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Originally Posted by Zoom This
Well, I'll tell ya what. If I had to do it over again I'd opt for the top loader and get a 3.27 rear end ratio for my Superformance. My original Tremec 3550stuck into 4th gear 50 miles from home last year. I got rid of it and installed a TKO-600. With so much talk about sticking gears in the Tremec I'm dreading the day mines gets stuck. Then I will indeed get a top loader.
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The tremec is a good tranny, but, my opinion is that it was designed for small block mustangs i.e. smaller engines with heavier weight than compared to a cobra. The 3550 is a super wide ratio 4 speed with an over drive, and the TKO600 is a wide ratio 4 speed, comparable to a wide ratio toploader, but with an overdrive as well. With the 2.78 1st gear of a wide ratio toploader, you can run 3.07 or 2.88 rears, and not really need an overdrive. The TKO600 has I believe a 2.87 first, even steeper than a wide ratio toploader, with 4th gear 1:1. With such a low 1st gear, I think the 3.07 or 2.88 rears are really optimal, and therefore negate the need for an overdrive. Assuming a toploader is more durable, I'd think you'd be better off to get a wide ratio TL with 3.07 or 2.88 rears than any of the tremecs. If you really want a CLOSE RATIO 5 SPEED, then the tremecs are not for you. You need to get either a richmond 5 speed, or a custom jerico or G-Force, of which all have 5th gear 1:1, with a steep 1st gear, so you would still run basically 3.07 or 2.88 rears.
The close ratio toploader with a 2.32 first will make it hard to get a good cruising rpm, yet still have good 1st gear power. I'm actually in the process of changing my wide ratio toploader to a close ratio, keeping the 3.07 rears. We'll see how it is, and if 1st is too high, maybe I'll switch in a richmond 5 speed with a 3.04 first. I would still have another application for the CL toploader. I thought the gear splits in the wide ratio toploader were a little too wide for my taste, and thought I'd be better off with a close ratio. We'll see.