azZ06Mike

On a local Arizona Corvette forum we have a debate on what is easier to drag race with a manual or an automatic.

Several of the guys claim their automatic Corvettes are as difficult or harder to launch then us who us a six speed manual.

My experience with both is it takes more skill and ability to race a six speed then a point and shoot automatic.

With having to drive with one hand slip a clutch without bogging the motor and cutting a good light there is alot more to do then just lining up getting on the convertor and going and all your focus is on the light and the track.

I could be wrong but the reason 99% of drag cars are automatics are because of consistency and ability to just point and shoot.

I would wager to say if you put and automatic Corvette owner in a six speed Z06 he could not in 25 passes reach the cars potential.

I would also wager that if you put a Corvette owner in an automatic who drives six speeds he could reach the cars potential in 25 or less tries.

propain

Give me a reverse pattern manual valve body with a 4000 stall in a Z06 and it would easily beat any standing records.

Wulverine

A properly set up auto will be faster and more consistent than a manual.

Unreal

Auto will kill a 6 manual in a drag race.

azZ06Mike

Yes but what i am trying to get an opinion on is do you think it's easier to drive a manual or an auto?

Unreal

Auto. People are seriously trying to argue otherwise?

Norm_427

Ferrari doesn't even offer a manual any longer. I wonder why.

Porsche's "automatics", or PDKs, turn faster ETs than their manuals can.

The lowly Corvette auto is not in the same league as these trannies. Someday, I'm betting that Corvettes will get similar dual clutch autos of the European high performance sports cars. There is no way a human can shift as fast as the DCTs of Porsche and Ferrari, etc.

The traditional manual transmission is in Intensive Care and the Priest is reading the Last Rites. May manuals RIP.

azZ06Mike

Yes i have had to auto owners state their auto is harder or as hard to launch as a six speed.

D-Rod

Let them take your car down the track then make a pass in theirs. I think that will be proff enough.

Turbosixx

No way in hell an auto is harder to launch than a manual. I came from drag racing autos and now learning how to drive the Z. I don't have 25 passes yet, and I'll agree it'll take someone at least 25 passes to get it right.

reasonable suspicion

c7z

GARY2004Z06

Have never seen that proven yet. However, I would agree that an auto is generally more consistent and has its application in very high HP builds.

SS MPSTR

Had both transmissions in my late model F-body. Went from a T56/Mcleod Street Twin/Pro5.0 to a TH400/RPMVB/Coan 5000 converter/brake - both on a 500+ HP LT1 385 Gen II SBC.

The car took a ton of work at each track event to find the sweet spot to launch, with both transmissions, albeit the auto was learned much quicker due entirely to one less variable - the clutch. There is a lot more to think about in a stick car, and mistakes are not forgiving at all.

For those who say an auto is point and shoot have not really driven one in a high HP application - at least not an auto that still requires you to do something after the first 60 feet. Drag racing in general is not simply a "light turns green, hit the gas" affair. Put money on the line where consistency and predictability are crucial, and the attitude changes. It really is work.

I still haven't got the auto to run like it should because I simply have not been back to the track. I miss it.

Beach Bum

I personally think a bone stock 06Z with an auto and the right torque converter could run 10.50's in good air..... and maybe even quicker in that fall/winter/spring east coast Atco and MIR air.

The trick is having the right converter and of course enough tire to hold it. Most in late models put in a converter too tight for anything close to optimum et's. I think a converter that flashes up to approximately 4000-4400 rpm would be a very good compromise in streetability and performance in a C6Z. (This may only be a rated 3600 rpm converter)

I'm a bracket racer, if I want to be competitive on a consistent basis, I need an auto. (Granted on occasion I have seen manual transmission racers go some rounds, more times than not, there is a wrestling matching in the lanes by the other racers to get next to the guy with the manual transmisson ) I've thought about selling my C4 bracket car and converting my C6Z to an auto. But, RPM doesn't give away this service cheaply.... but I'll probably do it anyway.

propain

Has anyone put that setup in a Z06 yet?

Ill take one of these with a high stall and lets see... LOL

Mr. Gizmo

Point and shoot automatic MUCH easier to drive. With a manual there is a lot of things going on. both on Launch and going down the track.

Tire spin and general traction, there is probably not much difference especially in very high horsepower cars.

briancb1

Racing an automatic is way harder that racing a 6 speed. All you stick guys have it way easy for racing.

Think about it.... you have to press the brake and the gas pedal at the same time and watch the lights... Then you have to release the brake and press down further on the gas - and keep it there! Think its easy having to have your right foot down the entire 1/4 mile? It can get tired just being in one spot the whole time...

Its intense, hot damn. Sweating just thinking of all the pressure.....

subfloor@centurytrans

You can look at it a couple different ways - if you're talking about just basically getting the car down the track then yes, an automatic is pretty much point and shoot.

If however you're talking about competitive bracket racing with a high HP car then an automatic can be as challenging as driving a stick car with about the only exception being that you don't have to shift gears going down the track.

Speaking from experience I can attest to the fact that there's a lot required to be competitive - you still have to know how to cut a good light, how to recognize track conditions and adjust your launch according, how to do a correct burnout, how to stage the car properly, how to properly fender race if necessary, how to dial your car in according to changing weather conditions and what I consider one of the most important tricks - how to still win the race even when the other guy actually gets there first.

subfloor@centurytrans

You're pretty close - I ran 10.644 with what could arguably called pretty close to an automatic Z06. When I first put a stock LS7 in my car I also had a 3.42 diff from a Z06 along with a 3600 stall and went 10.644 on a day with pretty decent DA.

Beach Bum

Let me piece this together, it looks like you have a base corvette that you have installed a stock LS7 (With stock exhaust too ?), if so, your base model is probably a couple of hundred lbs heavier than my C6Z06.... hence, maybe not just a 10.5x, but also a 10.4x is achievable in a converted Z06.

If you're with Century Transmission down in the Houston area, I then assume you ran this et at HRP (Or Royal Purple or whatever its called now).... do you know what the DA was when you ran that et ? Also, do you know the flash rpm of your converter ?

If you work for Century transmisson, do they do C6Z auto conversions ?

btw, if your motor is truly stock, including the exhaust, that is a new stock motor + sticky tire record. (I think Ranger ran 10.7x or something to that effect) Granted, they won't count it because its a base corvette converted over to the LS7..... still very interesting information. But, I am assuming some information. Congrats never the less. .... btw, can you share your 60 ft and trap speed on that 10.64 et ?