[EXracer4speed]

For you 4 speed guys How do you like your 1st gear? Anyone ever try both? Thanks

 

[mustangboy]

I have driven both in a mustang..The close ratio pretty much sucks for getting the car moving from a dead stop unless you have some very low rear end gears...I would imagine it would be even worse in a heavy car like a galaxie..

 

[RAGGAREN]

i have not tried both in my galaxie...
but i converted mine from crusi-o-matic to 4 spd close ratio...

i had 3.00 gears in rearend...it was like taking of in 2nd gear...
switched rear gears to 4.11 and now i have sweet take of in 1st gear...

but not so good at highway speeds........

wide ratio would be more manegable for both worlds...

3.50 gears and a wide ratio, would make for a good combo.....

 

[EXracer4speed]

I have a strange center section with 4.11s and planning on using 28-29" bias tire. I've got my eye on a CR with a 1 3/8 input.

 

[ToddZC]

I have a wide ratio top loader and 3.5 rear gears in my 63 and I love it. Great acceleration in first gear and good cruising rpms. For me and what I want my car to be, i.e. a good street driven that will still perform well at the strip, it is a perfect combo.

 

[Minn64Gal]

My search for a '64 Gal included it being a 4-speed car. That said, I do relish the wide ratio + 3.50 gears for those occasional times when I admittedly feel too lazy to shift-shift-shift while wifey and I are out getting a burger. I think I've gone down to about 10 mph (still in 4th) -if I time traffic lights right....and she just glug, glug, glugs right back up to traffic speed w/o any shifting when the light turns. You get funny looks from the farting Hondas next to you, egging on the ole man.
Mine gets babied though ....since I am now a "blue hair". Matches the car color.

 

[EXracer4speed]

Thanks for the comments guys....

Minn, i was on an adventure to find a 4 speed xl myself, but couldnt pass up on my unrestored survivor.

If i decide to do a weekend thing, i can trow the 3.00s back in.

 

[Minn64Gal]

A find like yours woulda made me break my "gotta have a 4spd" criteria too!

IMO, build up a decent 3.50 "spare" and you'll have the best of both worlds (concurring with what was mentioned by another in this thread). Since you're gonna add tall tires down the road as well, those 3.00s are really gonna feel like you're driving over a wheel chock when you start out, lol. (certainly compared to 4.11). Even my 3.50s do that a teeny bit, but I know I need a new clutch and the driver needs more "seat time". Plus, the last stick I owned was my '85 5.0 stang, a totally different feeling take-off than a 2-ton Gal.

I'm still experimenting with various seat positions and so forth to try to get it where my clutch leg and shift arm are both comfy. I even added spacers all around on the seat tracks and had the bench seat re-sprung. I just need to grow another 4", that's all!

Happy shifting regardless of your ratio ! Norm

 

[EXracer4speed]

LOL i hear ya on the wheel chock thing. Ill be able to idle at 25 mph in first.

I cant wait to let go of that clutch, for the 1st time. Something about a land barge and rowing through a set of gears......

 

[Minn64Gal]

Oh yes, once you do you'll be smitten! During long cold winter days (and you're 'jonesin'), Wifey will have to holler out to the garage to coax you in for supper .....while you sit in the car 'shifting', and drifting away.

The att'd pic is of my buddy Tucker 'rowing the gears' while I 'work the pedal' ...on one of those such days, lol.

Enjoy! Norm

 

[PSIG]

For you 4 speed guys How do you like your 1st gear? Anyone ever try both? Thanks

Keep in-mind the purpose of each. Wide-ratio allows a selection of deeper gearing when required. Close-ratio allows the driver to keep the rpms in the best range for the engine, but in a fairly narrow band. So, in a general sense, wide-ratio is for driving, and close-ratio is for racing. Consider that drag and road racing cars only pull-away from a stop once during the whole race.

David

 

[ScottURnot]

We are installing a wide ratio with a 3.70 rear, we will see how it works.

 

[dennis112]

Keep in-mind the purpose of each. Wide-ratio allows a selection of deeper gearing when required. Close-ratio allows the driver to keep the rpms in the best range for the engine, but in a fairly narrow band.

This is good stuff! :tup:

Personally, I am fond of using the wide ratio tranny on the majority of street cars, especially in a heavy vehicle that needs to do a lot of traffic light stops. On the other hand on a hilly windy back road, a close ratio is awesome in any ride. If all you do is highway cruise, their isn't much difference since they both have the same 4th speed gear.

So, in a general sense, wide-ratio is for driving, and close-ratio is for racing. Consider that drag and road racing cars only pull-away from a stop once during the whole race.

In a racing sense, I prefer to look at it as close ratio is more for road racing and wide ratio is more for drag racing. I wouldn't do so well in the 1/4 mile drags with the close ratio 2.32 first gear, generally speaking.

 

[ScottURnot]

Nevermind, figured it out

 

[dennis112]

Recount the 2nd gear teeth. I believe that there is a mis-count=you should get either the 28 or 31 teeth. First gear is 32 teeth (as a matter of fact, it is the same exact gear in both-the cluster determines the 1st gear ratio.)

Otherwise post a pic of the gears with the cover off.

 

[ScottURnot]

Recount the 2nd gear teeth. I believe that there is a mis-count=you should get either the 28 or 31 teeth. First gear is 32 teeth (as a matter of fact, it is the same exact gear in both-the cluster determines the 1st gear ratio.)

Otherwise post a pic of the gears with the cover off.

Thanks, I did somthing really stupid, Had it on the bench and installed the 1st/2nd shift linkage on the bottom instead of top. I was actually counting rotation of second and teeth of first, duh! Its a wide ratio, now to the real questions.

How do you think it will act with the 3.70 rear?
Car is a 69 so she is a toad.
Stock engine for now but building a fuel injected 351w with pro comp heads and 10:1 pistons, nice little cam.
What kind of RPM's will we be winding on the hiway? We have Decent tall tires in the rear, like 28-29"
The gears seem pretty steep on the hiway with the auto.

 

[dennis112]

How do you think it will act with the 3.70 rear?
Car is a 69 so she is a toad.
Stock engine for now but building a fuel injected 351w with pro comp heads and 10:1 pistons, nice little cam.
What kind of RPM's will we be winding on the hiway? We have Decent tall tires in the rear, like 28-29"
The gears seem pretty steep on the hiway with the auto.

Sorry, I don't know anything else about your "toad" other than it's heavy.

Irregardless, the WR should seem faster accelerating than the auto as you have a decent 1st gear to get moving and you also will have an extra gear that allows you to stay in the power band.

Generally, a high numerical gear will help accelerate a heavy car better than most motor upgrades. A 3.70 will be somewhat steep without OD, but can be tamed somewhat with the tall tires. If you already have the tall tires and 3.70 gear, the car will still feel the same as the C4 when in 4th gear.

Something like 2500rpms with the 28" tall tires @ 55 mph. 2800rpms or so @ 65mph.

You can play around with this calculator once you measure your actual tire height: Wallace Racing - Calculate Speed for given RPM, Rear Gear Ratio and Trans Gear Ratio

 

[EXracer4speed]

with pro comp heads .

Do yourself and your country a favor, buy an American casting. You'll thank yourself later. A lot of these Chinese junk knockoffs have to be gone through and have been known to drop valve seats.

IF you need something cheap, buy used there are plenty around.


Btw I've opted to get a wr built with a 1 3/8 input. Even with 411s. 4k pounds is tough to move.

 

[ScottURnot]

Do yourself and your country a favor, buy an American casting. You'll thank yourself later. A lot of these Chinese junk knockoffs have to be gone through and have been known to drop valve seats.

IF you need something cheap, buy used there are plenty around.


Btw I've opted to get a wr built with a 1 3/8 input. Even with 411s. 4k pounds is tough to move.

Thanks for the advice, hope I dont regret it, trying to stay somewhat on a budget, this is my 15 year olds car. I have read a lot of good and bad stories on procomp heads. I did have them completely gone thru and checked out by a specialist. FWIW, I bought a set of Ford motorsport heads off of a nascar qualifying motor for my 351C, so I hear where you are coming from.