I run a Pete Jackson gear drive in my Nova. They work great in a blown alcohol engine. I don't even hear it.
i've got one in my chevy. cheapie summit one, it's noisey as hell (just like the rest of the car) & i love it. if you can't hear it before you see it, what's the point?
A friend of mine also runs a Pete Jackson gear drive in this blown alcohol altered. The car runs 7.30s. They couldn't be too bad, eh?
If the sound of a gear-drive bothers ya, ya might not be a hotrodder..... Ya probably wear earplugs at the drags too.........