📊 Poll Go fast automatically or manually exercise my third leg?

[v6buicks]

I normally hate the "WhaT sHoUld I dO tO MY cAr" threads because I think building a car for likes or other people's approval is about as dumb as it gets. However, I have gone back and forth a few times and never feel 100% right about either decision.

I've been enjoying the hell out of the Camaro lately. I'm working on week #3 of daily driving it which is probably a new record. It's a ton of fun, and I must say that I'm not looking forward to the snow. I need to be up front with you though. I hate how much the stick holds me back. The nice shifter, master cylinder, clutch, and poly trans mount all made big differences in performance. It finally lays rubber in 1 and 2 and shifts fairly easily, but dropping my boost between shifts is really disappointing. Plus, the T5 is not very smooth shifting even with all that I've done. This is also an issue I've read about TKOs, so I do not think I'll ever get away from it. I haven't gotten to run it at the track, so I haven't gotten to quantify just how awful of a driver I am, but that brings up another issue. I can't drive worth a shit. I've certainly improved, but I think I'm still the weakest link. If I had another fun car with a manual I would have swapped this one already, but I don't.

I always thought that manuals were for making slow cars feel quicker, drifters, or racing that involves turns. I have nothing against cars that turn, but this car isn't exactly slow anymore, and I live in Indiana. Our roads don't have turns! What do you think? Would I be ruining half of what makes this car cool by converting to an automatic or would I just be making it that much better? Do I just need to work on my driving skills and refine my combination? Smaller turbo? 2-step? I left the poll open. Hopefully I hear some ideas that I hadn't even thought about yet.

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[10sec]

With a 5 speed it's actually hard to drag race, autos make everything too easy. Good for grudge racing or racing competitively for sure but I wouldn't take a fun car and make it less fun but putting in a slush box.

 

[v6buicks]

With a 5 speed it's actually hard to drag race, autos make everything too easy. Good for grudge racing or racing competitively for sure but I wouldn't take a fun car and make it less fun but putting in a slush box.

Yeah, it's hard to fully justify either one. This would be so much easier if the 240 wasn't just a mean road-tripping machine where an automatic is a must. I have to be able to swap driving roles with my fiancé. Then the GN is an auto with no chance of it getting switched.

Part of me says that the GN needs to go. I don't drive it. I hate working on it, and I really just view it as the comfier and wimpy version of the Camaro. ? Yeah, I said it. Selling it, and using the money to upgrade the Camaro and build a stick shifted street rod of some sort would be more my pace and fill the hole I'm missing in my fleet. On the other hand, the GN is my dream car and selling it would probably turn to regret pretty quickly.

 

[Lead Pipe]

TH400 all things.

 

[greasy]

For the fun factor a manual trans cannot be beat IMO. Obviously driving a manual to its full capabilities takes a lot of seat time/practice, but it is fun to try. I personally love it and unless you are trying to win a bunch of money or make a living out of it then stay manual. Otherwise you are going automatic purely out of pride/ego.

There are smooth transmissions out there, really depends on the power levels you plan at being at.

I run 12.028 in the 1/4 mile with 834 whp so it is obvious I need a lot more practice!

 

[v6buicks]

Another point to remember is that I really don't go to the track anyway, so I'm not sure if building the car to do so is really worthwhile. Also, I know people say that cars are never "done" but I can't imagine building this engine much more after a cam swap. The dollar per horsepower gets much higher after that and the reliability starts to decrease a lot too. 5-600whp is about all I strive to have in this thing.

 

[v6buicks]

Thanks for the solid input guys. Keep it coming.

 

[v6buicks]

For the fun factor a manual trans cannot be beat IMO. Obviously driving a manual to its full capabilities takes a lot of seat time/practice, but it is fun to try. I personally love it and unless you are trying to win a bunch of money or make a living out of it then stay manual. Otherwise you are going automatic purely out of pride/ego.

There are smooth transmissions out there, really depends on the power levels you plan at being at.

I run 12.028 in the 1/4 mile with 834 whp so it is obvious I need a lot more practice!

Thanks for the solid input. Maybe I just need to practice. I admit that watching the nose dive and come back up between shifts is pretty fun.

 

[Lead Pipe]

So I have a 6 speed vette and an auto Trans Am. The vette is a blast and it needs more power but that means I have to build the entire driveline. I think the vette will get a cam and I'll call it a day. The TA should be capable of single digits and has a RMVB Th400. Being able to shift the auto makes it a lot more fun.

 

[TurboTJ]

So I have a 6 speed vette and an auto Trans Am. The vette is a blast and it needs more power but that means I have to build the entire driveline. I think the vette will get a cam and I'll call it a day. The TA should be capable of single digits and has a RMVB Th400. Being able to shift the auto makes it a lot more fun.

I just read the first post and was gona reply but i got beat to it. Manual body old chevy trans would be my choice!

 

[v6buicks]

So I have a 6 speed vette and an auto Trans Am. The vette is a blast and it needs more power but that means I have to build the entire driveline. I think the vette will get a cam and I'll call it a day. The TA should be capable of single digits and has a RMVB Th400. Being able to shift the auto makes it a lot more fun.

I also have little desire to change all this stuff from manual to auto, but but... racecar. Maybe I just need to stick it out. Someday, I'll have the massive barn shop I've been dreaming of which will allow me to build a faster car with a more capable engine and an auto. I just don't see that happening within ten years. lol By that time, I think the 3800 will be a completely forgotten dinosaur.

 

[v6buicks]

Anybody in hear ever set-up a wot box with a stock 3800 ECM and ignition? I've been told that the N2MB thing that ZZP sells will work, but I have no idea what I'd be getting into, if it will help, or if it will just complicate stuff.

 

[1quick]

If you like to drive a manual I’d keep it, personally I’m not that into it after having a hand full of banger cars I’d rather not anymore

 

[Chris91LX]

In general, if you want to go fast in the quarter mile you can't beat an automatic. If you want to have fun on the street you can't beat a stick.
That being said it also depends on the power level. IMO, unless you are planning to get into the low 10s or faster, stick is way more fun. I swapped to an auto when I went turbo and decided 11s weren't fast enough.

 

[v6buicks]

If you like to drive a manual I’d keep it, personally I’m not that into it after having a hand full of banger cars I’d rather not anymore

It's hard for me to say. I used to not like it because I didn't do it every day. Now I don't like it because I would be faster if it was auto. Part of me thinks I'll like it more if I embrace it for what it is instead of what it could be. A nice shifting and strong trans could change things. The other part of me says that I might just not like driving stick! lol I don't know yet.

In general, if you want to go fast in the quarter mile you can't beat an automatic. If you want to have fun on the street you can't beat a stick.
That being said it also depends on the power level. IMO, unless you are planning to get into the low 10s or faster, stick is way more fun. I swapped to an auto when I went turbo and decided 11s weren't fast enough.

I don't think this car will ever break into the 9s. Of course I have the speed bug, but if I had a 9 second 3800 I'd either be stupid rich or not doing all the traveling that I hope to do with my family. lol I'd be super happy with an 11 some day.

 

[Bru]

If we’re talking torque converter 3/4 speeds, then stay manual. Pony up for a T56/TR6060 and get great capability, support and gear spread options to match your powerband.

 

[v6buicks]

If we’re talking torque converter 3/4 speeds, then stay manual. Pony up for a T56/TR6060 and get great capability, support and gear spread options to match your powerband.

Oof idk man. T56 swaps for 3800s are not super straightforward, and the already expensive transmission is only the beginning of the cost. The TKO is damn near bolt in and capable of 900 ft/lbs with the face plating kit.

 

[Yaj Yak]

wholle lotta people missin what section this is in

just like the last WHAT 3800 TRANS thread.

 

[Spivitz]

4l80E with a 4,000 stall vert

FTW

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

Sooo the car is a fun semi dd, 240 is the main dd and the gn is a garage queen?

 

[blakbearddelite]

I wish I could have my cake and eat it too....meaning I wish I had two of my car with each transmission set up.

The manual certainly makes driving more entertaining, but it also might cause me to lose to some slower cars on the street. I've had the car for five years and I'm still not able to drive it to it's fullest capability. But like others have said, it's purely an ego thing if I went the way of putting in an automatic. Seeing as the car has seen the drag strip once in 5 years, I don't think I'd change it. Though I do contemplate about which one should I ever ditch this car.

Sucks that we're at the time of the year where it's nice enough to drive it, but the tires/roads are too cold to get any decent traction. I'm just driving it to drive for now.

 

[v6buicks]

Sooo the car is a fun semi dd, 240 is the main dd and the gn is a garage queen?

Yep!

I wish I could have my cake and eat it too....meaning I wish I had two of my car with each transmission set up.

The manual certainly makes driving more entertaining, but it also might cause me to lose to some slower cars on the street. I've had the car for five years and I'm still not able to drive it to it's fullest capability. But like others have said, it's purely an ego thing if I went the way of putting in an automatic. Seeing as the car has seen the drag strip once in 5 years, I don't think I'd change it. Though I do contemplate about which one should I ever ditch this car.

Sucks that we're at the time of the year where it's nice enough to drive it, but the tires/roads are too cold to get any decent traction. I'm just driving it to drive for now.

I that's a good point. The reason I get frustrated with the GN is because it's a garage queen, yet needs a lot of work. If I were to get to a point with the Camaro where I was satisfied, I could always jump over to GN and say "screw it" to the garage queen status. It'll still always feel backwards though. The GN will never get beat on like the Camaro, so there's no point in manual swapping it even if I wasn't trying to maintain the car's original vibe. Meanwhile, the beater where nothing is sacred and I just want to destroy everything in my path is going to be the stick car. Lol

 

[Yaj Yak]

The car this is going into is so pertinent lol and so many people are ignoring that aspect.

 

[v6buicks]

The car this is going into is so pertinent lol and so many people are ignoring that aspect.

I'm getting pushed in both directions even from people who've ridden in the car. I'm shocked that more of them aren't pushing me to keep the stick.

At the beginning of the day I was thinking about going auto, but by the time I started driving home and thinking about what people said I changed my mind. I'm excited about the stick again.

 

[Yaj Yak]

I'm getting pushed in both directions even from people who've ridden in the car. I'm shocked that more of them aren't pushing me to keep the stick.

At the beginning of the day I was thinking about going auto, but by the time I started driving home and thinking about what people said I changed my mind. I'm excited about the stick again.

Imo the money factor of the situation should be brought up more.