Druo-Z28

I recently got a Z28 with a 350 TPI, but its automatic, do i have any chance in races with an automatic? Is there anyhting that can make an auto shift as well as a manual? I really could use some tips on the subject...

What it comes down to is my car a junker or a keeper?

Mark A Shields

Welcome aboard,
and let the arguing begin.

To me, and some other, autos are best for 1/4 racing, because you get consistency. Manuals are better for autoX. You can get a shift kit for firmer shifting, but the only REAL shift kit, is the TransGo reprogramming kit, this actually fixes problems in the 700R4 and will firm up shifts, while other kits only mask the problems. Go to the tranny board if you want more detail or PM transfixleo ( the most knowledgable guy I know w/trannies.)

I'd say your car is a definite keeper. Just needs some minor mods. That is of course if you have money. I'd get complete exhaust, TC, gears in that order. Depending on what gears you have now. But still your car will be in the 14s depending on the condition of your car. The first thing to do is a tune up if you haven't.

I also, if you like the shifting part, get a B&M Megashifter ( I can go into further detail) ratchet action so you don't miss a shift. And picture if you would like.

Druo-Z28

What do you mean by that? In complete exhaust im guessing cat back change, which im having done this weekend to high flow cat and a flowmaster 80 series 3" in 2 1/2" out. My main question is What is a TC?

iroc22

I couldn't agree more with you. Oh and Druo-Z28, a TC is a torque converter.

Druo-Z28

Anyone know the prices on the TC and the Shift Kit? Money is sort of an issue, but i dont wanna buy cheaper parts jsut because i dont have the cash atm, id rather wait till i had enough for the quality stuff...
ALso my rear end, and drive train are not stock, got Junk Yard numbers on them so i need to find out what they are...

Ions91Z28

I agree with the above as well.

Drag racing if your really into 1/4
Manual in autoX.

Druo-Z28

Well then i think it will work out since im mostly into 1/4 mile... Now i jsut need to find out what kind of TC and Shift Kit to get.... any recomendations?

Druo-Z28

Also what type of gears should i get, i want good gears for 1/4 mile but this is also my everyday driver... Im trying to go for a very fast everyday driver, i know it will be bad on gass but as long as my ratio is still miles per galon and not galons per mile i hould be ok...

After Exhaust, TC, Shift kit, gears, What comes next? Headers? Any and all advice apreciated

Mark A Shields

Headers should be done first, that's what I mean by full exhaust plus a cat-back. What cat-back are you getting or do you have it. I'd get the Hooker, sound clips are in my sig. The stock manifolds and y-pipe are one of your biggest restrictions. Vigilante makes good TCs. Maybe ask on the tranny board about a specific one. And like I said don't get any shift kit besides the Transgo. It's about $170 but it's the only REAL shift kit.
As far as gears. You have TPI which stops breathing at 4500 rpms, so it would be stupid to go with 3:73s or numerically higher, unless you plan on modding the TPI. The best overall gear for the highway and 1/4 are 3:42s. Don't make the same mistake I did. I figured the higher (numerically) the gear the better. Well, I ended up mismatching the gears with the rest of my system. I later learned that the cam in my motor stops making power past 3500 rpms. Which my 3:73s keep me way out of that power band. So now I'm stuck doing a cam swap this spring.

Good luck.
Oh, and TCs I believe run about $300-$500.

ChillPhatCat

Give me 20 min and 2 runs and I'll beat any automatic with it's stick equivalent... ok maybe I'm being a little presumtuous... I do know stick well though and can honestly say it will always do better than auto. The difference is so small though after you've put in a Shift kit and TC. Most people don't know how to drive stick even when they "do" so it's not really an issue which tranny you have. I would thusly agree with most of the other people that you've got quite a lot of potential under the hood.

All I know is that you'd go nuts seeing me try my hand at an auto, I usually come skidding to a stop a few times when my left foot stomps on the brake... and my hand grabs for the shifter countless times within the first hour. All the while I'm thinking: "why doesn't this car just up and stall on me"

Druo-Z28

Thanks all for the advice, ill look into it a little further, im trying to fgind out what my gears are right now... says on my rear end:

GM N
22522676

anyone know how to find out what it is?

Druo-Z28

Nm i found out what it is, its a limited slip 2.73:1

smokin87iroc

now isn't a b&m megashifter gonna just be a purely cosmetic deal since the 700r4's already have a reverse lock out and maybe not a ratchet action but a click action that you can pull down and make the tranny stay in a gear. i say why spend money on it when it really doesn't help. plus why shift an auto like a manual? the tranny knows when it should shift if its properly adjusted. you say well what about the big drop from 1st to second. we should hold out first gear longer. i say put the money for a megashifter and put it towards a good torque converter and don't worry about it.
my .02
and i have owned an auto before but the manual that i have now is more fun to drive and faster than the auto i had plus i like knowing that i drove the car down the 1/4 mile and not just pushed the gas but thats just me
Andrew

rx7speed

I would say the stick has a better chance to get lower times
though you have to know how to drive it
you dont launch right you bog or you spin, you dont shift it well through each gear and you can do the same

lot more work in driving a stick

were the auto you push the gass and take off
so you will see most the same times each run you take, and will have a lot less driver error

though you do not want to run an auto in the auto-x unless you manual shift it

I say if you know how to drive it get the stick but you need to know the car first
or else stay with the auto

Nic

Up until my 4 cyl. Mustang I'd never owned a 5 speed car and was gun-ho about automatics because they were more consistent and that's what it takes to win a bracket race. After having owned that 4 banger for about 5 months now, I think it's just as much fun to drive as my 5.0 even though it's at a 250 hp disadvantage. My take on it is that the 5 speed is better (faster/more fun) on a street car, but for an all out race car, I'd stick with the automatic.

89BlueTA

I have to say that the only thing I do not like about my thirdgen, is the fact that it is an automatic. A manual trans. is always going to be faster in the same car, if the driver can drive(i.e. powershifting). And they are just a lot more fun to drive than the slushbox automatic. I put a shift kit in my 85 TA and it just slowed the car down due to excessive wheel spin on the 1-2 shift. I will seriously consider getting a 305 with a manual trans if I ever get another thirdgen. The only problem is the T-5 is junk. I would say until you are running 10s in the 1/4 that a manual is the way to go. But thats just my opinion.

Nick

Mark A Shields

As far as I know there isn't a reverse lockout on the stock shifter, I could be wrong. But it's the N one that's important too. Just ask my old 305.
One nite I went to pass this truck on a 2 lane road, (at the time I didn't have OD and the tranny shifted weird) so I manually shifted, I was in D and went to shift to OD (like I said tranny shifted weird) well I had it at WOT and slid right past OD into N. A couple collapsed lifters later, and eventually a new motor later, I got the Megashifter. Plus it does look a heck a lot better.

smokin87iroc

yes it will go into neutral but it won't go into reverse which is the important thing.
Andrew

junkyarddog

couldn't the differences be overcome by a cam swap,or some other mods,especially a good shiftkit?

ChillPhatCat

Technically, any mods other than tranny work will not be bridging the gap between auto and manual, because you can make all the same mods in either setup except for tranny mods.

Also, you would want to shift the car manually in an auto with the stock setup. Without the apropriate stall converter, shift kit and the such, your engine will shift wherever it is happiest, not where you've hit the top of the power band.

idrag2

Stay with the auto.........IMO the leave better....just go and have a kit put in and a corvett servo........A real good kit is a Trans-Go. But if you want to go all the way just drop $2200.00 and get the best from TCI. Thats what I did....Hope I helped

NJ SPEEDER

ahhh, the great debate. it is really a matter of preference in the end. auto's tend to be easier to launch and more consistant, but stick cars sap less power and have 0% drivetrain slip so they tend to have more top end speed.
i prefer auto's with shift kits myself for racing. you buy the right convertor and you will always launch good and you'll never miss a shift.
i think sticks are more fun to drive on teh street though, the driver has more to do with the performance of the car that way.

later
tim