Just got my M20 trany and cluch rebuilt on my 69ss convert(396). This is my frist 4 speed muscle car ever owened. Two questions - Best to start out in 1st ? And what is the best RPM to shift at ? At 43 should know this, but going through second childhood. Thanks !

start in first, shift when the grin on your face is stretching to your ears http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

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70 chevelle ss396 conv
66 chevelle ss396 hdp/conv
55 chevy prostreet
69/71 camaros
91 formula
85 monte SS
TC member #493

drptop70ss said "start in first, shift when the grin on your face is stretching to your ears"
or the back end of the car is sliding soooo far to the right that you need it to slide back left...... continue to GRIN http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif

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Jungle Jim #105 Gold
70SS396 & 70 Malibu~
"Fight the good Fight every moment, every minute,every day. Make it worth the price you pay!"

LMAO to the replies from Drptop and Jungle above...good one guys...for those of us with 4 speed cars...so true...so true....thanks for the chuckle

Mytmouse

On a 4sp, there's no break-in period and no rules. You make up your own rules as you go. Some people shift at 800rpm, some shift at 8k. I shift everywhere in between.

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Tom Parsons

My shift RPM varies by need:
On the way to work Mondays, shift at around 2500 RPM since you are not awake.
On the way home Friday, shift at about 4000 RPM to save time.
When a Rice burner attempts tp pass, shift at whatever your engine will stand! http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif

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Gotta have a Chevy !In Durham N.C.
Make it look the way you like it, forget what the other guys say! :D

One of the beautiful things about manual transmissions is that you can control where your engine RPM's are. You can constantly be in your powerband. I dont know where the powerband on your 396 is, put the more time you spend behind the wheel the more you will get to know your engine. Do that for a few months then come back and ask us how to do a POWERSHIFT! http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif

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Armando
So. Cal
66 Malibu,454,M22
64 El camino
57 Bel Air
95 Impala SS

Kent, you've heard of "fly by wire", well, you "shift by ear". Just go out and drive it, you'll know when to shift after a while.

I have gotten into the bad habit of "blipping" the throttle between shifts. Yeah, great on the ol mpg for sure.

Anyway, no rules, just personal preference. You'll see, " Just Do It" ! http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif

Lessee. NHRA Pro Stockers drop the hammer at about 6k and shift at 9500. Yeah, that would be about right.

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von '69 300 Dlx SS TC #15 ACES #1575