Power Glide or TH 400

[Chris Taylor]

For the most part I race 1/8 mile and was thinking about going with a power glide with a trans brake over a TH 400. Anyone using a glide?

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Glide??

Don't think U would be happy w/ a glide for several reasons:
1. The car is most likely too heavy to perform w/ a 1.76 lo gear. Car should be in the <3000# range to work well.
2. The trans will require ALOT more stall to move a car that heavy. This then creates engine combo problems, such as operating at a RPM above the safe range for the engine, too hi for the cam, etc...etc...

Most all the fast turbo guys are running the 400. there are a few w/ Lencos and such, but are also SERIOUS purpose built racers.. If you are in that group, then a glide mite work.

 

[Chris Taylor]

The car will weigh around 2700#. I was thinking about the weight of the TH 400 -v- the glide. Something to think about. I want be turning the motor above 6,500 rpms.

 

[WE4]

400 or 2004r . Think about it , a 2004r will give you the deep gear, 1 and 2. A glide well more of a top end 1/4 mile thing. A 400 with a low gear is cool too but now a $600.00 price tag is involved for the low gear set. A 2004r built correctly would be your best choice.

 

[6PacktoGo]

Originally posted by Chris Taylor
The car will weigh around 2700#. I was thinking about the weight of the TH 400 -v- the glide. Something to think about. I want be turning the motor above 6,500 rpms.

If the TOTAL weight of the car AND driver, ready to race, is 2700 pounds or less, and you have more than 250 cubic inches and 650 horsepower, then run a PowerGlide with a 1.98:1 low gear set and an aluminum direct drum with a rear gear of 4.56-4.88:1 (with a 31"-33" tire). NOTHING beats a Glide for a clean consistent brake release and low horsepower loss from drag and weight, both static and rotating.

 

[Chris Taylor]

Alan,

I was thinking the same thing but I thought I would ask. I have ran glides in the past with big blocks and small blocks and like the performance of the glide. Not to mention to weight savings.

 

[WE4]

I thought he said 1/8th mile....

 

[6PacktoGo]

What's wrong with a PowerGlide for a 1/8 mile car? Probably 70% of all 1/8 mile bracket cars running 6.50 or faster are 2700# cars with 650 horse Chevy Rat motors and PowerGlide transmissions. I ran a 6.20/6.30 2700# Camaro for ten years with a 650 horse 468 and a PowerGlide with a 1.98 low gear. It made hundreds of passes reliably and consistently, it ran 1/8 and 1/4 mile in brackets and Super classes. I freshened the transmission and converter every year in February and ran it all year every year. Same thing every pass, same thing every weekend. The only screw up in the whole deal was the driver/mechanic, HE's the one who lost races. About two years after I sold it, the guy broke the low gear set. Of course, it had around 2000 or more passes on it.

 

[WE4]

Wrong? nothing, but I would think you have to run a low gear rear. I was thinking about working with a stock or so ratio in rear. A glide and a 3.42 rear is a one speed trans to the 1/8th, or barly into high gear. That was my point but I could be wrong.

 

[MeanBuicks]

Originally posted by 6PacktoGo
Probably 70% of all 1/8 mile bracket cars running 6.50 or faster are 2700# cars with 650 horse Chevy Rat motors and PowerGlide transmissions.

Thank goodness for that! Those old two-speeds sure help pay the bills around here.

 

[Chris Taylor]

Not sure on the rear gear at this time. For staters around a 456 or so.

 

[6PacktoGo]

Originally posted by WE4
Wrong? nothing, but I would think you have to run a low gear rear. I was thinking about working with a stock or so ratio in rear. A glide and a 3.42 rear is a one speed trans to the 1/8th, or barly into high gear. That was my point but I could be wrong.

I was figuring he'd run at least a 4.56 gear if he was going to run 1/8 mile strip only. Like I said, at least 4.88 gear, 31"-33" tire, and 1.98 low gear.

You would be correct if he were running a 3.42 gear, it would absolutely suck, even with a 2.18 low gear. I wouldn't run a Glide in a 1/4 with less than 4.56, in anything.

I wouldn't run a 3.42 in a track only car at all, unless it had 25" tires.

We were just looking at it from different directions.

 

[6PacktoGo]

Originally posted by Chris Taylor
Not sure on the rear gear at this time. For staters around a 456 or so.

If you are going to run 1/8 mile almost exclusively, and you ARE NOT buying an aftermarket low gear set in the 1.9-20 range, then go AT LEAST 4.88, preferrably 5.13, provided you are going to run 31"-33" slicks.

My preferred combination for an 1/8 mile car running low 6 second passes at 6500-7200 RPM is a 4.88 rear, 1.90 or 1.98 low gear, and a 16"X33" slick. The reason for the big slick is it lasts longer, it's more consistent, and it hooks on those nights when the track sucks, and the guys with 14"X32" slicks aren't hooked up. It'll cost you about 0.05 in ET.