Quote:
Originally posted by decooney
REDSC400,
IMHO, unless you were revving the motor between 6500-8000rpms on every shift, I would bet you are shiifting your brains out almost all the time. I would also think your 1st gear is almost unusable with 4.11 rear gears and the power range you gave.
My friends stroked 427 Drag Mustang was only 1/10th faster going from 3.31 gears to 3.89s. The big-block Cobras really do well with the taller gears; with all that torque. Less shifting too. You might want to ride in someone else's big-block car with 3.31 or 3.08s to compare.... I only say this because I know of more than three guys now with 4speeds and 3.54s that changed them out to 3.31s or 3.08s instead in Big block 427/428 Cobras.
Good Luck.
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Hi Decooney:
Good point, I will have to try some of the other ERAs here in CT with toploaders and BB's and tall gears to compare. But no, 1st gear is not unsable at at. In fact in town, it is hard to get beyond second. 1st is quite usable in fact, good to 35 MPH or thereabouts. To be honest, most of my driving is done between 2nd and 3rd. I rarely find myself in 4th and if so not for long. The turnpikes and parkways here in CT are NOT the place to drive a Cobra IMHO. Too densely congested... = boring. We do not have the roads here that you enjoy in CA I would suppose. But then you have been here to CT (visit ERA?) so you know this.
Odd that you mention tall gears and drag cars.... hummm... hereabouts, most drag enthusiasts consider 4.11 the correct gearing and some go well beyond that.
From a force perspective, rear gears or the ring and pinion, multiply torque input from the driveshaft. It’s a straight mathematical proposition. If you have 100 lb/ft of torque going to the pinion and you have a 3.31:1 gear ratio, you have 331 lb/ft of torque being applied to the axle, a 4.11:1 gear ration then provides 411 lb/ft of torque or about 24% more work force. It is no wonder then that the drag crowd opts for the 4+ range of gears.
From a motion perspective, if you have a 3.31:1 ratio, the pinion turns three and a third times for every rotation of the ring gear. So altering the ratio impacts the axle torque (the potential to accelerate any given mass) and the axle rotation speed. In combination, these two events are how much and how fast work can be done.
I do not want to choose a gearing that could keep me relogated tor confined in either 1st or 2nd gears based upon the limits of our New England roads, speeds, traffic, etc. I also do greatly enjoy the loud "WHANNN-DHAAAA" that emits between gear changes. If you know what I mean.
Additionally, I do find the ability to chirp my rear tires in gear changes from 1st to 2nd, 2nd to 3rd and 3rd to 4th just a darned blast. (without ANY high RPMs or power shifting BTW!) In some instances, the tail waggle in 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd when getting on it is a bit much....
This is indeed a fun topic. And in retrospect, come to think of it, perhaps what I need is a 5 speed with the 5th being overdrive for those times I am on the highway at speed. Bob, Bob, lend me you Tremec!
Re: Sweet Spot.
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