Tin-Man, sure hope you have better luck with your "ain't chump change" Roush engine. I just cringe when I read of other's problems after spending HUGE money on their 511's. Some people are more sympathetic than I am. I think that if you spend HUGE money on something, it should be flawless. I don't buy the thought that "gee, its man made and subject to problems". I have to think that the spending of the HUGE dollars is to preclude having such problems. As was said, hopefully, Roush has cured their problems. They sure as hell should have, for what you paid.

Anyway, off my soapbox, I've had an automatic in my Cobra for the 12 years I've owned it, and and have never regreted it. I have no doubt that a standard shift would probably be more fun to drive, but for ease of driving, consistentcy, and outright going A to B, my At has been great. I've had a Hughes TH 400 for seven years and just recently changed to a Hughes manual 4L80e that should be much nicer on our 90MPH cruises up throught the mountains. Its your car, your money, make it the way your want and damn the torpedoes.

Tinman, welcome to the crew. I hope you have a thick skin because with this crew, nothing is sacred. THey..we are liable to come at you from any direction. Just remember that it is all in fun and we only pick on people we like.

Isn't that right Mikie? Mikie, our fearless leader, never picks on anyone and is always the epitome of political correctness and compassion. :LOL: :confused: :rolleyes: :cool:

Thank you Shar-pei junior.

Mike

You know me. Always trying to help....or something like that..

Thanks Charlie, I get back to you by PM tin-man

I think this question is going to cause a lot of you to laugh and I guess its going to make me THE proverbial newbie rookie, but can you help me understand what a Hughes TH 400 and manual 4L80e are, I'm thinking they are shifters but not sure, if they are shifters where can I access the visuals? tin-man

Welcome tin-man.
What Dan said is soooo true.:LOL:

Having said that NEVER start a sentence with
"I think this question is going to cause a lot of you to laugh and I guess its going to make me THE proverbial newbie rookie"

Be careful what you wish for. :D

BTW i have no clue to the answer to you're question. But sometime I just have no clue.

Hi Dave from Mesa, ummm, well, its like this, after reading what Danr55 said about all you fine upstanding gentlemen being not bashfull to come at me from all directions, for what I would conclude to be any type of dumbass question that rookies generally ask, I just kinda , well sorta, phrased my comments in such a manner as to see which one of you, er, hmm, fine gentlemen would be first outa the chute so to speak, and guess what "you're the man". I do thank you however for the heads up and I do undertsand it was meant as a kind and friendly gesture for future misteps in the way I asked my questions. Did I get it right? tin-man

Tinman, In the first place, the perpetual rookie is Ratboy. Don't start stealing his thunder. You haven't been here long enough. In the second place I believe the answer to the question you asked in the first place is "transmission". I'm sure that someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

Well I got that one taken care of, thanks, as to Ratboy being perpetual rookie, thanks for the heads up, and really it makes no never mind to me, and as for stealing anyones thunder, not sure I would characterize my comments as that since I was merely trying to be friendly with a lead in to a question that I really needed help in understanding. Seems I may have misjudged peoples reaction to my intent, being the case I will be very careful how I ask my questions from now on. Now about being thick skinned....:) tin-man

"I do thank you however for the heads up and I do undertsand it was meant as a kind and friendly gesture for future misteps in the way I asked my questions. Did I get it right? tin-man"

You got that right. Just trying to prepare you for what comes. :D

Again welcome to the grope, :o ah I mean group.

Hey guys...

Let's not scare him off until after he buys lunch.

Tin Man is awfully close to Tan Man. Do you think he is related to Stuart?
Mike

Tin-Man, The TH400 is a three speed automatic transmission that GM made for about 30 years. The 4L80e is basically the same but has a fourth gear that is a 25% underdrive to reduce engine RPMs when cruising. Hughes is a racing transmission manufacturer in Phx that has been making wonderful transmissions for decades. I went with a manual 4L80e so that I wouldn't need a computer to operate the transmission. I will have to manually shift but I always do that anyway to try to reduce any slippage my 10" torque converter might allow at lower RPM.

Ask any question ya want and no need to worry about thick skin or not as I'm guessing it's not your first rodeo. Just put new batteries in your BS detector.

Karlos is running a chebbie so uses the GM family of auto's, the turbo 400 is a battleship with 3 forward gears but has a 1/1 final ratio. His new tranny offers an overdriven 4th gear ratio. It is also getting a history of being able to survive .... spirited use.

Your engine selection would require adapter plate to use the GM bolt pattern but not a bad thing. In the end survival and availability of aftermarket parts with a proven history is what most folks want. Ford has autos with an overdrive too and others will chime in.
I can quote GM parts and interchange as well as most but was not raised with Fords so defer to the Ford experts.

The paddle shifter set-up is very cool when installed and set up properly (like most things). It is not a set up that any tranny guy can install, tweak or resolve issues on and not compatible with every tranny available. Might want to do your homework on this option.

I have run a automatic's in my own cobras and they worked great at all the things they do and better than a standard in some ways. I do like a standard tranny in a cobra better just because it seems to fit my own image of the TOY a cobra is for me. I like shifting and ability to short a shift or stretch it out a little just because. An auto never misses a gear or the right gear.

If you are interested in paddle shifters, these guys have been around for a while and have spent some time in the SPF/Shelby/Roush booth at Barrett-Jackson. Last year they had their own booth. Very interesting. Works even for manual transmissions.
http://www.mastershift.com/

AZ Bob

He shoots back.. Good one Tinman. YOu'll have a lot of fun around here. Nice to have some new blood on board.

My first reaction was WITF died and made you king, but then since I don't know you yet I thought that may be a bit too much, thus my more politically correct response.

In any event I can see by the feedback I received I really did ask a dumbass question and have more than egg on my face, but I do thank everyone, well almost everyone, for putting me straight. nuff said and I am thinking I gonna be just fine with this motley group of err, mmm, fine upstanding gentlemen. tin-man

Now you've got it.. Welcome aboard.. You'll enjoy yourself here as long as you don't take anything too seriously.. I did get off on the wrong foot though. For that, I apologize.

Danr, "the wrong foot"? How could you tell? Right foot, left foot, they are both the same to you. 'splains the way you drive, when you car is running.

Now that's what I'm talkin' about........it takes a mighty fine upstanding gentleman to apologize, particularly when he knows he is going to be slammed, err, perhaps too strong, more like chastized, by his buddies, thus your apology is accepted. tin-man:D