dbs1

I had a bbc in a 67 camaro with stock drums all the way around and thought I'd give the rr a try. $20,000 later including wilwood discs, 700hp 468, th400 needing 2 coolers and a hosts of suspension upgrades I could blow off the Z's down the straights and hang with them in the twisties. It is addictive!!!

I would rather use an auto at the rr then a stick at the drags. I currently have an 02 camaro with an M6 and for the few times at the 1/4 mile...I don't even bother any more. Definitly works better for the road course though! Have fun!

KCS

iTrader: (20)

How do you guys like running the road courses with an auto versus a manual?

I only ask because I'm at that point in my Mustang build where I need to decide on a transmission and I'm stuck between the T56 or a maybe a 700R4. I'd prefer an auto with an overdrive so I can drive to the tracks, as long I'm not racing and wishing I had a manual.

ls1 1990 VN

WHY! Won't a manual car drive there?

KCS

iTrader: (20)

Let me rephrase. I would prefer the auto over a manual transmission, but it would have to have an overdrive. I don't want to use an automatic if it gives up so much at the road courses that i wont enjoy it and I kick myself for not going with a manual in the first place.

dbs1

If you are just going to be an occasional road racer, drive a bunch on the street and use it for drag racing on occasion, you might be better served with an auto, but be prepared to put a good trans cooler on it.

If like a lot of guys you end up getting bit by the rr bug, you will be much better served with a manual trans.

thunderstruck507

iTrader: (18)

Depends what you want from the car. I would love a manual but it's expensive and requires a good bit of chopping to make it fit and in the end my 1/4 times would suffer.

I'm happy with the compromise I have with the auto but given the chance to swap probably would.

1981TA

iTrader: (7)

...so start with a car that's not very collectable, and start chopping :-)

thunderstruck507

iTrader: (18)

My car isn't worth enough I am worried about it. Just had the 4l60e included with the engine when I bought it so I used it.

Still a lot of work to switch and the cost of a decent t56 doesn't help. Not worth it to me at this point in time. I would rather leave the Chevelle auto and get a lighter car with a manual.

dbs1

Just a little more input from my experience...I also had a 69 camaro that although not as fast as the bbc 67, I spent a fair amount more $ to have it be a car I could drive anywhere and do anything with. $75,000+ to have a/c, 550hp sbc 402, fancy interior,paint job, RS hideaway headlights, wilwood brakes and a built th350 trans with a gear vendors od. The car would run 10.8 in the qtr with a 50 shot and change the shock settings and wheel/tire combo and although not as fast or stop as well as the 67 with better brakes, it would hang with stock Z06's.

Having more money then sense, I thought it would be cool to put a Kreisler TKO 5sp in the car. Man, what a dumb idea!!!

Added 3-5 tenths at the dragstrip (if I could find third gear). Was horrible at going into 3rd when really hustling the car, the clutch was waaay stiff where everyday driving was a pain, and talk about a 3ft throw on the shifter.

Short story long...IMO I ruined the versatility of the car a bunch. And constant problems with the trans as well as little help from Keisler ruined me on them and their product.

There is NO doubt as I said in an earlier post, for me...I would rather run an auto trans at the road course then a stick at the drags. IF however, like me you get where you hardly ever do the 1/4 any more and your car sees 50/50 road course and street driving, a manual trans is certainly the better choice. However, if you don't see more then 8-10 road race sessions a year, I would just get the biggest trans cooler you can find, a shift kit and use the auto trans you have, especially if it's your daily driver and you're on any kind of a budget. (and have your trans overfill tube connected to a catch can rather then spraying out on your headers and tires. Smoke in the cabin and doing 360's at 80mph with cars bearing down on you really ain't that much fun).

Photochop

iTrader: (74)

This was a fun read and makes me feel better about the idea of an auto on a road course. I don't have much desire to run a car thru some cones in a parking lot, but I think it'd be fun to take one on a road course. I have the bug for drag racing, but road racing has always been something I've wanted to dabble in just for curiosities sake. I'm not one to give up the auto at the drags, so knowing that it is possible for a 4l60 to live in this environment is great news. OP - I live in central OK, may have to make the 4 hour trip out there sometime in the next couple years and check out that track with a couple friends.

gnx7

iTrader: (28)

If you are serious about doing road race stuff then you simply can't run an automatic. If drag racing is more important to you than stick with an auto.

An affordable twin disc clutch can make the pedal pressure be light like a little Honda and hold 1000hp. McLeod RST/RXT twin discs are awesome.

The new T56 Magnum will also cure any blues you had from a TKO600 5spd. Going to a manual isn't cheap.... but they are waaay more fun IMO.

Photochop

iTrader: (74)

I think if there was a road race track as close to me as there is a 1/4 mile track (half an hour away) I'd be alot more inclined to build a road race car. I don't have the means to tow the car, and don't trust it making the 2 hour drive there - racing - then coming back. Also the time involved in racing at the closest road race track isn't manageable for me for the cost (2 times a year @ $150/ea for a day vs. 20 times a year @ $15/ea for 4 hour outings)

jarry

ooohhh my god must have done so much fun...its pretty cooll..i like it a lot..

yooperLS6

Any car is fun on the road course. I had 70SS LS6 454/450hp back in the day.

They were a lot of fun on the drag strip.

Heat Seeker WS6

iTrader: (1)

When the 700R4 died in my auto '93, I had it rebuilt into a manual valvebody with a nice sized trans cooler a few years ago. Essentially its a 4 speed sequential w/o a clutch & very fun to drive. When driing agressively, I can blip the throttle on downshifts to rpm match just the same as a stick to maintain front/rear balance under heard braking (ie: turn 5 at Road America). On the gas, I'm running it to whatever rpm before going up a gear... or holding the top of a gear running through a corner. Unlike the 94's & newer w/ the 4L60E, there's no electronics involved with the shifting.

Just got this vid done of the dragons tail when I was on it-- listen for the up/downshifts thorugh the wind noise.