New to the Classic scene - tranny ?

moonenn3186

Founding Member
Jan 9, 2002
233
0
0
Dubuque, Iowa
I am a long time 5.0 stang poster - but recently purchased a 65 Fastback. It was an auto car - but has been stripped down to bare and brought back to life. My plan is to use the 5.0 carbed setup with a Tremec TKO.

Anyone have any info on the TKO swap? How about a T-5 install? Which is wasier and why would be great- but I will take what I can get!
 
congrats on your purchase. Getting harder and harder to find fastbacks, without getting raped.

If you're going to stay under 300 HP and Torque, the T-5 is likely a good choice. Reasonably cheap(summit has them for like $1150, plentiful, dependable (how many foxbodies have these things??) If you're planning on building a hot rod, you're going to need to go another route.

Right now I'm researching a g-force tranny as they are rated at 600 hp (way more than I can drive). The price difference isn't all that great really, you can get a rebuilt on their USED CORE for 1600 + shipping. Of course if you're not in GA, there will be no TAX! Yeah!!!

Good luck, enjoy your ride. These old beasts seem to need a bit more tinkering, but have way more personality and get tons of attention.
 
eric n said:
Right now I'm researching a g-force tranny as they are rated at 600 hp (way more than I can drive). The price difference isn't all that great really, you can get a rebuilt on their USED CORE for 1600 + shipping. Of course if you're not in GA, there will be no TAX! Yeah!!!
Eric,
Keep in mind the rebuild prices use the existing main shaft. My buddy went this route and snapped it ont he 3rd launch. 395rwhp. He now has a Richmond
 
gp001 said:
Eric,
Keep in mind the rebuild prices use the existing main shaft. My buddy went this route and snapped it ont he 3rd launch. 395rwhp. He now has a Richmond

GP,
Thanks for the intel.

The Richmond sounds like a hugely big dollar project, especially since I'm not highly wrench skilled or inclined. I know you guys at 2mff do all of your own work, saves greatly on $$$$$$. The G force seems like a good medium dollar version which is stronger than I need it to me. When I talked with the guys at Gforce they didn't seem to think my current 280 rwhp would be a problem with the stock main shaft. I am however thinking of running a little 125 shot of nitrous for those rate occasions I feel like out horsepowering my limited driving skills for very short CORVETTE killing moments of speed. That said they list:

UPGRADED MAINSHAFT

ASTM 9310 High Nickel Steel $295.00

ASTM 4340-300M Thru Hard Premium Alloy $495.00

Assuming I can get near 400 rwhp (for very breif moments). do you think the nickel steel would be sufficient or should I bite the bullet and get the PREMIUM ALLOY (Damn sounds impressive).

Again I appreciate the main shaft, but when it comes to turning my own wrenches I look like one monkey without a football in need of viagra.
 
gp001 said:
Eric,
Keep in mind the rebuild prices use the existing main shaft. My buddy went this route and snapped it ont he 3rd launch. 395rwhp. He now has a Richmond

GP,
Thanks for the intel.

The Richmond sounds like a hugely big dollar project, especially since I'm not highly wrench skilled or inclined. I know you guys at 2mff do all of your own work, saves greatly on $$$$$$. The G force seems like a good medium dollar version which is stronger than I need it to be. When I talked with the guys at Gforce they didn't seem to think my current 280 rwhp would be a problem with the stock main shaft. I am however thinking of running a little 125 shot of nitrous for those rate occasions I feel like out horsepowering my limited driving skills for very short CORVETTE killing moments of speed. That said they list:

UPGRADED MAINSHAFT

ASTM 9310 High Nickel Steel $295.00

ASTM 4340-300M Thru Hard Premium Alloy $495.00

Assuming I can get near 400 rwhp (for very breif moments). do you think the nickel steel would be sufficient or should I bite the bullet and get the PREMIUM ALLOY (Damn sounds impressive).

Again I appreciate the info on the main shaft and I'll definately look into the upgrade, but as per the richmond conversion, unless you know of some real cheap labor I'll go with the g force, cuz when it comes to turning my own wrenches I look like one monkey looking for a football in need of viagra.
 
eric n said:
GP,
Thanks for the intel.

The Richmond sounds like a hugely big dollar project, especially since I'm not highly wrench skilled or inclined. I know you guys at 2mff do all of your own work, saves greatly on $$$$$$. The G force seems like a good medium dollar version which is stronger than I need it to be. When I talked with the guys at Gforce they didn't seem to think my current 280 rwhp would be a problem with the stock main shaft. I am however thinking of running a little 125 shot of nitrous for those rate occasions I feel like out horsepowering my limited driving skills for very short CORVETTE killing moments of speed. That said they list:

UPGRADED MAINSHAFT

ASTM 9310 High Nickel Steel $295.00

ASTM 4340-300M Thru Hard Premium Alloy $495.00

Assuming I can get near 400 rwhp (for very breif moments). do you think the nickel steel would be sufficient or should I bite the bullet and get the PREMIUM ALLOY (Damn sounds impressive).

Again I appreciate the info on the main shaft and I'll definately look into the upgrade, but as per the richmond conversion, unless you know of some real cheap labor I'll go with the g force, cuz when it comes to turning my own wrenches I look like one monkey looking for a football in need of viagra.

Eric,
I think the steel would ne fine. I'll tell you what I told my bud, I wouldn't trust a used shaft in a performance car. You never know how the trans was "used". Could be grandma drove it to church and bingo, or it could be skippy drove it and did 5000 rpm clutch dumps every day to try to impress the ladies.

Good luck with it
 
65fastback2+2 said:
personally id go built C4 auto and gear vendors gear drive. Done right (about $4500 dollars lol) it'll handle up to 2000 hp which is id say plenty. Plus auto's have more accurate bracket racing times :D

FIRST, I'm sorry about the double messed up posts. I was at my gym, clients running in and out and quite frankly I just didn't realized I had hit the post button WAY BEFORE any editing or proofing (never enough)

The C4 sounds great, however since 2000 hp is about a poop more than I need, could control, have rubber for, have desire for....... I think I'll pass. Also I love catching a downshift coming off a hot offramp and hitting the sweet sport in the revs just right. Since I have missed a couple 2/3 shifts (MORE THAN A COUPLE REALLY) there is little doubt that I'd be massively more consistant with a auto and likely faster. That said, not willing to give up on rowing my own. Besides, Something sexy about a 5 speed in a classic. (GP, I'm just not cool enough for a six speed...ask my wife!)

Thanks for all the input guys, I kinda like this thread hijacking.
 
eric n said:
FIRST, I'm sorry about the double messed up posts. I was at my gym, clients running in and out and quite frankly I just didn't realized I had hit the post button WAY BEFORE any editing or proofing (never enough)

The C4 sounds great, however since 2000 hp is about a poop more than I need, could control, have rubber for, have desire for....... I think I'll pass. Also I love catching a downshift coming off a hot offramp and hitting the sweet sport in the revs just right. Since I have missed a couple 2/3 shifts (MORE THAN A COUPLE REALLY) there is little doubt that I'd be massively more consistant with a auto and likely faster. That said, not willing to give up on rowing my own. Besides, Something sexy about a 5 speed in a classic. (GP, I'm just not cool enough for a six speed...ask my wife!)

Thanks for all the input guys, I kinda like this thread hijacking.

you could do a 600 hp unit using a used c4 (rebuild it) for like $3500 ish. Plus, if you run auto, you dont manually shift it in bracket racing, you just mash the gas :D
 
gp001 said:
Ah...come on..... I'm all alone in the Mustangs with REAL 6 speeds club. I've tried to get Blake and Mustang70 to do it, but they're both wussies ;) :D :D :jester: :jester:


Hey I heard that! :mad:

If I'm wussy for not going with a 6 speed, I must be doubly wussy for still being stuck with a 3 speed (auto). :(
 
I just talked with these guys:
http://www.vts-racing.com/
They come pretty highly recommended as a quality shop on the west coast. They were all about doing a richmond. Cost top to bottom, BALLPARK 4k. Yikers

They didn't seem to think G-force was all it is being cracked up to be. That's a very different input than I have gotten from some magazines reviewing g-force as well as posters on some boards. Most seem to feel that with my modest HP a G force and new upgraded main shaft I'd be fine. .