I love manual transmissions, but I know two guy's (my brother's C4 and a buddy of his's TH400) that have full manual valve body auto's. So which do you think is better for a rod?
A properly built auto will always be better(faster) for drag. A manual will always be more fun to drive.
The full manual auto is a super simple install. No clutch linkage or pedal. But the available shifters ****. IMO I like Gennie shifters becasue they are kinda gated and they could work with a full manual reverse valvebody (only way to fly with a manual-auto). But I don't know how long one would last with constant shifting.
I am a little biased, given my recent purchase of an M21, but I have driven full manual valve bodies on the street quite a bit. I do enjoy it, but it isn't really intended for shifting in such random conditions as you see in daily driving. Let's face it. it really is about WOT drag racing. You can baby a stick when you want, but an auto with a manual valve body always lunges when it shifts. It get's old after a while. If you go with an auto, set it up with a man/auto valve body so it does what you say if you want and works normally otherwise. That said, real hot rods have 3 pedals....
usually T buckets are pretty awkward to drive....putting a manual trans in one would make it a real challenge! Make sure you could actually have room for a clutch pedal, and be able to use it, before going manual. Might turn into a car you don't want to drive, if you're not careful.
There are valvebodies (mods) that can be a manual shift when run through the gears and fully auto when left in "drive" - best of both worlds on the automatic side of things. Me personally - if I'm going to drive it a lot and in traffic - it'll be auto, if it's a pure toy that only comes out on nice days - a manual is fine...
I love driving a manual but since my T coupe is the first rod I've ever built I'm putting in an automatic with manual valve body and ratchet shifter. It would be tricky to fit that clutch pedal in the T and this way I still get to run it through the gears.
Neither my brothers, nor his friends, truck (one is a 575hp 418W powered Ford Ranger, the other a 550 hp 526 Cadillac powered S-10) lunge when shifted at part throttle. I've ridden in both at all different throttle actions and they're not bothersome at all.
Look up B&M for their shift kit made for racing. Its cheap and like the above said that when you want to shift it you can and when cruising leave it in drive. I like the auto because sometimes I'm lazy. Had both their shifter and kit in everyone of my cars never had a problem. If you want to race make sure you get a shifter that will p*** safety inspections some are not legal in cirtain circuits.
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