what trans to use for road race?

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Duster708 said:
9.3.7. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS AND HAND CONTROLS
Automatic transmissions are prohibited in all classes. However, the use of
alternative transmissions, including automatic transmissions, and/or hand
controls may be approved on a case-by-case basis. Such approval shall
be in writing from the Club Racing Technical Manager and shall be in the
driver’s possession at all competitions. (rules as of november)
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Thanks. That's a perfectly clear answer to my earlier question.

A Schumacher kit is the tidiest way to get the 440 into the A-body. You'll need to know if the 440 is internally or externally balanced so you can select a flywheel. You'll also need a bellhousing that meets SCCA explosion requirements. In addition there is, of course, for a clutch and all that goes along with that. And the transmission of your choice. You may need a driveshaft depending on the transmission you are replacing.
 
By way of those rules if your not disabled you have to run manual.
 
Manual trans with a close ratio gearset.

I was talking to Tim Herren a couple night ago that vintage races a clone 70 AAR and has put on track rental days for years at Willow Spring Raceway. He said the Tremec 5 speed conversions are a wider a spread than optimal. He's driven Mopars, Mustangs, Camaros, etc with those Tremec trans and was not impressed. He thought they were great transmissions for cruising around and dual purpose. And you can take one to the track and have a great time and all. But just not the optimal gear spread for road racing.

The close ratio gearset is 2.44 1.77 1.34 1.00 or 2.47 1.77 1.34 1.00. Most all 71-74 are this close ratio. And 1970 T/A and AAR with 4spd are close ratio.

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/transmissions/four-speed-manual.html
 
I think with a high stall it would be even tougher to control. Since you lose some engine braking, it would seem like that would suck for road racing.
 
StrokerScamp said:
I think with a high stall it would be even tougher to control. Since you lose some engine braking, it would seem like that would suck for road racing.
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That is why I was thinking gearing really would matter.

I still get good engine braking in 2nd gear--1st gear just freewheels but once driving fast there is no need for 2nd gear, even around a turn I can keep the speed quick enough not to need 1st gear--yet top speed is 125--130 before it hits a safe redline of 6,500.

I really, really like driving with both feet. How folks drive just using one foot for both the brake and gas I don't know. No wounder they bump cars ahead of them once in a while. I can brake while the other foot is just coming off the gas
 
I have been road-racing since 1960, and the small block Chrysler in an A-body works quite well. There are two brothers racing an A-body Cuda and Dart with the 4-speed and 273" in the Philly area in SCCA competition. There was an automatic Cuda permitted in the original Trans Am racing forty years ago, but the driver was handicapped. Many tracks have PDY events (run what you brung) that permit automatics, and the Lemons Series permit them as well. Using a heavy big block will never work well as the handling is miserable; we had a fellow show up in a '70 R/T Challenger with the 440 at Summit Point Raceway years ago, and the car was an ill-handling beast. A 340" block with aluminum heads combined with an after market aluminum close ratio 5-speed manual gearbox in an A-body would be a killer in road-racing and autocross.
 
thanks for the info guys, thats the exception part i really wanted to know. and how bad for handling are we talking, even with the thick firm feel bars?
 
You'll still be driving a brick with that big block. Seriously build either a late 80's-early 90's 360 (or 318) roller block or a mag block 360 (or 318) and don't look back. If you look up autoxcuda, he has posted up video of his 408 runnin strong!
 
Don't listen to the lose the bb and go sb... the weight diff isn't 500 lbs between the sb and bb...more like 100lbs

If you want to be serious and competitive your aren't going to put the motor in as per factory anyway, you'll want to center it in the car, which it isn't now.
move it back and down, and level it, not have it on any of it's factory set up..use a shorter custom oil pan.

I ran my car with a b motor, auto and gv set up, a&a did my trans specifically for road racing, cornering and pulling away and embarrassing super expensive sports cars were never a problem.
 
1970Duster said:
You'll still be driving a brick with that big block. Seriously build either a late 80's-early 90's 360 (or 318) roller block or a mag block 360 (or 318) and don't look back. If you look up autoxcuda, he has posted up video of his 408 runnin strong!
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416 :burnout:

340 block .030 over with 4.00 scat crank... About 130 mph/6000 rpm before hitting the binders down for turn 1

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTT--mGlpTY"]Spring Fling Speed Festival 2011: '68 Barracuda "S" - YouTube[/ame]
 
Supershafts said:
Don't listen to the lose the bb and go sb... the weight diff isn't 500 lbs between the sb and bb...more like 100lbs

If you want to be serious and competitive your aren't going to put the motor in as per factory anyway, you'll want to center it in the car, which it isn't now.
move it back and down, and level it, not have it on any of it's factory set up..use a shorter custom oil pan.

I ran my car with a b motor, auto and gv set up, a&a did my trans specifically for road racing, cornering and pulling away and embarrassing super expensive sports cars were never a problem.
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What class was allowed for engine movement? Any pics of the car?
 
I didn't run scca, they had entirely to many rules for what i wanted and what i wanted to run in scca meant a car that was always no more than 4 years old, basically i like the pro trans am series but not any of the new bodies, well until lately.

I ran mostly at bridgehampton while we had it, i was recently going to get into emra but haven't had time for any fun...

still have the cars, darts in pieces but the cars that work for rr are still together
 
so how did u build your 727 supershafts? and what races did u run in? im probably not gona go all pro racing just do a couple events here and there. and i figured if u just put the aluminum stuff on the bb itl bring the weight down enough.
as for modifying the car i dont look to change up the drive line angles like u did
 
I let Rick tell me what to do with what i wanted and how much power was going to it, i don't tell the trans guy what to do..

I never went pro racing, that = traveling i just liked having a mopar for road racing. . .
 
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