Can anyone recommend a place to get a good converter that is fairly inexpensive?

I will use an analogy I use when lecturing in my work. Picture a triangle. One point represents FAST, the next point represents CHEAP, and the last point of the triangle represents RELIABLE. Pick any two and you can't have the other. If it's fast and cheap, it won't be reliable. If it's fast and reliable it won't be cheap. You get the idea :)

Your converter choice will depend largely on what you want to do with your car. A good performance coverter will need to meet all the criteria listed above, and by definition won't be cheap.

if its a mild street/strip car,Transmission Specialties or B+M works for me.

Ken is correct BUT you can also overpay for a converter.

I recommend PTC for a QUALITY converter at a reasonable price.
I have customers that have used the Redneck converters with good results.
I have a friend/trans customer using an Edge converter with good results.

My suggestion is based on getting burned on a "quality" converter once.

YOU need to figure what YOU want the converter to do. You select the converter to either get the quickest ET, or for the best possible trade-off of good ET and streetability.

If you want the best ET, you get a good idea where your peak TQ/HP numbers are and base the converter selection off this. If you want more driveability, you lower the stall a bit.

One thing to mention is that modern quality converters use a smaller diameter and therefore can flash stall higher yet retain better driveability.

Almost everyone has gone to the 9.5" core and it works good for a street strip car IF the converter company gets it right.

Once you do this you call the converter company and tell them what YOU want the stall to be. If you tell them you want it to flash 3800 rpm, they should be able to hit that within a couple of hundred rpm, 36-4000.
You should get in writing that it will flash to your specs or it gets re-stalled.

That way you don't call back later when they miss it by 1000 rpm and get told it is full price for a re-stall.

Any GOOD converter company will want you to be a satisfied customer and will do one re-stall for free.

The really good companies, you shouldn't need a restall....

More expensive isn't necessarily better....

Almost all the companies are using the same cores, and the same parts for the street/strip and even sportsman racing converters.

I will use an analogy I use when lecturing in my work. Picture a triangle. One point represents FAST, the next point represents CHEAP, and the last point of the triangle represents RELIABLE. Pick any two and you can't have the other. If it's fast and cheap, it won't be reliable. If it's fast and reliable it won't be cheap. You get the idea :)

Your converter choice will depend largely on what you want to do with your car. A good performance coverter will need to meet all the criteria listed above, and by definition won't be cheap.

I've never seen this explained any better...........:thumbsup:
& it goes for more than just converters:yes:

http://www.anthonycoppedge.com/uploadedresources/goodcheapfast.jpg

I've posted this before, but I think Coan converters give you alot for your money! They're not 'cheap', but they're affordable and they're great to do business with.

I took Jake's advice awhile back and got a PTC ($160). It's been working pretty hard behind my 502 for almost a year now (5k miles), with no problems whatsoever!

Thanks. I realize that cheap and quality do not go together. I never said that. I said fairly inexpensive.

What I am thinking is there are good converters out there for $300 to $600. I can do that. I just do not want to spend $1100 or so like some want.

Glad to here about PTC, got a info sheet to them now, waiting to here back from them.

A lot of Midwest guys like BTE...

A lot of Midwest guys like BTE...

If you buy a BTE, be SURE you get in WRITING that the converter will stall to spec or they will re-stall or refund your money. They missed my stall by 1000 rpm. It was cheaper to outright BUY a PTC converter than re-stall the BTE.

I didn't have enough trust to send it back to them after missing it by 1000 rpm anyway, not to mention the "customer service" attitude I got over the phone.

Jake referred me to Redneck performance and I couldn't be happier with it-9.5" 3000 with good street manners.

I've never seen this explained any better...........:thumbsup:
& it goes for more than just converters:yes:

[QUOTE=kjett;1352389]I will use an analogy I use when lecturing in my work. Picture a triangle. One point represents FAST, the next point represents CHEAP, and the last point of the triangle represents RELIABLE. Pick any two and you can't have the other. If it's fast and cheap, it won't be reliable. If it's fast and reliable it won't be cheap. You get the idea :)/QUOTE]

Yeah, I seen that episode of bernie mac too, I believe it was on yesterday or the day before during the day. :)

Edge is pretty reasonable, I use them in my race car. I have never heard any complaints.

If you buy a BTE, be SURE you get in WRITING that the converter will stall to spec or they will re-stall or refund your money. They missed my stall by 1000 rpm. It was cheaper to outright BUY a PTC converter than re-stall the BTE.

I didn't have enough trust to send it back to them after missing it by 1000 rpm anyway, not to mention the "customer service" attitude I got over the phone.

:eek: WOW.. Jake! I appreciate the headsup. I guess I wont recommend them again anytime soon :sad:

http://www.raceconverters.com/iPro22.htm

^^ just ordered mine it will be here Monday! sent them out the dyno sheets of the engine and they are going to get it dead on. free re-stall also and a warranty. only 550!! many guys i know run them with my same set up only 3% slippage on the big end.

I have had good luck with my TCI StreetFighter converter for 5+ yrs now. It has 30+ 1/4 mi runs and plenty of street driving.

Chris

If you buy a BTE, be SURE you get in WRITING that the converter will stall to spec or they will re-stall or refund your money. They missed my stall by 1000 rpm. It was cheaper to outright BUY a PTC converter than re-stall the BTE.

I didn't have enough trust to send it back to them after missing it by 1000 rpm anyway, not to mention the "customer service" attitude I got over the phone.

Jakeshoe,

I had about the same experience with my 8" MRT Treemaster - ATI converter. I've got $1600+ tied up in this converter now and it is still not where it needs to be. (4900 flash, TQ peak is 5200-5500).

I'm sure all converter companies miss the mark on occasion, but some are better than others about correcting their mistakes.

My next converter will be a Coan.

Dragracer, wanna sell that converter?

Agreed,
I believe even the best converter companies can miss the mark (not by 1000 rpm on a mild street/strip application though) and the difference is how they treat you after the sale.

The BTE converter slowed my car down from a $99 Summit 2200 converter. When you lose .3 tenths in the 1/8 mile, something is wrong.

This would have been a different story had they been willing to re-stall it for less than their full price.

IMO,
Sending a converter out that is that far off, would be like me selling a customer a transmission with no 3rd gear, and then wanting full price for a rebuild to fix it.

I had mine done by a local outfit. I try to support local business whenever possible. He missed mine by 900 RPM. Guess he didn't think a 406 would make this much torque. He does keep records of everything he does and scribes what he did on the outside of every converter. He also stressed that he is only guessing on the first one, and after you see how your combo works, you will probably need to make some changes.

Converter cutting is all about torque, and torque is all about tuning, so it is hard to guess at what someone needs without a point of reference. The second converter will usually be right if it is cut by the same guy that did the first one. My first one cost $430. I'm still saving money for the second one, which I'll buy after the next cam change.

Care to share the guys company, contacts?

I'm very happy with my Redneck converter. Works good on the street and gets me down the track pretty well. First good pass after I changed converters I picked the front tires and scared the hell out of myself.

I've got a 2800-3200 Boss Hogg Converter in my chevelle as well as the same thing in my camaro and they've been great thus far...