[Anthony]

Picking a tranny is kind of like picking a wife. So many people have different tastes.

With the wide ratio toploader, you can run a 3.07 or 2.88 rear, and first gear is fine for take off, and I think 4th is fine for cruising. However, you give up a little wider spacing between gears, in my opinion not as good for medium or serious racing use.

All of the Tremec trannys are wide ratio 5 speeds, that is wide ratio 4 spd's with an overdrive. first gear in all of the tremecs is similar or deeper than 1st in the wr toploader, 4th is still 1:1, and 5th ( OD ) is either really high .65, or medium high 0.82.

I don't think you need 1st gear geared down deep, as the cobra is a light car, so you can get away with a 3.07/2.88 rear when using a 2.78 or deeper 1st gear.

I don't understand why David Kee came out with a new 1st gear ratio of 2.9, as the 2.78 is already in existence, and especially, that the new tranny also uses the same ratio's for 2nd and 3rd. 4th is always 1:1 . I just don't see the advantage.

Any of these trannys would be fine for a street machine. But from what I have read, it seems that many of the people serious about track use are using either the cr toplader or custom close ratio racing trannys ( Jerico , G-Force ). I figure, if you can pick your tranny in the beginning, you might as well pick a tranny that is geared optimally for what you want to use it. Probably the ultimate would be a custom racing close ratio 5 speed, as it would still retain the performance advantage, be durable, as well as give reasonable economy.

I think a good street 5 speed would be the richmond, get the 3.04 first instread of the 3.27, and go with a 2.88 rear. It's a true close ratio.

In my one car, I'm using a wr topl;oader and a 3.07 rear. It's fine for take off, and cruising is fine. Just when I was on the track, it seemed that ther gears were spaced a little too wide for my taste. It's a good combination, all gears are usable, but maybe just not optimal from the spacing standpoint.