I just finished installing the vig 3200 4 days ago. All I can say is "WOOHOO". I could always fry the tires off the line, but now its just a matter of what speed do I want to let the rubber fly. The engine does rev a little higher on takeoff under normal driving, but a very street friendly converter.
I would like to thank Paul at Thunder racing for the advise/help.
This converter, TransGo shift kit and a B&M 24,000 GVW cooler is the best thing I have done thus far.
For those of you looking to do this, don't let the stall speed of some of these converters scare you, these cars love it.
I will post some times when the track opens in April. Sticky tire needed, thats an understatement. <img src="graemlins/gr_devil.gif" border="0" alt="[devil]" />

 

What made you choose the Vig 3200 over say a vig 3600 or Yank ST 3500 or SY3500? I am getting a converter for my 98 Z28 I just bought but I can't decide.

 

That is were calling up Thunder racing and talking to Paul came in. I talked to him a couple of times and we went over my setup and future mods for the car, along with the fact that I like the street also. I was thinking of the Yank ST3500, but I was unsure. I know now that we made the right choice. In the future if I want to go all out I will go with the Yank TP4400.

 

Paul advise me of my converter setup and traction issues and did a outstanding job. It brought times down about 6 to 7 tenths of a second at the tract.

 

[quote]99MONGOOSE
TECH Enthusiast
Member # 1572
posted March 06, 2002 10:17 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What made you choose the Vig 3200 over say a vig 3600 or Yank ST 3500 or SY3500? I am getting a converter for my 98 Z28 I just bought but I can't decide. <hr></blockquote>

Paul at Thunder is a great guy and gives great advise to us when we call, but IMO he won't recommend a Yank Converter because they sell Vig and well you get the picture. A Yank has been proven that its a more efficent converter for Drag Racing and you won't catch me buying anything other than a Yank. Sonner or later you Vig guys will see what im talkin about at the track.Both converters are good but one is Superior. Im not bashin Thunder Racing im just sayin that they won't recommend a Yank if your callin and askin questions about your next mod to purchase.

<img src="graemlins/formula.gif" border="0" alt="[Pontiac]" />

 

I just realized that Thunder now carrys Yank converters. This however wasn't the case when i was in the market for a converter. Can only 2 other reasons for recommending a Vig either markup and or personal preference i guess.

 

Thanks guys for all the comments. <img src="gr_stretch.gif" border="0">

Tommy your're a little off on my recommendation of the Vig converter, and you've implied that I'm biased to the Vig converter for some reason. I have a Yank PT4400 in my Z28, and Angie has a Yank PT4600 in her Z28. We can run any converter we like so if we choose to run Yanks in our personal cars doesn't that say something. I wouldn't use any other converter in my car for what I do with it. I have a Vig 3200 in my wife's TA that I wouldn't trade for any thing else. There is 2 big differences in our cars though. My car is a race car that I drive on the street and her's is a street car that we race on occasion.

In my personal opinion I like the smaller Vigs better for street/strip daily driven car. They feel a little tighter and 60' better. For an all out strip car I think the Yank is second to none. I know some people will disagree with my opinion and that's fine but that's what I've seen from the track and talking to hundreds of customers.

MightyLS1 was looking a daily driven street/strip converter and THATS why I recommend the Vig 3200. If he would have told me that he raced every weekend, didn't care about drivability, and ran on ET Drags then my recommendation would have been a little different.

I'm not at all trying to start a Vig vs. Yank war here I'm just explaining why I recommended a Vig in this particular case.

Thanks again guys......

[ March 07, 2002: Message edited by: Paul @ Thunder ]</p>

 

MightyLS1: Glad you like the converter, I figured you would. Bolt on some stickys and go to the track and you'll really love it!!! <img src="gr_grin.gif" border="0">


Thanks;

Paul

 

Talked to Paul this week. Based on my mods and uses, he talked me into a PT4000.

I think he does a fair job of going with what would work best!

Mark Theriot

 

Most of the guys here in Amarillo use Thunder racing almost exclusively - their customer support is really nice.

Well I don't want to egg-on the flame war but if you have not owned a Yank and a Vig then it's hard to make an accurate comparison between the two. I have owned a SY3500, SY4000, ST3500 and a PI vig 3600. I like the PI3600 for me the best. I agree with what Paul said about matching the TC with the customer. When I first started modding my LS1 in late 98' the only TC available was the PI's. When the SY3500 came out it was like pulling teeth to get people to give it a try. I was one of the first one to get the SY3500. That TC pulls like no tomorrow on the top end. Equally modded 6 speeds cannot walk me because it is so efficient. The problem is a 1.86 STR. It just isn't a real force off the line.
Well Mike at Yank listened to all us racers and decided to fix his low STR problem and has come out with some pretty potent combinations - take the ST3500. Same stall of 3500 but this TC has a 2.5 STR. I've owned this converter and it does not like Nitto's. If I am not running my Et Streets then I lose the 60 ft. race. I can ease into it but that's not the point - it is not as efficient because of the high STR so it makes up for it on the bottom end. If you street race more than track race and do not own ET Streets then I would not think this is a very good TC choice.

Now for the argument: If the SY3500 hits too soft and the ST 3500 hits too hard - why not get a PI3200 shich stalls at like 3600 and has a 2.2 STR. Most people say PI's are not as efficient but that's kinda of like someone telling me they dyno more than I do so they could win a race. It doesn't work like that in the real world - you can't just bolt up the same parts as Raughammer and pull 10.60's all day long. AND, as soon as you change a few variables then you might need to change TC's - the good news is they hold their value. I bought my SY3500 new - after that Everyone was used. I got the ST3500 and PI3600 used off the internet for $500 each. When I go to make a change I will get $500 or pretty close. If you have a SY3500 and go out and buy some 15x10's and some 11.5 inch ET streets - then get you a TP4400 and kill everyone from the line. If you like to race on the street and strip like me then get a PI and some gears and live with both the compromises.
Sorry so long - didn't mean to go on a tyrade but most of the new guys all want to hear from some people that have owned several different TC's - Hope this helps.
Eric

 

My God. A thread that says its better to use a Vig than a Yank in certain situations. I'm gonna go mark my calendar.

 

Paul I do like this converter. I was rolling down the highway and stabbed the gas and left my stomach and half my rear tires 2 exits back LOL. Paul did say Yank TP4400 right away, but my car mods and driving habits was the factor that called for the Vig.
Vig. 3200 $735
TransGo shift kit $109
B&M cooler $55
Driving around destroying tires at will PRICELESS
<img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[Burnout]" />

 

[quote]Originally posted by 99BlueZ28:
<strong>My God. A thread that says its better to use a Vig than a Yank in certain situations. I'm gonna go mark my calendar.</strong><hr></blockquote>

LMAO! It's been noted on mine. <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0">
Paul and Eric - very well said! I've tried 4 different Yanks and 4 different Vig converters, and the Vig 3200 is what I felt would net the best performance for me for street/strip. There is never-ending talk of efficiency, dyno #'s, etc. However, I know of quite a few LS1's that have installed a "less efficient" Vig 3200 and knocked off .7+ in the 1/4. I'm not knocking Yank at all. There's no doubt that some of their converters are performing VERY well. The Vig converters have always performed very well for me, and I'm happy w/ my choice. Being able to have a choice in converters is very nice, and gives us viable options. <img src="gr_stretch.gif" border="0">

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Paul @ Thunder:
[QB]Thanks guys for all the comments. <img src="gr_stretch.gif" border="0">

Tommy your're a little off on my recommendation of the Vig converter, and you've implied that I'm biased to the Vig converter for some reason. I have a Yank PT4400 in my Z28, and Angie has a Yank PT4600 in her Z28. We can run any converter we like so if we choose to run Yanks in our personal cars doesn't that say something. I wouldn't use any other converter in my car for what I do with it. I have a Vig 3200 in my wife's TA that I wouldn't trade for any thing else. There is 2 big differences in our cars though. My car is a race car that I drive on the street and her's is a street car that we race on occasion.

In my personal opinion I like the smaller Vigs better for street/strip daily driven car. They feel a little tighter and 60' better. For an all out strip car I think the Yank is second to none. I know some people will disagree with my opinion and that's fine but that's what I've seen from the track and talking to hundreds of customers.

MightyLS1 was looking a daily driven street/strip converter and THATS why I recommend the Vig 3200. If he would have told me that he raced every weekend, didn't care about drivability, and ran on ET Drags then my recommendation would have been a little different.

I've been following the Yank vs Vig wars for a lot of years now.I've learned a lot & laughed a lot from them,but I think Paul @ Thunder brought up a point that always seems to be missed during those wars & he worded it VERY well.
Now I haven't driven the "big" converters,but it does seem that Yank owns that end of the market.They may also own the other end where someone has got 2.73's & needs some of the high STR converters that Yank makes.But I, like Paul, feel from driving the middle of the road,street/strip converters from both companies that Vig may have that part of the market just because of the driveability/performance combo of the #6 pump & especially the #0 pump Vig vs the Yank equivalents.

Hope this doesn't start one of these
<img src="graemlins/gr_punch.gif" border="0" alt="[fight]" />
It wasn't my intention.I just thought Paul brought up an often overlooked point.

 

The Vig. uses the same material for their lock up clutch as big heavy duty earth movers use for their brakes....roller bearing instead of thrust bearings, anti balooning plate, and they have to be true within a thousands of an inch before they leave the factory... this helps vibrations I guess.
The back part where the lock up clutch makes contact with the case is all one piece billet. On some other converters, it isn`t and tends to warp over time causing shuddering and glazing of the lock up clutch, usually blamed on ported Maf ends IMOP.
Sorry I had a little look inside at a cut open Vig... it was cool.

<img src="graemlins/gr_devil.gif" border="0" alt="[devil]" /> <img src="gr_tounge.gif" border="0">

 

I would be getting a Yank st3500 but there are so many problems they have with the newer LS1s and I don't want any of them, that's why I'm going with the vig3200, same performance but no trouble codes, just some unlocking some people get for a short second and it's locked again. That's somthing I can live with but I do agree, if I ever get a bigger converter, it will be a yank tp4400.