Is an Automatic really superior ?

I know its on going argument,but is an auto trans really that much faster than a 4spd. for the strip? I know its easier to shift a rachet shifted auto than a stick for the average guy ,but on a good day i can yank gears with the toploader pretty darn fast .Would my car be noticablly quicker with a boring auto?

 

This was settled on the drag strip in the 60s

 

Autos are more consistent.

 

What was the outcome ? I wasnt born until the mid 70's ...

 

I know they are more consistant and easier on parts for bracket racing ,but they use more ponies to operate than a manual dont they ?

 

No question as far as I'm concerned, Autos are definitely faster. Granted the trans needs to be modified with different valve bodies, clutches, and modified pump and accumulator. They shift faster and are more consistent than their manual counterparts. They can usually launch harder too with a transbrake and high stall converter. Not to mention that they're usually a lot stronger than the manuals. All the guys I know going REALLY fast (sub 10 seconds) are running autos, usually Powerglides.

Sticks are more fun though.

 

Powerglides!!!!!!!!! Two speeds, the speed of sound, followed by the speed of light

 

More consistant, YES, more fun, NO

 

autos may be faster but nothin beats bangin gears

 

So why do most Pro Stockers, Pro Mods, etc. run a clutch when they could run any transmission?

 

^^^^^do they use a clutch, or clutch-less manuals?

 

Thats a good point ,but i was thinking of more of the " high school Harry" type hotrod.No trick $50,000 dollar titanium parts .I meant a 4spd. with a good clutch at the hands of someone that can use it ,verses a 3 spd. auto or glide with say a 2500 converter and a shift kit.

 

Ive got both for my gasser , but I decided the Doug Nash would be a hell of alot more fun than the boring automatic. But that`s me . So it up to you . Gasserman

 

I always heard that 4 speeds had less drag and slippage (quicker), but automatics are more consistant.
How about checking the records for A/S and A/SA. I'm kinda curious too.

BTW, I just checked and Pro Stockers can't run automatics.

 

We're not talking Lencos, man. I'm talking your average 4, 5 or 6 speed against an automatic.

 

The racing automatic transmissions you described aren't you "average" automatic either. Hardened input shafts, transbrakes/valvebodies, 6500 stall converters, different gear ratios, etc are all pretty high tech stuff (and not cheap).

 

Because they tune the launch thru the multi-disc clutch for track conditions. Converters don't provide that option.

 

Here's what NHRA thinks. Stock (S) and Stock Automatic (SA) indexs.

http://www.nhraonline.com/stats/indexes_stk.html

Larry T

BTW, I've got 3 go fast projects. The 55 Chevy is a bigblock/turbo 400, one Anglia is a big block/powerglide, and the other Anglia is a small block/old DN 5 speed. So you can't accuse me of "clutch bias". (G)

 

i've got a purty slow '68 mustang, and it was definitely faster w/ the c4 auto, but i LOVE driving it w/ the T-5 stick now... even took off the nitrous and still way more fun to drive, just can't beat dumping that clutch with the rpms screaming... but if i was seriously racing, i'd want the auto back for sure.

 

Well a lot of the shifting I heard at Mokan could've been done as quick by an old lady. Back in the 60's we refered to it as grannie shifting. If you couldn't shift without lifting you couldn't cut it with a stick

 

i think what he was trying to ask is if a STOCK automatic is faster than a manual

 

Autos are quicker and the "Pro Stock" guys would run 'em but they can't run "any transmission"

 

In drag racing, it's the consistancy that's important, no matter what speed you're running....the ability to repeat your dial-in, run, after run, after run. No matter how good you are at throwing a speed shift, you won't be able to repeat it with the consistancy of a built automatic transmission. Go to any track and see how many automatics are being run Vs how many manual transmissions.

 

For what we're talking about here, an auto is going to be faster, and probably cheaper to put together. They aren't rocket science and you don't have to worry about any clutch setup which can be a pain.

BUT

Driving a stick is the only way to go. Even for drag racing. Take a look at these, I know the music SUCKS but the passes are fun to watch.

http://www.centexhotrods.com/vids/MOV01445-1.MPG

Go 40 seconds into this one.. skip the rest of it.
http://media.putfile.com/Another-BPA-Vid

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/B0731BB1-D1C0-4852-B9E7-E4F404501229.htm

 

Listening to that he knows how to bang the gears

 

As a thriteen year old boy I would tell my grandfather how it would be so cool to have a four speed for drag racing. His reply was "John always remember an automatic can think better than you."

 

Automatics are gay and yes if you got to let up you are shifting to slow. And yes you can shift faster, just like I told you in Mokan

 

the clutch is for take off only....so you can launch the car at any rpm you want.
there was also a version of a turbo 400 (called a clutch turbo) that used the same principal. use the clutch for launching and stopping...bang the gears with no clutch. that's the way a lenco works..but basically, a lenco is 5 mini transmissions lined up back to back.
i think for a street car, it's all a matter of preferance as far as transmissions go. with a stick, you can run any cam you want without having that dreaded low end bog. woth an automatic, you can run a big cam, but then you have to worry about a stall converter. i ran a 4000 stall on the street, and it was actually pretty hard on the trans. it got hot real fast driving around town.
i've always been an automatic guy (manual valve body, shift kit and stall converter). but, 4 speeds are so much fun to drive. 4 speeds are also harder on parts...especially if you like to do 5000 rpm hole shots.

 

Automatics are not traditional, it's that same as a guy using power steering on his street rod and power disc brakes..... why not add some billet to your auto shifter while your at it?

 

Wasn't the powerglide introduced in '49? Olds, Caddy...Hydramatics/Jetaways all through the '50s. Buicks...Dynaflows....

The "traditional" arguement has been beaten like it owes us money. Not to mention your post doesn't even make an attempt at the question at hand. Get a clue

BTW, what transmissions are your caddies running?