Transmission choice

[565bbchevy]

I also think the th350 is more than adequate to do the job behind the 301, the overdrive would be nice with the 200R4 but with your current gear ratio it is not needed.
And from what I have read and heard is the real world power difference between a th400 and a th350 is less than 10 horsepower but with a 301 engine I suspect that would be a high percentage of loss.

 

[Bonnewagon]

might be a tight fit in the transmission tunnel

I never even thought about that. Now that you mention it- one reason the manual trans shifter is mounted 6" forward of normal is because the trans tunnel is a tight fit. I tried mounting my shifter at the tail end but it was too constricted that far back. Thanks!

 

[455'ed80Regal]

350 trans gets my vote because it's a direct bolt in, is lighter than the other auto trans, and puts less parasitic drag on the engine.

 

[Longroof79]

Mark,
It looks like a unanimous vote for the TH350. Having low numerical gears like you currently have, overdrive is not necessary. Besides, it would lug like crazy.
I never thought about the resale factor with the automatic vs. the manual.

 

[Bonnewagon]

I agree Jack. T-350 it is. I remember some YouTube video where they left a car in a crummy neighborhood wide open with the keys in the ignition. It was a manaul trans car and when potential thieves saw that- they walked away. No one knows how to drive a clutch anymore! Now I need to start cleaning it up and change the filter. It has sat since I yanked it from the wreck. Then there is the choice of column shift or floor shift. I have an '86 GP tilt column w/shifter but I would need to swap the wiper switch from my current tilt column. I also have a Firebird automatic floor shifter and console I could use.

 

[Texas82GP]

I kinda hate to see you pull the stick but I can see how it would be a pain on the boat ramp.

 

[Bonnewagon]

And that's what it has boiled down to. I hardly use it for anything else so I might as well go for it.

 

[Longroof79]

Maybe the Firebird floor shift and console...whatever has less work involved.
I never would have thought having a stick would be a theft deterrent. But as you said, not everyone is adept at driving a stickshift car. I'll have to catch that You tube.

 

[MrSony]

TH350 with a B&M Quiksilver in a nice console always gets my vote. (yes I know it's an OD in the pic but its cool)

 

[Bonnewagon]

Just an update. I was thinking about back when I had a T-350 in my Malibu wagon. It was great for dragging a boat around. But what really made it so was that I had 3:23 gears out back. So what I did, was to swap in the 3:23's again, and I love them already. With a 3:50 first gear in my Saginaw 4 speed, this thing scoots around like a sports car. The overall ratio is 11.3 to 1. I can just slip my foot off the clutch and the car is rolling. It's like I can't stall the car anymore (give me time). So I will pull the boat out next month and depending on how that goes will determine whether I keep the manual or not.