Help Selecting the RIGHT 5spd Transmission

[bobinyelm]

I have had my Backdraft sitting under a cover in my garage since I picked it up from Florida last May, and I am finally unburying myself to where I can actually see about getting a transmission and installing my engine.

The only Cobra I've driven was a friend's "sister" Backdraft with a 3.46 rear end (like mine) and a relatively mild 375hp 351W (like mine). I have a mild cam favoring the mid-range with decent low-end torque.

He has a T-5 in his, but I didn't care for the gearing at all.

I have owned a several HiPo cars (Corvettes and TVR Tuscans), and have been very easy on them all. I will never track the car, and doubt my car will ever see full throttle or 6000rpm, so I don't need a race-strong transmission.

1st on the T-5 was too high for around town, or hilly country, where starts required a lot of slipping of the clutch. I didn't mind the gear spacing from there through 4th, but I HATED 5th OD with its super OD .62 gearing. WAY too wide a hole between 4th and 5th.

Since I drove my friend's machine, he's installed a 3.91 rear end (I haven't driven it since I am half a country away), which he says has made
1st gear better, but it left 4th too low now, leaving the same big hole to 5th, which is now a reasonable highway gear.

Most of my local driving will be between 45 and 50mph under very light throttle, which I would like to be able to loaf-around at maybe 1500rpm in 5th gear (30 or 32mph per 1000rpm). That would seem to give absolute top speed at around 5000rpm in 5th, which sounds right to me.

What 5spd transmission would give me a good set of stock ratios (no internal gearing changed needed) with decent spacing between 4th and 5th OD? Preferably w/o having to change rear gearing, please.

Ideally I'd like 5th to be .74 or thereabouts, but the only 5thODs I see are .62 or .82, with nothing in between.

Physically, my driveshaft is sized for standard length transmissions like the T-5, so I'd favor one not requiring shortening of the shaft if possible.

Thanks,
Bob