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Gearvendors overdrive or Taller Gears

vektro69

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I have a 69 Super Bee 4 speed that has been converted from a 383 car to an A12. 8 3/4 rear with 4.11 gears.440 6 pack dynoed at 520hp. Awesome pull, but a little wound up going down the highway. Looking to make it a bit more drivable, as I don't really race the car much anyway. But, an A12 would have had a 4.10 from the factory, so I'm tempted to keep it.
Cheaper to change the gears to 3.77 or 3.55, but a Gearvendors overdrive could be the perfect solution. Keep the shorter gear, and less rpm on the highway. But around $3000.
So, trying to figure out if I would be fine and happy with a different gear, or would adding overdrive be the better, albeit, more expensive option?
Any of you guys been through this or have any suggestions?
 
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I just went through this with a similar car. 70 challenger convertible 440 4 speed, 255/60/15 tire,made 495hp on the dyno. The guy always wanted 3:91 gears in his car, tried to talk him out of it but put them in anyway. Drove it for two years like that. Spun like hell in any gear, noisy, thirsty, etc. Swapped him out to 3:23 this summer. Like driving a different car now, smoother, quieter, cooler running temps. A little different pulling away now but very drivable. Before you could pull away in third and not know it, but now you do. He would never switch back. It is so easy to swap in a different chunk to try a different gear. Not so easy on the wallet to try the gear vendors. My vote is gear swap to 3:55 or 3:77 looks like you’re car has a tall rear tire.
 
I pulled the 4.10's out of my 65 and went with 3.23. Enjoy the car more now.Where I live the speed limits are 65-75 in any direction 3 miles from home.Cost was about $600 total when all was said and done.
 
Thanks for the replies. I have been leaning towards a gear swap. Easier, way less $$, and I think I would drive the car more often if it wasn't so wound up. May have to take it to the drag strip once before changing.
So it seems 3.55 would be the optimal gearing. I wouldn't lose too much off the line, but gain a lot, cruising at 70 mph.(which I really can't do now)
 
I also pulled the 4.10's out of my 77 and went with 3.23. I am happy with that change. I have a set of 3.55 in my cuda. The 3.23 are a good choice for any speed over 40 mph.
 
3.54 Dana 60 Track Pack 440+6bbl V-Code 70 Roadrunner, 4 speed...
17" wheels, 315/35/17 Toyo Proxes TQ drag radials. 72 MPH was 3,500 RPMs. Not bad on the highway, destroyed Goodrich T/A radials from a dead stop.
Passon a855 5 speed goes in, .68 5th gear. I put a 4.10 in place of the 3.54s.
Now 72 MPH is 2,750 and that 750 less RPMs makes a much bigger difference for the better than the number would suggest. A lot less noise, all around better, and peace of mind to boot.
1st through 4th is more fun than the 3.54s
So to answer your question, 3.55s are the best compromise gear, but I would suggest the Gear Vendors OD and KEEP the 4.10s.
NICE CAR, 6 PACKS RULE! :lowdown:
 
Gear venders will make your 410 into a 320 but it's about 2500 more than a gear swap.
 
Gear vendors would be awesome, with some extra gears, and lower rpm on the highway. Keeps the 4.10 like it was supposed to be. Just need to figure out how much money to put into it. I have had the car for about 4 years, and I think I'm in it pretty good, $$ wise. GV should add some value. Looks like these cars currently have pretty good values. Not too sure of the value of mine, but not ready to sell yet, anyway.
Right now leaning towards Gearvendors. Thanks biomedtechguy!!
 
I just went through this with a similar car. 70 challenger convertible 440 4 speed, 255/60/15 tire,made 495hp on the dyno. The guy always wanted 3:91 gears in his car, tried to talk him out of it but put them in anyway. Drove it for two years like that. Spun like hell in any gear, noisy, thirsty, etc. Swapped him out to 3:23 this summer. Like driving a different car now, smoother, quieter, cooler running temps. A little different pulling away now but very drivable. Before you could pull away in third and not know it, but now you do. He would never switch back. It is so easy to swap in a different chunk to try a different gear. Not so easy on the wallet to try the gear vendors. My vote is gear swap to 3:55 or 3:77 looks like you’re car has a tall rear tire.
Agree
 
Gear vendors would be awesome, with some extra gears, and lower rpm on the highway. Keeps the 4.10 like it was supposed to be. Just need to figure out how much money to put into it. I have had the car for about 4 years, and I think I'm in it pretty good, $$ wise. GV should add some value. Looks like these cars currently have pretty good values. Not too sure of the value of mine, but not ready to sell yet, anyway.
Right now leaning towards Gearvendors. Thanks biomedtechguy!!
All of that...
I watch EVERY Mecum auction, focus mainly on the 60s and early 70s cars, especially Mopars. "Clones" or "Tribute" cars are bringing good money depending on how desirable the version of "clone" is.
For example, my wife's GTO is a real 65 GTO, but it started as a PHS documented 4bbl 389 and it has a 421 Tripower in it. Date code October 65. I did intensive research into Royal Bobcat upgrades, and for the sake of brevity, here's the connection.
My dad won 1st place (still has the trophy) at LaPlace Dragway in 65 with his 65 Tripower 389 4 speed GTO, racing another 65 GTO, and he had the "mail order" Royal Bobcat kit in his car. Running "stock" class. That was the 1st step of 3 levels available for the 65 GTO from Royal Pontiac. The top level was pulling the 389 and dropping in a 421. Because of the date code of the 421 we have, the Royal Bobcat Tribute description is perfect! So that adds value to an already valuable car, other than for a buyer looking for factory correct, but that leads me to your car, my car, and the GTO we have...
By emulating a step up, highly desirable package, in your case the A-12, you can have some fun on the street and at the track, get a feel for what the real thing performed like (they are legendary for a reason) but not have to worry about chasing all correct, NOS, yada yada or worry about hurting something irreplaceable, putting too many miles on it, or making some changes, preferably reversible, to enhance the performance or make it more like you want.
Along those lines and harkening back to Mecum auctions, pro touring or resto mod changes, when done right, can actually bring a return value beyond what an original factory correct restoration would bring.
In my case the Passon 5 speed makes my car WAY WAY better to drive on the highway, and also gives me confidence that it isn't going to explode behind my current motor or my future stroker motor.
In the case of the GTO, we have a TKO600 going in, we put a Quick Performance Ford based 9" rear axle in and upgraded the suspension and brakes. So it's faster, stronger, more pleasant to drive, a blast at the track, and turns heads on the street. I put a 3.80 ring and pinion gearset in the GTO because I wasn't sure if my wife would want an aftermarket 5 speed, and the 3.80 was bearable on the highway, and with the 8 3/4 or 9" pumpkin style rear axle if we decided to road trip the chunk could be easily swapped out for a more highway friendly ratio. Now that the .60 5 speed is going in, the 3.80 stays (because the bore and stroke of a 421 doesn't rev as high as a 440) we still enjoy better off the line performance, but the 5th gear makes everything great!
So either go Gear Vendors and keep the 4.10s and have the best of EVERYTHING, or get a 3.23 and swap that in for long road trips, and then swap the 4.10 in for spans of time where that is the ride you want. The swapping is doable, but the Gear Vendors gives you EVERYTHING, and the investment is worth it with what you have in an A-12 Tribute car.
 
Wow! what a great forum! you all ROCK! biomedtechguy, you are awesome. I really appreciate all the time and effort in your response These are the types of things that make this forum so valuable. Thanks, I really think it'sgreat yountook the time to do that
 
Gear vendors is nice but for the money doesn't quite cover the benefit. You are already a stick car, Id throw a tko 600 in there, more rpm drop...
 
If you do many LONG hauls on the freeway even 3:23s will seem a little short with traffic flow these days.
I have them & 27.5 inch tires & am considering OD...
 
If you do many LONG hauls on the freeway even 3:23s will seem a little short with traffic flow these days.
I have them & 27.5 inch tires & am considering OD...
That's on or beyond the fringe of the performance (acceleration)/economy (and less wear) balance, in my opinion of course.
If I decided to "go road tripping", in other words if my wife and I, for example, decided to do the Power Tour AND another long trip, maybe Las Vegas for example within a 6 month time span, or maybe go to some major car event in California, and included a stop in Las Vegas, and some cruising Hwy 1 along the coast, or go to the start of Route 66 and drive the length of it, I would only swap in my 3.54 gears I took out in favor of the 4.10s I put in when I replaced the 833 4 speed with the Passon Performance 855 5 speed. My 5 speed has a .68 5th gear, and with the 26" tires turns 2,750 RPMs at 72 MPH. The 3.54s would be great w/the 5 speed for long trips.
Her TKO600 has a .60 5th gear, so the 3.80 ring and pinion gearset in her car would stay put.
If I only had a 1:1 final drive, I could see going to a 3.23 ring and pinion gearset for long drives.
For me, I use my car for local cruise ins, a week of Cruisin the Coast in nearby Mississippi, and the occasional blast down the 1320. The combination of the 4.10 and the 5 speed is blissful satisfaction! In the GTO, the 421 Tripower, which is performance modified but is more inclined to torque production by its inherent design, and not as conducive to higher RPM capability as the 440 because of bore to stroke ratio, the 3.80 is an ideal rear end gear, with the .60 5th gear.
My .02
 
OP said he didn't race much & mentioned highway twice.
Made my comment based on that.
I think HE would be happy with 3:55s IF he didn't do many
LONG roadtrips. :drinks:
 
I think sometimes we over analyze things out of perspective. Unless you daily drive your stroker and expect 100,000 miles out of it, none of this really matters. I drove 1500 miles or so in 2010 at 3700 rpm in a 572 Hemi with a 3.73 rear gear and a 26” tire. I went to the GV OD just to try and keep what’s left of my hearing!
 
I think sometimes we over analyze things out of perspective. Unless you daily drive your stroker and expect 100,000 miles out of it, none of this really matters. I drove 1500 miles or so in 2010 at 3700 rpm in a 572 Hemi with a 3.73 rear gear and a 26” tire. I went to the GV OD just to try and keep what’s left of my hearing!


I agree with HEMI. I put a over a 1100 miles on a overdrive version of the TKO 5 speed in my Charger with 4.10 gears(should have done the close ratio). I thought I would do more highway driving but really I wanted the quick throttle response and faster shifting more than a lower cruse rpm. Now I am changing to a close ratio 6 speed. I have a 1935 Dodge truck with 4.10 that I have a Gear venders in.I don't have it running yet but looking forward to having quick acceleration and the ability split the lower gears and overdrive when needed.
But in the end it all depends on what you do with your car and what you like.
 
View attachment 878828 I have a 69 Super Bee 4 speed that has been converted from a 383 car to an A12. 8 3/4 rear with 4.11 gears.440 6 pack dynoed at 520hp. Awesome pull, but a little wound up going down the highway. Looking to make it a bit more drivable, as I don't really race the car much anyway. But, an A12 would have had a 4.10 from the factory, so I'm tempted to keep it.
Cheaper to change the gears to 3.77 or 3.55, but a Gearvendors overdrive could be the perfect solution. Keep the shorter gear, and less rpm on the highway. But around $3000.
So, trying to figure out if I would be fine and happy with a different gear, or would adding overdrive be the better, albeit, more expensive option?
Any of you guys been through this or have any suggestions?
I'm installing a 2 speed power glide with a gear vendors overdrive behind my 543ci with 4.10. I'll let you know how it goes.
 
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