High Altitude Camshaft Selection

[SBM4theW!n]

Also, how do you keep the bearing adapter ring in place? Are they just press fit, or do you weld them in there to keep it from falling out into the bellhousing?

 

[AJ/FormS]

Yeah the shifter will fit both. You just flip the front lever up.

I haven't heard it called a bearing adapter ring. It's just a centering ring to adapt the small retainer to the large O/D register. The ring is interference fit, in the bellhouse, so you have to help it in with a hammer and a brass drift. I had mine made in the early 2000s,at a local machine shop, and specified the fit. Now I see you can buy them pre-made.

AJ- sounds like you've swapped these back and forth a couple times.

Yeah, that's an understatement.
I was getting the RnR down to a science. Exhaust off,D/S off,Gear vendor off, shifter off, Tranny off, By myself (aluminum case). Drive-on hoist.17 minutes.
I can tell you what oil works, and what oil doesn't, and how to make the what doesn't work, to work.I know all the shortcuts.And I know how to slick-shift and still keep the brass for street-shifting.And I broke 3 O/D boxes with just 420 hp. So I'll be leaving those alone for a long time.
I can tell you that bar-none, on the street,the 3.09/direct 4th with 3.55s, and 295s is the maximum fun, with a 360 and a 230* cam. I've tried every other combo out there, and I've now stuck with this since about 2005 or so.And the 3.55s hit 110 at 6800 in 3rd, and they hit 93 at 6200 in 2nd/over .And with a starter gear of 3.55 x 3.09 =10.97, it takes off like 10.97/2.66 = 4.12s....That's a pretty sweet deal.Oh yeah with a cruiser gear of 3.55 x .78o/d =2.77; 65mph is 2236.Shazzam!!

 

[MopaR&D]

Lol now I want a Gear Vendors...

 

[Cudafever]

Lol now I want a Gear Vendors...

There tuff as nails and and well worth the price........
Had one on my 91 dodge diesel fifth gear, foot to the floor. 70 mph Max! GV and a 3200 gov spring. became a lot more fun to drive. raced it many time(just for fun) wouldn't push the clutch in to spit gears, just let it bang!
Put 20 thousand miles on it. before i sold it. the guy that own is now has has put another 30 thousand on it and pull with it every time it goes out. still running strong!
I can't afford another one, or it would be on my car yesterday!

 

[AJ/FormS]

They have one weakness; if you try to back up with the unit engaged, it will take less than 2 feet to turn it into junk, and the rebuild costs half of the current retail price.
They come to you with a little computer, and a farm-truck splitter switch. When you install the GV with these parts as directed,there will be no chance of damaging the unit..................
And you are right,it will break the tires loose at 80mph under full throttle with 275s, as you are racing towards the traps. The shifts are instant, behind a 4spd.

 

[Cudafever]

They have one weakness; if you try to back up with the unit engaged, it will take less than 3 feet to turn it into junk, and the rebuild costs half of the current retail price.
They come to you with a little computer, and a farm-truck splitter switch. When you install the GV with these parts as directed,there will be no chance of damaging the unit..................

Never hear of that? The biggest problem is that it hold a quart and a half of oil, and you forget that it needs to be changes. when the oil turns to tar, things fail!

 

[AJ/FormS]

I run my GV as a splitter. The GV comes with a little black logic-box of some kind; a computer I assume.Hooked up per their instructions, it was very slow;suitable or O/D only. I found that when direct shifting it with battery voltage it shifted like lightning. The shift button I mounted in my shifter ball;push-on/push-off.The GV logic-box prevents engagement in reverse. My direct wiring did not.SO,I put a little red LED under my tach to tell me when it was selected.
Well ONE time I forgot to look for the light before I backed up.Within 2 ft everything got tight. This being the first time this happened I didn't clue in, and just gave it a bit more gas. Bad move; Everything locked up. Then it clicked! Doh! And it didn't shift right after that, so out it came and off it went ,back to GV.Lesson learned. It's never happened again.It now has over 80,000 miles on it.

 

[MopaR&D]

That's awesome, the more I look into overdrive options the more I like an add-on unit like the GV. I would love to swap in a modern Tremec but that would be a "never look back" kind of deal; I like the thought of keeping my current trans and being able to swap the unit if/when I decide to put in a 4-speed, or even if I do someday put in a modern OD trans I can probably sell the GV unit for a good price as I can't find used ones for sale anywhere lol!

 

[AJ/FormS]

The truth is; as much as I like it, and as versatile as it is, and knowing what I now know;if I had it to do over now,I think I would prefer a close ratio 5 speed with a deep low, and a deep O/D. The ratios I now have are excellent, and I would like to keep them about the same;3.09-1.92-1.40-1.09-.78o/d. It's not the ratios I'm excited about, but rather the spits;.62-.73-.78-.71od. (GV Splits in red). By the time I add up all the cash I spent on my sdet-up, I coulda had a real nice 5 speed.
My costs include the GV,several blown-up 833od boxes,the 3.09 deep low, ratio set, the Passon maincase, the shifter & tunnel work, and the GV rebuild. See what I mean?The 5speed would have been cheaper.