top speed with 430's

Scott_95GT said:

True, there is no reason to "fear" 4:10's or 4:30's, but why gear a street car like that? My friend has 4:10's in his daily driver, and he has to be perfect to get a good launch. On the freeway, he needs another gear. Meanwhile, another friend of mine has 3:73's, has more ease when launching, has a good rev at freeway crusing speeds, and still keeps the car in it's power band when mashing through the gears. Sure, at the track on sticky tires, the 4:10 are slightly faster (2 tenths tops). But the 3:73's are better all around gears. But I guess some guys like reving around 3000 doing no more than the speed limit.

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Personally sometimes I leave my car in fourth gear when cruising at 65mph, my fifth gear at that speed is around 2300 rpms, I wouldn't call that over revving by any measure of the word, also when when it comes to launching on the street I can make use of my second gear and kill most cars or if I use it right i can utilize my first gear and beng second gear and I reach 60mph in less then 4 seconds. And like I said before on the freeway I still have a potential( I don't care if you belive it or not) speed of 167 and that's way more then any person needs. I have taken down many a street bike and many fast cars (saleen s281E) on the highway, so I see no reason that 4.10 should be thought of as some excessive gear, especially when something like a miata(usually considered the gay flagship) comes from the factory with 430's

is this thread over yet?

5spd GT said:

Why did you pick 138mph?

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I didn't "pick" that figure. That's what the MSP test results were. The speeds varied a little from year to year, but they generally stayed between 137 and 139mph.

Your car did not run 13.5 w/ 410's on street tires...and nothing else being touched...it isn't going to happen...

TRWXXA - It was just funny how you said they do 138mph and didn't have it quoted from anything in the original post...it was a generalized speed...that is why I asked why you "picked" it...

3k is to much for a daily driver if you want longevity...

The drivetrains in a boat are different...and you don't see them last 150,200,250k

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By the time your engine hits 150K, it's just about ready for a rebuild anyway. So, this argument doesn't make sense. Just because boats don't see that many miles, doesn't mean a thing. Engine wear in a boat is not measured in miles anyway, it's measured by hours. And, I've seen many boats with numerous hours and years between rebuilds while running at 3-4K rpm's and above.

430's gears is just a cheap simple solution to give you the sensation of power but the longterm effects are not worth it...IMO

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Really? I'll be running low to mid 12's on a very streetable naturally aspirated Mustang which is awesome in traffic, idle's at 1,000 rpms smoothly with a solid lifter camshaft, and cruises comfortably at 80 mph on the highway with relative ease. The best of both worlds? No?

Hey, "Need a fast car," you're thinking along the same lines as a lot of top engine/performance people such as Ed Curtis, Mike Dez, and Eric Laferrier. If you need steep gears, don't be afraid to use them. With today's advancement of technology and overdrive transmissions, you truly can have the best of both worlds.

Hissing Cobra said:

By the time your engine hits 150K, it's just about ready for a rebuild anyway. So, this argument doesn't make sense. Just because boats don't see that many miles, doesn't mean a thing. Engine wear in a boat is not measured in miles anyway, it's measured by hours. And, I've seen many boats with numerous hours and years between rebuilds while running at 3-4K rpm's and above.

Really? I'll be running low to mid 12's on a very streetable naturally aspirated Mustang which is awesome in traffic, idle's at 1,000 rpms smoothly with a solid lifter camshaft, and cruises comfortably at 80 mph on the highway with relative ease. The best of both worlds? No?

Hey, "Need a fast car," you're thinking along the same lines as a lot of top engine/performance people such as Ed Curtis, Mike Dez, and Eric Laferrier. If you need steep gears, don't be afraid to use them. With today's advancement of technology and overdrive transmissions, you truly can have the best of both worlds.

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Well saying 150k doesn't mean you need a rebuild...bad argument there...some cars need it at 50k and some at 250k...

Yes I know boat "mileage" is done in hours...I have one...

Boat engine and mass produced vehicle wear is WAY different...

I'm talking about 4:30's not your combo...my car run's low 12's and I drive it every day and get 20mpg (city/highway)...with 373's

Cruises at 80mph with relative ease? Mine does it easy...but I have lower gears ...I'm not worried about your idle...I'm talking about gears...430's is to much...it is useless and is a cheap way for the "feel" of power...

Your right Ed Curtis is a top engine/performance engineer...look at sig on how I know ...he gives you suggestions to go quicker not gas mileage...so why wouldn't he suggest a steeper gear...he seen no problem with my 373's and I've got a pretty hefty cam (.560 lift)...

Ask Michael Yount if 430's vs. 355 gears will wear the engine out quicker...he will even do the math for you...

Good Luck with your car...

All this talk about longevity of the engine and miles-per-gallon made me have to check to be sure I wasn't on honda-tech. The last thing I am thinking about in a race is engine life and fuel milege.

For a drag car, a gear becomes too steep when you run out before the end of the track. If you can't get traction, changing the gear is not the answer. The point is that it all depends on how seroius you are about racing, and what kind of racing you are doing.

There is more I cold add but I am tired, goodnight.

90mustangGT said:

All this talk about longevity of the engine and miles-per-gallon made me have to check to be sure I wasn't on honda-tech. The last thing I am thinking about in a race is engine life and fuel milege.

For a drag car, a gear becomes too steep when you run out before the end of the track. If you can't get traction, changing the gear is not the answer. The point is that it all depends on how seroius you are about racing, and what kind of racing you are doing.

There is more I cold add but I am tired, goodnight.

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Is your car your daily driver?

The majority of the cars in this thread are daily drivers...I'm giving a daily driver perspective to "uping" the gears and reasons why there is no need...I don't see no drag cars in this thread...do you?

Gas mileage does matter...it is a good sign of how your engine is in tune...I would rather get 20mpg than 2mpg...but I guess I'm a ricer for thinking that

the urine content of this thread continues to increase

5spd GT said:

Is your car your daily driver?

The majority of the cars in this thread are daily drivers...I'm giving a daily driver perspective to "uping" the gears and reasons why there is no need...I don't see no drag cars in this thread...do you?

Gas mileage does matter...it is a good sign of how your engine is in tune...I would rather get 20mpg than 2mpg...but I guess I'm a ricer for thinking that

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No mine isn't a daily driver, but not a race car either. I didn't say you were a ricer, but then again, what's more important when driving a Mustang, MPH or MPG? With gas prices as they are, yes you want decent gas milege, but I'd trade MPG for MPH or ET any day. Your right, engine tune has a lot to do with fuel milege, as well as everything else. If your getting 5-10mpg, it isn't the gear to blame.

90mustangGT said:

No mine isn't a daily driver, but not a race car either. I didn't say you were a ricer, but then again, what's more important when driving a Mustang, MPH or MPG? With gas prices as they are, yes you want decent gas milege, but I'd trade MPG for MPH or ET any day. Your right, engine tune has a lot to do with fuel milege, as well as everything else. If your getting 5-10mpg, it isn't the gear to blame.

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To a certain extent yes I would take MPH over MPG...(I went with the h/c/i route)...but I will not sacrifice my daily driveability for MPH to the point of getting 456's, fatties w/ skinnies up front, 12:1 compression, running race fuel, etc...to get those MPH...

My mpg has dropped a couple miles per gallon after adding the h/c/i...and I can live with that no problem...because the gain is much better than the loss in my eyes (which differs for some on the far left or right side)...

I took the Hondatech as a ricer joke since I was defending the lower gear ratio and daily drivers out there that do want "liveable" gas mileage and still get performance...

If this wasn't a daily driver I would probably switch to a higher gear...but then again I might not...if I was in your shoes I would...especially since you race the 1/8...I have a 1000' foot track (1/8 is included)...around here when we say "he" ran low 10's (the equivalent of low-12 quarter mile time)...that is how we talk...it is funny to say that these Honda cars are running 13's...like "what did so and so run in his civic?"..."Oh he got 13.1"...