Gear Vendors or swap for performance 5 spd OD?
Do you think the GV will fit without cutting?
That looks tight. I think it might fit, but I also think you're gonna cook the oil, better get the model with the deep sump. Personally, I would move the pipes for cooking room.
My goal is to save money on labor and equipment and prevent destruction on my car while enjoying OD with a 400 hp car
I'm not sure what your thinking is; $2850 is a lotta outlay that will take many many years to pay back.
A 400hp 360 is not that pipey. It will easily pull 3.23s or even less. Especially with an A999 which has ~12% more torque multiplication in first, and 6% more in second.
If you have a 360 making 400 hp; this means a cam of about 230/235 with matching hi-compression; and if a hydraulic lifter cam, or a worse a hydraulic roller,then you can pretty much forget about mpgs and the slower you rev it the worse it will be. That 230 cam will get better fuel economy at 2400 than at sub 2000. the 235 wants another 200rpm, but neither is any good at it anyway. The problems are threefold; the overlap, the tuned headers, and the lack of power cycle duration. You just gotta get the revs up on the hiway, high enough to get out of reversion, and that's the best you can do.
If you have a 318 making 400 hp normally aspirated, then forget about economy you will never get any. That's gonna take a really big cam, which is gonna dump pressure big time, and so require a hi stall out of the gate, and performance gears to carry it. So now you have two more economy killing factors. So yeah, in this case the GVod will get yur revs down, but it won't do a thing for economy, again because the problems are threefold; the overlap, the tuned headers, and the lack of power cycle duration.
Not in a million years would I push a 318 to 400 normally aspirated.
Have you considered the A999/ A998wide ratios and loc-up hi-stall TC?
I took mine out of a slanty case, that cost me nothing, and transferred them into a 904, for my winter-motor.. I used an old 2800TC I had laying around, but no loc-up in my case.
With 3.23s and 27s; 65=2600; and 60=2410.. badaboom! for me.
With 400hp on tap, you could actually run 2.94s and maybe a lil more stall.
2.94s are actually perfect for hitting 60 mph at the top of second gear, being 60=5470@8%slip, which is perfect for a 230/235 cam.
And 2.94s cruise 65=2374 in loc-up. also perfect for a 230/235 cam
Another nice thing about the 2.94/A999 combo is 30=1700@zero slip in second and
kicks down to 3500WOT in first...... supersneaky!.
I would run this with a 360 and a 220 to 225HFT cam, or a lil bigger with a solid, and a 2800 on the 220, 3000 on the 225 , unless you tighten up the LSA .
But your engine is already built, and I haven't seen the build sheet.
Just trying to help.......
