Radiator shell/rear gas tank.
Trying to keep the cost down, old style basic rod, clean with some chrome but flat black enamel (cost and look).
Reman 350 chevy Hipo w/ edelbrock carb..ford 9" w 3.50 gear. 255/70 15's in back and smaller skinnies up front.
I need a 4th gear OD auto or a 5 speed manual.
I'm looking at a reman 200R4 with a .67 4th gear and a warranty or picking up a used T5 Camaro 88-96 5 speed box.
Gotta have long legs in the country side of Az...lots of legal 75 mph cruising and a 3 speed would eat me up fuel wise.
Pros and Cons or just opinions appreciated.
BTW I've never had a 'fun' car with an auto only standard so am leaning that way but in the end may be more expensive (tach, emerg brake etc).
Fire away.

[rspears]

Hot Rods have three pedals. What else do you need to know??

[sg4356]

that's what I was told

[djv8ga]

Hot Rods have three pedals. What else do you need to know??

I thought everyone knew that.

[prb51]

yeah, heard that...and flatheads too, ya'll got flatheads lol...

[djv8ga]

yeah, heard that...and flatheads too, ya'll got flatheads lol...

Catfish...?

[prb51]

Thanks for the opinions guys and I like 3 pedals too if the money allows...anyone with experience with the auto tranny gonna speak up. Would still like a proper debate, this ain't healthcare you know.

[prb51]

Djv...since I was back from Vietnam before your car was made didn't know a '72 could be a HotRod...lol...jk man.

[djv8ga]

Djv...since I was back from Vietnam before your car was made didn't know a '72 could be a HotRod...lol...jk man.

You sound like my father. He says it's too new and small blocks are for girls.

[prb51]

Crap, now I'm your old man...I don't look that old!
I've always like small blocks...tell you Dad he's overcompensating for some other issue if he's gotta bad mouth small blocks...

[pastor bubba]

The car I am working on has an automatic and I'm fine with that. It is an 80 AMC Spirit with a 401. My first 68 Javelin had an auto in it but my second Javelin had a 4speed and I can say that it was a lot more fun than the auto. It basically comes down to what you want. With an auto, I can still go through the gears if I want to play and besides I do not have the extra cash to convert it over to manual. I do have an extra AMC engine for a future project that does not have a tranny at this time so who knows, I may find a nice 4 speed to put behind it. But if I find a 727 for it, I'm good with that as well because the tranny doesn't make the car; it just makes it a little more fun to drive.

[IC2]

If you have car body foot room and space in the frame area - three pedal it - and since it's on a '32 frame - you should be ok with the frame. Now - inside the body for foot room - I don't have enough with my larger bodied '31 with the motor setback - dammit, but on the next build.......... (does a full manual C4 auto tranny count??)

[prb51]

Should be enough foot room. ShadowRods 27 body has been widened and deepened to give as much room as a 32. So you sit in it not on it. It's doable for 3 pedals comfortably.
It'll come down to the dough really, not just my druthers, but my druthers will weigh the dough question if you know what I mean.
Anyone running a 350/200R4 set up? How do you like the performance, low end? Mileage? Highway cruise?

[kitz]

The manual should fundamentally out-perform the auto in gas mileage. But are you getting older? If you have any foot/ankle issues on your left side then you might want to consider an automatic. If you want to shift then put in a manual valve body in the auto as an option. If you really want to get tricky consider a built TH350 with a Gear Vendors over-drive unit that will give you a six speed auto.

Kitz

[rdobbs]

I grew up with a stick in my rods. Have owned my 57 chev 33 years
now, and have had 5 different motors in it. It always either had a
4 spd manual or 5 spd..I went to an automatic in the late 90ies, and
I guess it was ok, but I sold the automatic and went back to the
5 spd manual...Just love shifting those gears..