Monkeywrench

Saw this article in Hot Rod magazine...
http://www.gearvendors.com/articles/...n02/index.html

http://www.gearvendors.com/installation.html

It's a device that replaces the transmission extension housing on your tranny. It has a solenoid that allows you to "split" the gears (basically engaging another gear) to give you overdrive in all gears. Great for drag racing but I'd think it would work well in 4th gear. The article states

So is this new? Is this the answer? Anyone tried something like this. For those of us who just want to get the RPMs down to a decent level in 4th this could be the answer..maybe... :confused:


[Modified by Monkeywrench, 11:51 AM 1/3/2002]


[Modified by Monkeywrench, 11:51 AM 1/3/2002]

zwede

The gearvendors OD has been around for decades. To me, it's not what I want. It costs as much as a Tremec TKO 5-speed ($2k), and you have to mount a button somewhere to engage it. For the same $2k I can get the tremec with a steeper 1st gear for tire burning fun, and a true 5th gear. The tremec also has internal linkage that shifts much smoother plus the tranny is all new, not a 30 year old Muncie with a $2k tailhousing.

Just my 2C...

ylose

but Zwede...we want apples to apples...
he is talking with an auto...not stick, your changing the topic to cover more territory in my opinion, and changing the CAR from an AUTO to stick conversion....where as this is out of site .....Zwede, I know what you mean about a Tremec...but I see a lot of people who dont want to sit a stop light with a lopy cam, 4spd/5spd and there 4.11 rear end in stop and go traffic......
................
so back to his question.......
is this idea better than a TH350 to 700R4 changover?
is it more or less involved of a changeover? they quote around $2,500(ouch)
I seen people add up all the costs of a 700R4 changeover and its close to 2K if I recall......I'm talking everything...parts, tranny, labor, shortened driveshaft, etc.

personally....I would love a overdrive that is an ON/OFF overdrive...rather than the 700R4 brake to get out of OD. Hit Overdrive in 2nd gear when driving through town at 30 MPH for 10 minutes .....??? I could easily by a ball for my pro stick that has a switch mounted in it...would be perfect.....

2K is kind of steep though.....



[Modified by ylose, 1:06 PM 1/3/2002]

mrvette

I sorta feel that if you spend near 2 grand for an overdrive, it's not worth it, in fact it would take 10 years to get that money back...

now having said that.....an o/d auto tranny is cheap, by comparison.....
the entire changeover for MY muncie ran me about 1300 bucks...total...of course I did my own labor...tail shaft 'shoe' mounting on frame, pedal mods...electronics, the works.....I even have the sender adaptor for computer car and mechanical speedo....

I just don't see the necessity for an add on o/drive unit these days,...too much junk out there to pull parts off of.....6 speeds etc....

GENE

zwede

Where does he say it is an auto to manual conversion? The way I read his question was if 4-speed manual + GV OD was better than swapping to a 5 or 6-speed manual.

ylose

oh...my bad Zwede ....my retarded brain then....I didnt know he was comparing 4-speed manual + GV OD was better ......my brain is so warped on the cheapest route to get OD into my th350.....(wipes drool)

Monkeywrench

This is for autos or sticks. The advantage I see here (and I'm stretching my limits on transmission knowledge) is that you would not have to modify the frame unlike installing a 5speed (from what I undersatnd). I agree a 5 or 6 speed is the way to go but if you could bolt on another 4 gears it might be worth it.

The way I'd use this (if I ever decided this was the way to go) would be to ignore it in all but 4th gear. have a switch that you flipped on the interstate for long drives. It's hell on the gas tank and the hearing roaring at 3300 RPM crusing at 75ish MPH.

Rockn-Roll

I've seen this at a high performance store. It was initially designed for trucks that usually pull trailers, so when you drive it without the trailer you don't burn up gas just driving into town. I looked at the tailpiece and it's huge, way too big for adapting to a muncie to fit under a vette...there's plenty of room under a truck for it.

The_Dude

Gear Vendors makes tail shaft housing for all sorts of transmissions. Take a look at http://www.gearvendors.com/cg2wdt.html , they show one for a muncie m21/m22.



[Modified by The_Dude, 2:06 PM 1/3/2002]