Why the rush to slush boxes, I'm guilty too....

I had manuals in all the OT performance cars I owned (3 5.0 Mustangs, 05 GTO, couple turbo imports) and I could holeshot and powershift the hell out of anything. It got to the point with the Mustangs that NOT powershifting felt weird. One of the few things I can do well is straight line drag racing with a manual. I'm sure at the track, a built automatic would have been more consistent, but on the street, I was damn sure faster with a manual. I beat many evenly matched automatic cars.
None of my cars were faster than 11.50, though. Getting down into the 10's, you probably would be faster with a good auto.

 

Rich
I actually have one vehicle with 3 peddles. It uses a stock GM clutch and whoever did the clutch linkage in it did a superb job, real easy to push. That said eventually it is going to be too hard for me to push it but because of the kind of vehicle it is there is going to be no going to an auto.

That said I have designed a hydraulic hand clutch that will mount to the shifter and have begun collecting the pieces to put it together. When the time comes if I still have the old hooptie it will get that hand clutch. When becomming more crippled is inevitable you have to learn to make due.

my others will all have sluch boxes I'm afraid.

Someone popsted that some cars have slush boxes because of the laziness of the builder. I have to agree whole heartedly with that statement. It is just easier to slam one together that way.

 

I ran a richmond 5 speed for the first year after my coupe was finished. No way could I reach the motor potential clutchin an jerkin A 3300 stahl and a trans break (over 6 tenths faster) Stick definately more fun on the street

 

The hand clutch idea has come up on other threads before, I would love to see how one works out... I'd give anything to be able to drive a stick again.

 

I'll argue about this every time. Go look at the Stock and Super Stock records for manual and automatic transmissions. Show me the ones where the automatics are quicker.
Larry T

I'll help, here ya go (indexes).
http://www.nhra.net/content/about.asp?articleid=34598&zoneid=101

 

Even with my back trouble I'll drive a manual tranny 'till I can't drive anymore. When ever I drive my wife's daily driver 300-M I seem to cringe at every shift of the automatic .."Is it gonna shift one more time?" "When is this slippery mo-fo going to stop working?"
I absolutely HATE automatics! Even my O/T daily [HHR panel] was bought with a manual tranny and a clutch. I can actually fix it if it breaks without sending the car to some tranny shop and worrying about some body [other than me] working on my car parts...can't tolerate that.
If it gets to the point I physically can't drive a manual tranny, I'll drive an automatic but I won't like it.
My 34 ford has an engine that's hart to fit a manual behind because the parts are hard to find...an early Pontiac V/8. I looked until I managed to find a complete early GMC pickup stick setup. I can now bolt up a later Muncie 4 speed or one of my T-5, 5 speed trannys.....with early chevy pickup hydraulic clutch pieces. Yeah, it's a little tougher than bolting up an early 4 speed hydro but I gotta have a clutch!

 

When I get it together or closer to being together I'll let you know. Its a pretty simple setup but as with all things different it will need a bug or two worked out for sure.

 

One other thing to consider, if you're starting from scratch, a decent (new) 5 or 6 speed setup costs at least twice as much as a built od automatic.

 

maybe they should have let me drive.

 

I cant stand the auto in my truck, it works fine and has given me zero problems. Its th only auto car I own. Putting a stick behind a big block mopar is rather expensive so its taken me a while to get everything I need (with my budget). What Im running into now is the time to put a good trans together and start putting it in.

 

Or Ronny Sox.

I have driven and raced both standard and automatic. I will be the first to admit that I am not a driver in the strictest sense but getting down the track the average joe isn't going to shift gears as fast with a standard as they will with an automatic. It takes a lot less finess to run an auto that it does a stick.

 

I wanted a break, just about everything I had up til the 52 was a 5 speed. plus in NY traffic it sucks. I do run a true suicide clutch and jockey lid on my 51 Pan if that counts, with no front brake. Its joy on hills!

 

The majority of my oldies have autos in them, but the autos are mostly dual range hydros, and I don't see any issues putting them in the hot rod catagory. I like them because of the low 1st, giving you a hell of a hole shot. But another reason is that the fluid coupling absorbs alot of the torque, thereby easing the stress on the remaining driveline parts. Don't get me wrong, but 3,4,5,6.. speed sticks are great, but do require the clutch linkage.

 

I have only ever had one car with a slushbox in it, a daily driver. I bought that because it is meant to be easier to drive etc etc.
What bull shit.
All it is, is a way to make a car boring.
The daily I had before that had a 490hp 351C and top loader in an XD Falcon, the clutch in that sucker was HEAVY and driving it in traffic was incredibly painfull while I was recovering from my Para accident.
BUT
By god I loved every single second I was in that car, hell every manually shifted car I have ever owned were better to drive than any auto I have ever had the unfortune to drive.
Yeah but an auto may make you quicker at the strip........... WTF, seriously now I want to know how many HAMBers are truly that serious at the strip that it really makes a difference? How many of us have the 50-100g plus motors for that few tenths to really mean anything?
When my body lets me down the rest of the way, Ok then I will drive one like some of us have to, but until then I'm going to enjoy REAL driving by paddling that stick around, building up my left leg and above all ENJOYING driving!

Doc.

 

you are right. all my buddies and I had musclecars in the late 70's. none of them could shift worth a damn. all herky jerky... let up on the gas, push in the clutch, move the stick, let out the clutch and push the gas again.

the key is to never let up on the gas and clutch and shift in one motion. sometimes you miss one, but I never broke anything because of it.

 

More time to play with the kitty......

 

Oh yea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYg5mc1cwdo&feature=related

 

ive only started running autos because of a bike wreck in 05 left me crippled up and in constant pain.if it werent for that little bit i wouldnt have one in my cars.i like the feel of a stickand being able to pick my rpm when leaving from a stop.

 

That may be why MOPAR tried the bang bang transmission. the only way to shift it was full bore and crash it.

 

I love the original 3 Spd./OD in the Stude but both knees are shot and it just isn't much fun driving a stick in ANY kind of traffic any more so this Winter it's probably getting a 200-4R conversion. Hate to do it but it beats selling it or having it sit in the garage. In fact I had to leave the Rust Revival after only a 1/2 hour after driving 2 hours just to get there because my knees started hurting so bad and that was in my OT P/U with 6 way power buckets, tilt and cruise! Don't worry though there will still be a Stude mill in front of it and it will hardly be a "slush box". A friend owns a trans shop and they build killer GM OD's.

 

I think the biggest factor is not having to fabricate or adapt clutch linkages,...which can leave more room for exhaust, and plumbing runs........... 4TTRUK

 

Under those circumstances I think we can all accept the change to an Auto, I can understand the knee pain and sympathise.
At the same time I am thankful (And feel bad for thinking it) that I only have to worry about one knee and not both, at least its not the clutch side!!
Doc.

 

In here most cars are Japanese or European and most of them have manual transimissions. As a kid I always considered an automatic and a 3-passenger front seat a cool feature that's characteristic for American cars. Manual can fit well in a hot rod or a work truck, but if it just some way is suitable with the style of the car (obviously you can't build very authentic "gow job" with an auto.), I choose automatic over manual anytime.

 

SoCal traffic and my slushy are a great combo.

 

Don't feel bad for thinking it Doc, I'm happy for you that's it's only one!

An ancient wise man once said, "If I'd had any clue I was gonna' live this long I would have taken better care of myself."

 

When i first started collecting parts for my build a 4 speed muncie was my first choice. Fast forward a few years later and the arthritis in my knees is so bad that i not only have trouble walking but i sold my daily driver because i couldn't push the clutch pedal in. Sometimes you have to do things that you don't want to. At least with an automatic i will still be able to drive my car.Scott

 

Ditto!

 

My current project is a slush box because it came that way. And unless I have to pull the motor it will stay that way. It is more of a custom/cruiser than a rod. But I prefer a manual. If I can my next one will be a real transmission. Though I do have a switch pitch th400 waiting for a project.

 

Let's see, you punch an automatic and hold on to the wheel with two hands, Hit a stick to shift...(or) You drop the clutch, hold on with one hand, one hand on the shifter and actually moving (shifting) it while coordinating the clutch pedal, gas pedal and revs, that's racing fellows, ANYONE can point an auto car down the track, not EVERYONE can row through gears.

 

My reasoning is a bad leg due to a wheel bearing freezing up on an old Harley back in 1974,,compound fractures and old age catching up with me now.

My '32 pickup has a automatic as does my '32 coupe,,my sedan has a 3 speed and I rarely drive it anymore because it just plain hurts to push the clutch. HRP