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

Manual or Automatic LAME V6?


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v6buicks

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Imo the money factor of the situation should be brought up more.
This is true. The car is a basket case, and it will never be nice. I WANT this car to be shit so that it doesn't hurt my feelings when it goes up in flames. No lencos. No 6l80s. Even T56s are way too much at $2500 plus all the adapters.
 

Yaj Yak

Gladys
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This is true. The car is a basket case, and it will never be nice. I WANT this car to be shit so that it doesn't hurt my feelings when it goes up in flames. No lencos. No 6l80s. Even T56s are way too much at $2500 plus all the adapters.
Yeah this is important to talk about

A turbo 400 holds a lot of power for not a lot of money.
 

v6buicks

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Yeah this is important to talk about

A turbo 400 holds a lot of power for not a lot of money.
Although I do not disagree, the car's semi-daily usage has me thinking that I'll miss the overdrive. I'm already getting only 17 mpg and it sees a lot of highways. I also cannot seem to get a straight answer on what makes a th400 shift. Would I need to convert the vacuum modulator over to boost reference? How do I hook up a kickdown cable when I don't even have a throttle cable?

4Ll80Es are a little pricier but will hold everything I'll be able to give it and take care of all the issues I have with the TH400.

Then there's the whole thing with drive shafts, center consoles, adapter plates, pedal boxes, ect. taht I'll be dealing with in any auto swap. A TKO although pricey on it's own is pretty much a direct replacement. In the grand scheme of things, The TKO and a solid fully-automatic conversion are going to cost about the same. The TKO will just take less time.
 

v6buicks

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If you don't track it or don't street race, keep it manual. The most fun vehicle I've ever owned was a 2004 gto. I ran a 13.9 with it the one time I took it to the track, so it was nowhere close to fast, but damn it was fun to drive.
I have a friend whose been drag racing his GN since the early 2000s. He runs in the 8s now and loves that car to death, but even he will admit that he had the most fun in that car years ago when it was a 12 second street car. Yeah, it's still plated and insured, but it's not much fun to cruise around with a cage, a spool, Kirkeys, and never hitting boost. lol I don't want to get to that point.... but that's the hole my GN could fill. lol I'm still kinda torn, but leaning the stick direction.

Also surprised that more people aren't about building a TH350. They really aren't the 4l60e of three speeds. They too can hold a ton of power while providing a smaller and lighter package. I wouldn't be scared to attempt a TH350 build in the basement. lol Again though, no OD and no current means of auto shifting.
 
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Yaj Yak

Gladys
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I'm aware of what they cost. I doubt a ls1 fbody or gto that is nice will be competitive cost wise.



I mean, the OP even said it best at the top of this page.


This is true. The car is a basket case, and it will never be nice. I WANT this car to be shit so that it doesn't hurt my feelings when it goes up in flames. No lencos. No 6l80s. Even T56s are way too much at $2500 plus all the adapters.
 
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Yaj Yak

Gladys
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i mean, fuck, for the price of a turbo 3800 fbody with a "pricey" manual swapped into it and the necessary mods to make it "work"

you're in decent banger C5 land. i bet this car could be had for $9500 which is batshit crazy

 

Bob Kazamakis

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v6buicks

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have you priced out a new TKO or t56?

:rofl:

that, plus the money into a turbo fbody 3800, could wind you up with a pretty nice banger gto or fbody for that matter.

i mean, fuck, for the price of a turbo 3800 fbody with a "pricey" manual swapped into it and the necessary mods to make it "work"

you're in decent banger C5 land. i bet this car could be had for $9500 which is batshit crazy

giphy.gif

I'm not looking forward to the consequences of what I'm about to type, but it's pertinent information.

No LS cars or their dollar per hp has ever or will ever be relevant in the things I do in my garage. I'm not hating on them or their capabilities. They are undeniably great, but I don't go with the grain. Mainstream engine builds are not my cup of tea. I'd rather have a 500hp 3800 car than 1000hp LS car that cost the exact same amount of money. I'm not out to set any speed records. I just enjoy pushing the limits of the underdogs.

Let the roast begin.
how much is the TKO and necessary things, that will handle 500+ RWHP?

TKO 600 handles 600lb/ft right off the crate and costs $2600. You can also upgrade to faceplated gears for a total cost of $3000. That will handle 900 ft/lbs. I already have the bell and necessary pilot bearing ($100). The crossmember and trans mount will work without modification. No adapters are needed. In fact, I can even use the stock torque arm because the TKO already has the mounts cast into the extension housing. The T5 driveshaft is the perfect length. All I need after the transmission is a shifter and 31 spline yolk. I have not priced those out yet, but the total cost will be under $3000.

I have a 6l80 I’ll sell you for $600
Those got a whole lot cheaper since the last time I looked into it. I don't have a clue as to how to mechanically adapt one though.
 
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