Auto or Standard in my Rod proj

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.

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

that's what I was told

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Originally Posted by rspears

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

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I thought everyone knew that. :D

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

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Originally Posted by prb51

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

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Catfish...?

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.

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

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Originally Posted by 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.

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

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...

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.

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..........:D (does a full manual C4 auto tranny count??)

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?

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

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..

yeah, I'm older but still run everyday and lift...what did Clint Eastwood say "The 80's are the new 20's" lol...but only 60 anyways so that makes me in grade school. So don't think my ankle will snap.
Yeah, I enjoy the control of shifting too, no question as to where you are rpm wise.

checked out the gear vendors site, interesting stuff but too spendy now while I'm building the car.

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Originally Posted by rspears

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

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I was just poking with my first comment since on one was giving a reply, but I have always enjoyed playing with the gears, and controlling an auto manually is just not the same for me as feeling the clutch and synchro's. It would make more sense for me to have an auto, as my wife has not re-learned how to drive a stick, though she did fly around in a little Fiat 2 seater back in the day so she should be a quick study if the desire was there.

My wife drives both presently as we have a station wagon with a stick....I am a shift guy but still haven't made up my mind til I find out how much a 88-96 Camaro 5 speed will run me along with the stuff I need for that work.

Hi,
I sell the TKO-500 & TKO-600 that would fit real well in your 27. I make all kinds of hydraulic release kits for all kinds of engine combos. I also make the TKO front shifter at 7 inches rear of the bellhousing and the midshifter 12.5" rear of bellhousing.

I have a 5 speed out of a 93 Mustang in my 65 El Camino, 283 with a 2 barrel and gets 22 mpg, 4-speed in my 32 Essex coupe and use a 350 turbo in the race car to make it more consistent, it had a 4 speed with a dz 302 until we pulled the wheels up twice, then all we saved was the shifter and the tail shaft housing. make your self happy, you're the one that will be driving it any way.

they should have three pedals but if you have big feet gets a little tight !! went auto in my 28 roadster so much more room and yea just as much fun

Well guys cash money decided the deal for me. The auto 200r4 is the least expensive route and I gotta keep this in budget. It was the 3 pedal or a 4 post lift and I need the lift to work and store the car (cheaper and more practical than another out building...that's what I told the wife anyway and it worked).
Appreciate the input.
I can always change it later if it really bugs me when time/funds replenish.

I think it is a good choice. Make sure you get it adjusted right.

I have a T-350 and love it. I don't mind cruising at 3000 of so. It just purrs along. It's a hot rod not a Caddy.

Yeah, we'll get it adjusted right. I need that OD in Az. Too many 75 mph roads out my way and I do more highway than local (country boy).
Got the 4 post lift today, heavy booger.

Coming in kind of late but here is my 2c. If it is for fun go with the stick, if it is for racing go with the auto. If you go with the stick you have the E brake to deal with but if you go with the Auto you have the trans cooler to deal with. If you go with a 4 spd you will want to go with tall gears and tall tires for the mileage. If you go with a 5 or 6 spd you will have the overdrive and you can go with lower gears. Good luck what ever way you go.

Jack.

Jack,
Don't know that I'll need an oil cooler for the trans just yet, we'll see. Anyways, converting to the 5 speed was too spendy just now and I needed a 4 post lift so that's where the 5 speed dough went.
Using the 200R4 with a 3.70 rear for the time being but hey, it's all changable down the line.

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Originally Posted by prb51

Jack,
Don't know that I'll need an oil cooler for the trans just yet, we'll see. Anyways, converting to the 5 speed was too spendy just now and I needed a 4 post lift so that's where the 5 speed dough went.
Using the 200R4 with a 3.70 rear for the time being but hey, it's all changable down the line.

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In AZ - for sure unless you really want to chance it. These are fairly reasonably priced and can be mounted on the frame - this one is under my right running board and plumbed with stainless flex hose though hard lines would have been as good and for sure cheaper and easier. That cooler is a 24" double pass version. I chose that length for extra cooling potential because it isn't in a fully direct air stream.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i8...DSC_0044-2.jpg

Dave,
Yeah you are right. Never had a slush box before but after talking to some locals will go with a combo Radiator cooler up front for the fan pull assistance in cooling. Think I'll hard line it tho rather than flex cable.
Thanks

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Originally Posted by prb51

Dave,
Yeah you are right. Never had a slush box before but after talking to some locals will go with a combo Radiator cooler up front for the fan pull assistance in cooling. Think I'll hard line it tho rather than flex cable.
Thanks

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Rather then run lines all the way to the front to add to the rest of the "claptrap" hanging in and around the side and front of the engine, there are many other coolers that will work as well. This is Summit's page(s):
http://www.summitracing.com/search/?...20cooler&dds=1

I have a radiator cooler (part of the Walker radiator) as well, but just have it blanked off with pipe plugs.

Dave,
No running boards or fenders to hide things hanging off the frame. Besides, the heat in Az is a tad more intense than NY and having a fan assist the cooling will help. I drive in 100 + all of the time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by prb51

Dave,
No running boards or fenders to hide things hanging off the frame. Besides, the heat in Az is a tad more intense than NY and having a fan assist the cooling will help. I drive in 100 + all of the time.

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Go for it - if you look in the 1299 different Summit offerings you will see great options that don't entail running two long lengths along the frame of crappy looking 1/4" or 5/16" tubing - but then, it's, of course, your choice on how you build your car just like it was for me to do mine.