big controversy AOD OR MANUAL
- Thread starter zeusmoto
- Start date
HaggardGT
New Member
Would I be wrong simply stating that it's personal preference? Some of the fastest 'stangs I've seen and raced have been built AODs. A friend of mine has a 1923 T-Bucket with a blown 496 that makes over 900 RWHP, and he runs a manual valvebody planetary 3-speed. He races crotch rockets with this thing and roasts 'em. Personally I like my T-56.
I have a 91 notch with a built aod with manual v/b, non-lockup, and 2600 stall and I also have a 87 gt with a 5-speed. I personaly like the aod alot better. I can just be cruising and punch it and feel the converter hit and it just takes off. I ran a full sec faster then the stock aod and always get out of the hole before any of the other cars. But my 5-speed is kinda tired and i have never driven a built one like a tko so i cant tell you how they compare to those. BTW i got my aod from www.sr7performance.com built for around 800hp. Good price and service.
thanks a lot guys i am still a little confused about what to do. and i just dont want to go down the road in like 3 or 4 months and wishing i had did things differently so i guess i just want to do the best thing for my car and the funnest i mean shifting would be fun but running consistent 1/4s with a fast shifting aod would be awesome as well.
well if anyone still wants to try to convince me either then go for it
thanks
well if anyone still wants to try to convince me either then go for it
thanks
25thmustang
Mustang Master
Ok, I'll chime in....first off when I was younger all I'd drive was a stick. Now all I'll drive is an auto and here is why. Several times going to the track I'd get into a long line for the parking lot....one car at a time paying...the line was over 1.5 miles long....so after parking I though my left leg was going to fall off. A well built auto/stall setup will give very consistent repeatable performance and I'll gladly give up a little MPG and power to be able to concentrate on the road and other traffic.
If I were you I'd get a Lentech built tranny with a Manual/Auto valve body that does 1-2-3 with an OD delete switch. Then you can shift or not and enjoy it. Then you need to decide if you want lockup or not, lockup is great if you will be doing alot of highway driving...you'll get same MPG as a stick when locked up. With non-lockup you can build the AOD for much higher HP.
Good Luck, Don
If I were you I'd get a Lentech built tranny with a Manual/Auto valve body that does 1-2-3 with an OD delete switch. Then you can shift or not and enjoy it. Then you need to decide if you want lockup or not, lockup is great if you will be doing alot of highway driving...you'll get same MPG as a stick when locked up. With non-lockup you can build the AOD for much higher HP.
Good Luck, Don
I have an AOD in my car that I have now. I'm pretty sure it is sold as of monday. Here is why I sold it: There is no comparison between a 5 spd and an automatic (stock for stock). I found this out when I raced my friend in his bone stock GT 5 spd. He owned me.
I thought I would like the AOD, but with the costs associated with building it up; I can't afford it. I have driven a couple built autos (stall, vb, etc.) and I still find it more fun to drive a 5 spd, especially in a daily driven situation. JMHO.
I thought I would like the AOD, but with the costs associated with building it up; I can't afford it. I have driven a couple built autos (stall, vb, etc.) and I still find it more fun to drive a 5 spd, especially in a daily driven situation. JMHO.
The Shape
Founding Member
My car is a stock AOD. I have considered doing the swap to a T-5. Only thing is the few people locally I know with 5 speed foxes have been through numerous trannys and clutches where as my AOD has never given me a problem. ( It will start slipping on my way home from work after saying that LOL) Anyway I don't know if it just them or what, but the reliability of a T-5 worries me to the point that I haven't converted. Also I Don't race my car it is just a daily driver, so which ever tranny is in my car is most likely gonna be stock. I was looking at Jasper's website since they seem to be a highly recommended place for stock rebuilt trannys with a good warranty. I noticed that the AOD and T-5 were pretty close in price as well, so I don't see a price advantage with the 5 speed either. Also it seems to me like all of the truly powerfull muscle cars I have driven or rode in have always been automatics. A 70 SS Chevelle for instance or a friends 68 Camaro. Both are automatics in factory stock form and I assure you they aren't slow.
willys1
Active Member
Not to put anyone or anything down but,I bet you 90 % of the people who said they think 5spd's are more fun then aod's are between 18--25 years old.JMO. I have an aod with a PI 2800 stall speed converter 373's and a shift kit.Ive made 16 runs so far this year and have not lost a hole shot to any 5spd car yet!! ( Im talking guys with similar hp) Actually I raced a 2002 ws-6 trans am 2 weeks ago,and beat him to 80 mph.Im not sure how much a 5spd conversion is,but you can buy a bullet proof Lentech aod for around 2 grand,and that comes with a 9 1/2 inch converter.As far as bracket racing,automatics rule in that catagory.So pretty much it comes down to what you prefer.zeusmoto said:
thanks for all the help guys. and if you didnt already know i am a 16-25 year old male. i am looking fo the most fun and the best thing for my car..... i guess its just a decision i have to make on my own but.... like i said i dont want to regret anything....been down that road.enough said. so any more input would help ....so i guess i am looking for fun, not outlandishly expensive, reliability that will kick ass for the least money.
FOR THE DUMBA$$ES WHO LOVE MANUALS TOOOOO MUCH. (KEY WORDS = TOOOO MUCH) WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU HURT ONE OF YOUR LEGS? OR FEET? AND WE'LL ASSUME ITS JUST YOU, LIVING BY YOURSELF? TAKE THE BUS? CALL A TAXI EVERY TIME U WANT TO GO SOME WHERE? GIVE ME A BREAK!
YOU GOING TO DRIVE A STICK WITH ONE LEG/ONE FOOT?
YOU GOING TO DRIVE A STICK WITH ONE LEG/ONE FOOT?
k im not looking to start a fight between people. but with all the mods on my car. i have an estimated 1/4 of about 12 secs or maybe 11 if i get some control arms so if i had 11s with an aod should i convert it to stick or not.... what would be best? aod shifts fast. yet manuals put more power to the wheels with inconsistent shifts. someone just look at my mods and tell me what would be better, cause i have quite a bit of horsepower.... so please help!!!!
well I too love manuals. Stock T5's are rather weak especially on blown or high hp applications and after trashing one I went with the Viper T56 that is going behind my built 418 and then boosted 418 with 800+ hp. But to make a manual reliably hold up to 550-600+ hp is quite expensive. the Viper is the strongest out but it's 3400 ish for the kit, 200 for the shifter and if you really want to see the kind of power I am going to run it's another 900 for a twin disc clutch and flywheel to hold the power. Probably could have done a nice Lentech and been much more consistant and further ahead in the long run but didn't.
Now after saying that I bought my 92 and shortly later the AOD blew out of it. So I contacted a local shop to do a rebuild using upgraded parts and for about 1500 I had it built up with good internals, transgo AOD-HP shift kit with high rev govener (shifts at 55-5800) a Edge "Mild Street Edge" 2600 convertor and a hardened input shaft. Although not as much fun as downshifting on a manual, I really don't mind it and am somewhat impressed considering the car is a stock motor with exhaust, pulleys, and a CAI. With stock 3.27 gears the AOD ran a 14.2 at 97 mph on 255/45/17 street tires. So you can get a nice running AOD for 15-1800 bucks with the converter, and everything that will hold 450-500 hp pretty easy and gain a lot in the 1/4 mile.
here is some of what I have written on my AOD set up.
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=404870&page=2&highlight=aod-hp
Now after saying that I bought my 92 and shortly later the AOD blew out of it. So I contacted a local shop to do a rebuild using upgraded parts and for about 1500 I had it built up with good internals, transgo AOD-HP shift kit with high rev govener (shifts at 55-5800) a Edge "Mild Street Edge" 2600 convertor and a hardened input shaft. Although not as much fun as downshifting on a manual, I really don't mind it and am somewhat impressed considering the car is a stock motor with exhaust, pulleys, and a CAI. With stock 3.27 gears the AOD ran a 14.2 at 97 mph on 255/45/17 street tires. So you can get a nice running AOD for 15-1800 bucks with the converter, and everything that will hold 450-500 hp pretty easy and gain a lot in the 1/4 mile.
here is some of what I have written on my AOD set up.
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=404870&page=2&highlight=aod-hp
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