Tough 4 Speed Recommendations........Strange Bird to Lose the Slushbox?

I am getting ready to pull the motor out of the Strange Bird to bring it back to life....and I'm seriously thinking about tossing the slushbox aside in favor of a tough 4 speed. Not only will it be more fun to drive, but the sound and hero factor on the strip would be greatly improved haha. Yes, I am nuts.

So.....to all the HAMB transmission guru's out there..... What's the best 4 speed to stick behind the big blown 401 Nailhead?

 

Ford Toploader from about 1965+/-. Or a Muncie can be made tough. Of course if you can find a Hemi four speed then it'll be golden.

 

Not sure if I will be pilloried here but...Jerico?

Would be more than tough enough plus designed for clutchless shifting.

P.

 

I remember reading about these guys http://www.transmissionadapters.com/Buick%20Bellhousing.htm
Whether it can handle the awesome power of Strange Bird....

From the web page:
This bell housing will allow you to bolt a Muncie 4speed/Borg-Warner T10/Saginaw3 and 4 speed or any other manual transmission that uses the common GM bolt pattern to your Buick nailhead engine.\

At least you have some options to choose from

 

I would also go with the top loader

 

Bigblock toploader or Jerico

 

x2^^

 

LENCO
toploader

 

needs a very light clutch

 

! I recommend G-Force
We use them in are Big 409 Cars N/SS Drags and work Graat

<!-- content area --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD><TD cl***=stdFont vAlign=top><SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="js/javascripts.js"></SCRIPT><TABLE height=609 cellPadding=0 width=674 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=458 height=589><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=457 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD cl***=stdF vAlign=center width=210>
The G-Force GF-5R 5-Speed
Transmission is shown above
with the Long VN-1000 Pistol
Grip 5-Speed Shifter. </TD><TD cl***=stdF vAlign=center width=10></TD><TD cl***=stdF vAlign=top>The GF-5R transmission has a wide range of applications. Some of these often include: drag racing (both clutchless and clutch ***isted), road racing, off road, and street/strip vehicles. Like the G-101, this transmission can be used as a 4-speed if an overdrive is desired, or a 4th gear if 1:1 is not adequate. This transmission also has many custom applications which may include: dragsters or roadsters, import vehicles, salt flat vehicles, and open road racing. The possibilities for using this transmission are virtually endless.Like all of our models, this transmission comes with your choice of a Long H-Pattern or Vertical Gate shifter. An air shifter can be specified as optional for drag racing applications as well. </TD></TR><TR><TD cl***=smallFont colSpan=3> </TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=3>Other available options for this model are REM® micropolished gears, needle bearing output (with includes Mark Williams hardened yoke), and a torsion bar. The torsion bar option is essentially what it sounds like. This is a long bar that runs through a hollow countershaft. This bar is connected to the input drive set at one end and to the rear of the counter shaft at the other end via splines. The idea behind the torsion bar is that the power transfers through this bar and consequently twists it slightly, but only for an instant. This power is then transferred to the counter shaft itself (the outer tube), thus driving the vehicle forward. This twisting action helps relieve some of the impact that normally gets transferred directly to the gears. This option is mostly utilized in considerably heavy cars (generally 3,000 lb. or more) or cars with a very "stiff" clutch. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=458 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Most drag racing clutches today need only a few hundred pounds of pressure to perform well. The more the clutch pressure, the more impact that transfers to the gear teeth. The clutch technology utilized in a vehicle is largely dependent upon the type of transmission used. When using a high performance transmission such as the GF-5R, it is very important to consider these things. The GF-5R 5 speed transmission is most definitely a high performance unit. This transmission has benefited from years of development and has proven its' worth in the realm high performance. With proven excessive horsepower handling capability and low price as compared to its' closest compe***ors, it is without question the best value in 5 speed racing transmission technology.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

Wasn't the T10 offered behind the 401? For esthetics, that gets my vote.

Bobg

 

You said "best", not "best traditional", so if you want the best drag transmission for your application I'd have to say Lenco. They are tough, simple, easy to adjust ratios, and simple to maintain. In your application you'll never make enough HP to hurt it. And with the blower you'd want clutchless shifting. I guess the best traditional box would be a modified toploader - and spare parts. Not everyone can bang an old factory style box like Grummpy!

 

In order: Lenco, G-Force, Jerico, Liberty, T10, Mopar.

 

ClutchFlite, search threads.

 

It's a Ford with a Buick engine. Add a Chrysler transmission to the mix.
May end up with a sweet little car that has real iden***y issues though.

 

I am the last person in the world to claim I am a transmission Guru but if life's teachings count for anything I believe the best traditional transmission bang for your buck is the Ford top loader. HRP

 

Nope, not pilloried at all - it's based on the Toploader & traditional enough.

If you want an OEM transmission, it's the Toploader, no question. Used by NASCAR until Jerico came out with theirs. The big Jerico advantage was different ratios.

If you want aftermarket or high-tech - any of the above mentioned (except Muncie - wouldn't waste my time)

 

Sorry guys let me clarify............BEST OEM transmission. Era correct would be cool too. I realize the Lenco and Jerico are awesome, but not right for what I wanna do. Looks like a top loader is the way to go.......

Thanks!

 

You two! Hush! lol.....

My 61 Falcon's got a Mopar mill, Chevy solid axle, and is getting a Clutchflite as soon as i can get my hands on the ****tershield. Might have to rethink that big Frankland quickchange, once the clutchflite's installed.... anyone with a dana 60 wanna swap?


Strange bird needs an 833 Mopar unit. They truly are tough as hell.

-rick

 

Yep...

Super T10 is the one I'd go for. And it's the easiest to deal with bellhousing wise.

 

Clutch operated Jerico. The clutchless (split slider) version will be tough to get the clutch right to make the trans live in your application. I put about 300 hits on a Jerico in a 3500# O.T. street car with a 509 and a plate. I sold the trans and it's still being beat on.

 

Which ever trans you decide on you need to invest in a good adjustable clutch.I have been racing my 4-speed,65 Comet since 1967,have used many different clutch combos over the years.I switched to a McLeod Soft-Lok about three seasons ago,made a HUGE difference,plus I don't break drive line parts!!I use a Jerico and use the clutch to shift. ROY.

 

Scotty, Remember my AutoGear M21? Super Case, Super Tail, Iron mid-plate, Muncie appearance and NASCAR tough. Still about $1800 for M20 or M21, including the OD unit I have and a few hundred more for the M22. Talking to their rep when I bought mine, I couldn't coax a tourque rating out of them, but he snickered at me suggesting 550 lb/ft and said 750 didn't cause him any lost sleep. He just said they were much, much stronger than the originals.

 

The Top Loader is a great choice, real Hot Rods are Stick shifted.

 

i use to live my this.. but since i shatter'd my left leg.. iv been de nutted.. and am forced to stick with autos.. ****s..
chris.

 

Jerico and become a real hero, granted a lot poorer. Superman status would be a Lenco.
Just found out they still make the clutch turbo???????

I run the Super T-10 myself. 2:88 first gear.

 

nother vote for the toploader. go for the HEH code if you can find it.

 

Back in the day I used to build Ford Top Loaders with Liberty Gears Syncro in First only all shifts by banging into speed limiter or a fast dump off the throttle and back on we used them on drag cars and NASCAR cars also also did a 2:35 first by cutting the counter shaft off of a three speed truck trans and e-beam welding it to the countershaft of the top loader.

Kevin

 

oh Sorry Top Loader Only all the rest not worth the time Especialy Munce or any other BM Trans

 

I've got new supercase muncie with M-22 cut gears in M-21 ratios and it's rated to 700HP. It is nice. Has a Ductile midplate etc.

https://www.5speeds.com/store/html/4speeds.html

Nice frickin ******