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Any regrets with no overdrive and 4:10ish gears? PG/400 etc...

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#61 ·
454, 9:1 compression, strong bottom end street camshaft, Rochester Quadrajet , Th400, 2.73....
I like having fun on the street with a strong, smooth running big block that starts right up when hot and loves 87 octane gas.

I see this all the time, folks gearing a big block like a small block while paying zero attention to piston speed....
 
#62 · (Edited)
Jim Mac said:
some of these cars came from the factory with 4.10s. the original post said its mainly for around town, do the 4.10s and relive the 1960s! my 71 nova had a vortec headed 350, small cam, airgap intake 650 double pumper, M21 trans with a 4.10 12 bolt. it was a blast to drive around town. never took it on the freeway but that's why I have a daily driver for.
my 66 runs a M20 and a 3.55 posi, hitting the open road or I10 it feels like another gear is missing but it's fun the way it sits. jim
Click to expand...
Here's an interesting one for you .
Somthimg you may or may not know about regarding the standard trannys from back in the glory days .
I've got a 66 goat that I've had for about 15 years now . Car came to me in apoxy primer with an incorrect 421 in it but came with a 66 389 off to the side with the deal. I sold the 421 within 1 year of owning the car because somebody offered way too much money for it. Anyway I just now in the last several months am putting the 389 together with a tripower . Heads and block all done etc..
So I go on a gto site to get some good info on there to keep everything correct from guys that been living them for 40 years .
I was asking this one guy about the 3 speed standard that's in my car . He told me that tranny is a diamond . Actually a ford top loader that's bullet proof. I said WHAT ??!
FORD .??? He says yep thats a dearborn top loader they call em . The info checked out .
Apparently that 3 speed dearborn toploader was used in other gm's as well.
Cool stuff 😎
Those cars came with deep gears too.
All The baddest shit came with deep gears
 
#63 ·
hydro462 said:
454, 9:1 compression, strong bottom end street camshaft, Rochester Quadrajet , Th400, 2.73....
I like having fun on the street with a strong, smooth running big block that starts right up when hot and loves 87 octane gas.

I see this all the time, folks gearing a big block like a small block while paying zero attention to piston speed....
Click to expand...
True but if they follow the gm formulas they can't go wrong. Gm put deep gears in alot of thier bb cars . Its personal preference. Not right or wrong
 
#64 ·
jeff swisher said:
I built a 388 for the Father-in-laws 64 El Camino he had a TH 350 I built also.
Fun car.
He got another complete rear end with a different gear in it.
It would take us 45 minutes to swap a complete rear end out.
One for racing and one for low RPM cruising on the highway.
Both 10 Bolts.
I only run the Ford 9" after I break the original rearend.
I wanted to keep the 57 Cheve 336 rear under the 57 as it hooked up well and 2 black stripes could be made if i wanted to.

But it only lasted me 6 months after i stuck a 350" into it with 305 heads and 268H cam.
Broke spiders or something in it.
I have a 3 more 9" Fords in the back yard and 1 8" from a 1965 or 66 Mustang with 5 lugs.

I do the swaps for reliability and on the cheap.
I paid $65 or less or free for the rearends.
I still like my TH 350 transmissions and one day I may go the OD path.
The way I drive the thing needs to be strong.
Click to expand...
Now hearing that is making me lean back towards running my sb stroker with the 10 bolt with 3:36 till it breaks . Man I can't seem to find a good ford 9" that'll work for me local and shipping them is high dollar .
Course that reminds me of good old uship.
I used to get smoking deals through Uship.
Find the guy that's already coming your way and has extra room and bam! Might get it moved on the cheap
 
#65 ·
Aml383 said:
Now hearing that is making me lean back towards running my sb stroker with the 10 bolt with 3:36 till it breaks . Man I can't seem to find a good ford 9" that'll work for me local and shipping them is high dollar .
Course that reminds me of good old uship.
I used to get smoking deals through Uship.
Find the guy that's already coming your way and has extra room and bam! Might get it moved on the cheap
Click to expand...
I got my quick performance 9" with 31 spline axles, Eaton trutrack, 11" disc brakes, billet ends for $2,200 to my door.
 
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#66 ·
Alwhite00 said:
I got my quick performance 9" with 31 spline axles, Eaton trutrack, 11" disc brakes, billet ends for $2,200 to my door.
Click to expand...
Yeah I know . My fingers on the trigger pointed at that same animal .
Its tough to beat that deal no matter what angle you try and come in from
 
#67 ·
Aml383 said:
Yeah I know . My fingers on the trigger pointed at that same animal .
Its tough to beat that deal no matter what angle you try and come in from
Click to expand...
I was going to build my own 9" but by the time I bought the rear, center section, disc brakes and brackets it would have cost me more.
 
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#70 ·
Jim Mac said:
some of these cars came from the factory with 4.10s. the original post said its mainly for around town, do the 4.10s and relive the 1960s! my 71 nova had a vortec headed 350, small cam, airgap intake 650 double pumper, M21 trans with a 4.10 12 bolt. it was a blast to drive around town. never took it on the freeway but that's why I have a daily driver for.
my 66 runs a M20 and a 3.55 posi, hitting the open road or I10 it feels like another gear is missing but it's fun the way it sits. jim
Click to expand...
I'm 410 with 3 automatic gears all day every day for 15 years in an 89 k2500.
Doesn't bother me a bit ..I like it .
30 inch tire but even so im deep
 
#71 ·
Verle said:
4L60e is common and are available to live with lots of torque. Is longer, requires shorter driveshaft, require electronics to shift. Shift from first gear to second is huge, almost 50%. First gear is 3.06, with 4.11 rearend effective first gear is 12.57 to one. I call that a stump puller. Unless your engine will turn very high revolutions first gear will be worthless. You will have to turn about 4000 RPM in first to keep revs above 2000 when shifting to 2nd.

Los of people run 700R4/4L60 style transmissions with no trouble but I doubt many have a 4.11 gear.

200R4 is less common and may be more expensive. It has better gear ratios if drag racing. Are available to handle lots of torque. No electronics. Same length as turbo 350.
Click to expand...
i'm running 700r4 with 411 275 tire we will see in spring as i live in ne
 
#72 ·
Verle said:
4L60e is common and are available to live with lots of torque. Is longer, requires shorter driveshaft, require electronics to shift. Shift from first gear to second is huge, almost 50%. First gear is 3.06, with 4.11 rearend effective first gear is 12.57 to one. I call that a stump puller. Unless your engine will turn very high revolutions first gear will be worthless. You will have to turn about 4000 RPM in first to keep revs above 2000 when shifting to 2nd.

Los of people run 700R4/4L60 style transmissions with no trouble but I doubt many have a 4.11 gear.

200R4 is less common and may be more expensive. It has better gear ratios if drag racing. Are available to handle lots of torque. No electronics. Same length as turbo 350.
Click to expand...
Oh for sure 4l60 gear spread from 1 to 2 as big as the Atlantic. 700r4 same crap.
Puke shift . I wouldn't put either of them trannys in anything and if fuel economy is a consideration in a muscle car then don't own one lol
 
#73 · (Edited)
Aml383 said:
True but if they follow the gm formulas they can't go wrong. Gm put deep gears in alot of thier bb cars . Its personal preference. Not right or wrong
Click to expand...
Oh, I think hydro is spot on, yet, any BBC drag car wants gear, and 3.76" baby rats can spin a bit w/o excess piston speed at cruise. 4" not so much, and at a stroke 4.25" you best be OD'd if you're deeper than a 3.50 and doing highway time.

ALOT of BBCs came with only a 3.31 final drive. ( with small diameter wheel combos tho)


Oh and PS, you "truckers" talking about your 30" tires, you ever fit one under a Chevelle? It'd look like crap even if you could tuck it in. 30" has alot of runout as compared to what most folks run on Chevelles. 25-28" diameter. A few inches is almost like +/- .5 in gear ratio, so tire diameter is critical to gearing.
 
#75 ·
Got a 66 ss right here. Stock 3:36 gear with original 14 inch rims.
Let's see if have this correct now given the new info provided.
If I put a bigger rim and tire on the car that would reduce my gear . I mean if I have that correct hahaha
 
#76 ·
I have ran 29.5 on my 72 Nova and 31 X 10.5 x 15 mud tires on my 78 Nova.
I made them fit though.

Aml383 said:
Man I can't seem to find a good ford 9" that'll work for me local
Click to expand...
Buddy had me build a 355" for his 76 Chevy step side 10.3 compression 252@ .050 cam 106LSA 3800 stall.
He busted his 10 bolt in less than 2 weeks and then rebuilt it and less than 2 weeks broke that one.
Hoosier Dirt track tires 29" tall 10.5" wide.
They would hook.

I told him get a 9".
He found an 8" with a full spool and I told him ya won't break it lets put it in.
Had to move the leaf springs in a bit so tires would not rub the springs.

He never broke it. He also drove it like he stole it.
Ran 11.50's. Truck weighed 3000 lbs without driver.

8" uses the same axles as some 9" rearends.
Stick a full spool in it and you just made it super strong.
 
#78 ·
How much difference does a "good" converter make as far as knocking down part throttle rpms? I've been driving around this 6.2LS/th400/3.27 and man are the rpms annoying even around town. Wondering if the converter is loose or the 3.27 wont let the converter lock up well.
 
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#79 ·
427L88 said:
Oh and PS, you "truckers" talking about your 30" tires, you ever fit one under a Chevelle? It'd look like crap even if you could tuck it in.
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I don't know Gene, I don't think my Big Red looks too bad. ;):cool:😁
Image
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#80 ·
It don't Darren! Looks perfect! I couldnt fit 30.5" tires under the 67.

My point was to AML's "confusion" and folks speaking to their 30" truck tires + 4.10s .... lets run some math, its what I do......... using the SPICER calculator let me run thru Old Red's setup 275/60/15 street 275/50/15 strip

STREET rubber 3.31 X 3000 rpm X 28" = 75.5 mph. On my squat "M50" slicks 3.31 X 3000 X 25" = 67.44 mph.

And I'll tell you, while it may not seem like much, you can feel the difference in pull driving around town.

Lets flip the math some....... if I was stuck with 26" tires....( G70-15) and " hipo" 3.73s ...... by putting 30" tires on - its akin to changing from 3,73 to 3.37 OR APPROX 10%. or around half the $3000 Gear Vendors 20%. Cuts 400 rpm off the cruise RPM.

TIRE ROLLOUT ( dia) MATTERS A TON. Therefore speaking to drive ratios w/o setting a fixed wheel dia is bad math, and makes for spurious comparisons. Its like TALKING POLITCS by God.

:D
 
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Jagshop1854
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