Breakdown: bought a 2000 SS with no engine....no trans....just a rolling chassis...im dropping in a Carbed SBC 406 (600+hp). Car has a Stock 10 bolt with 410-411 gears. I ahve two transmissions sittin in the garage and cant decide which one to drop in TH350 of the 2spd power glide (1.7? ratio). Dont know which would be better if i decided to drive it to the store on occasion, or which would perform better at the track.Any advice would be appreciated!!

 

Theres not going to be much of a difference in drive ability between them on the street since they're both 1:1 ratio in high.

What does the car weigh? I wouldn't put in a glide until the raceweight of the car waas around 3,100 or less. I'm just a little over 3,400 and went with a TH400 over the glide.

Also, if you go with the glide you'll need more gear than a 4.10.

Thats just my opinion.

 

do you happen to know if i would have to lengthen or shorten the driveshaft with either?

 

The driveshaft is probably going to have to get changed length wise.

I'd put the glide in it and be done with it, unless you're not going to go any more then what that motor's making right now.

If a 100 shot is even a consideration, I'd put the glide in right away and be done with it.

 

Youll need a new trans cross member for the glide and will need one for the TH350 if the car was and auto. If it were a manual you can reuse the crossmember and shim up the trans for the 350. Also if the 350 is a long tail shaft 9" trans you can reuse the DS

 

search the net for GM transmission length. There are several articles on line about swapping one transmission for another and what needs to be done with your mount and driveshaft length. If the car has a small tire on it and traction is going to be a problem put the PG in it the lower first gear in the 400 will just make your traction problems worse.

 

glide will need a little more stall and/or gear to make up for the 1st gear ratio difference to a 3-speed transmission. As mentioned, if you plan to make more power in the future, go glide. If you plan to use a transbrake, go glide.

Derek

 

a short shaft th350 and a glide are a direct replacement for each other(as long as the glide has a turbo input shaft)...and a glide will loosen your converter up alittle because of the taller first gear...and yes,make sure to get a transbrake..i like the probrake my self because it has alot faster release time...

 

More good info

 

I wouldn't consider a TH350 for anything much over 600HP.
Glides are great for bracket racing and heads up running middle 8's and down.
Heads up racing at your power level and somewhere's from high to mid 8's I would choose a TH400.

 

Put a glide in it!! You will be happy you did.

 

Bah Humbug!
I went mid 9's with a th350 and street drove the thing too. Lighter than a 400.
350 will run better at the track with less gear. Plus the 350 is the last thing u need to worry about-the 10 bolt is the first.

 

The 10 bolt will absolutely fail first, regardless which tranny ya put in..

The TH350, I would say is o.k. to about the mid 9 second zone, after that the reliability starts going down. And, if you want to put a transbrake in the car, I wouldn't do it with a TH350.. talk to the tranny builders alot of them don't like to do that with the 350 trans.

350 is lighter, then a th400, but a glide will be even lighter.

If you can, and it's not a hardship, I would have a converter guy build you one for the 350 and the glide, and try both, see which one the car likes better.


Street driving, the glide will get boring a bit faster. But, it all depends on what you really want from the car. Do ya want the best possible track # and just be able to drive it, or do you want it to drive good, and run decent at the track?

You will get about 100 different answers on this too by the way, talk to 5 different trans companies, and every one will make a case for one or the other, or something you don't even have.... and chances are, that they all will work if set up with the right converter.

 

Hahahahahaha. I was expecting to hear from you....
I knew you couldn't resist throwing that "Street Car" at me.