A855 - 5 Speed
I remember when the rumors started about this transmission becoming available. It was great to hear of an American built bolt in-NO floor modification 5 speed transmission.
I wonder where things went wrong. Was it that Passon had trouble getting reliable vendors to supply parts? Was it that he had some unreliable employees assembling these transmissions?
Hey KD! From what I know, my position being that of an extremely happy a855 owner, and to be specific and fair:
¹ The a855 has done everything great. Highway and around town, stop and go traffic, all of those circumstances, no problems with the transmission.
² On the drag strip, I don't really think much at all about hitting the gate for the next gear, where obviously the 2-3 shift may seem like 5th could want to take 3rd gear's rightful place, I don't recall that ever happening. The ENTIRE shifter mechanism, rods, even clips and washers are all very precise and VERY heavy duty. I "no lift shift" and although I have a rev limiter as insurance, the 855 and supplied shifter have been fantastic on the drag strip, and I use my original Pistol Grip no console shifter, the longest one of the 3 kinds made.
The "to be fair" part is I have asked occasionally for several years about buying what Jamie would consider the parts, gears, etc that I should have, given that I'm going to drive my car and occasionally thrash it, hard, and I have yet to get a list or any spare parts, despite my efforts. That's one of the reasons why I'm asking my 541 cu in builder for 700 ft lbs torque, as that is, and I've asked Passon more than once, a safe, conservative limit for continuous torque output. As I've said, it makes a little gear noise, I guess like the famous "M-22 Rock Crusher", not that I know what the M-22 sounds like, but with gears cut in a manner to handle that kind of power, I am neither surprised nor disappointed and definitely not disturbed by it. My Roadrunner is a cacophony of American Musclecar sounds, and when I can, I ride with open headers, and when I utilize the entire 3" exhaust system, the Flowmaster 40 series mufflers make quite the symphony themselves.
IT FITS PERFECTLY, and the outward appearance screams "beat me".
Also, to be fair, IF I should experience a failure, I have my 18 spline "Hemi" 833 to swap in, although that would really knock down my highway miles, because I swapped out my factory 3.54 gears to 4.10s and in 5th I turn 750 RPMs less w/that combo vs the 833 and 3.54s. I have already looked at Jericho and other options should the 855 succumb to the 541 on the 1320...
