Up date on Transmission

[Cleve]

First of all I would like to thank everyone who responded to my transmission problem. Much appreciated.

I sent a picture of my shifter , to Silver Sport , that shows it partially under the cross bar in the transmission tunnel. This location didn't allow me to raise my tailstock off the back cross member. Silver Sport told me, don't cut anything, send them the transmission, freight covered both ways, and they would relocate the shifter further back on the transmission. I emailed Chris, at Silver Sport, and asked him, since he had my transmission in house, would it be possible for me to swap it out for a wide ratio transmission ( I have a close ratio) and include the shifter relocation and he said no problem .
Great company to deal with.

[ProfessorB]

Why the decision to change from close-ratio to wide-ratio? (Not critiquing here....looking to learn something.)

[edwardb]

I don't think you want to move the shift location further back. You would likely need a forward angled shifter like the one that comes in the kit. I used it in my very first Roadster build as pictured below. It is somewhat like the originals. But the shift motion is more up and down versus front and back. I got used to it. But many don't like it. Most (including me) prefer it either at the reversed rear location (as discussed in the other thread by turning the plate 180 degrees) or by using a midshift. Cutting a cross memeber to get the optimal location for your shifter, if it comes to that, just isn't a big deal. In the long run, living with the car, I think you'll be happier if the shifter is more forward than back.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Finished/.highres/IMG_1530_reduced.jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds (https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Finished/.highres/IMG_1530_reduced.jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds)

[cv2065]

Agree with Paul. I had the standard shifting location the last time and bought a 427 style aftermarket shifter. The shifter always felt too tall and too far back, especially in 2nd and 4th gears. I'm going mid-shift this time with a shorty shifter, so should enjoy it a little more. I won't know if I need to cut the tubing for the Forte mid-shifter until installed, but a couple minutes with a Sawzall and its done.

[JJK]

FWIW, I did not originally like the rear located forward slant shifter as that was not natural for me, but it grew on me I ended up cutting it down about 1" to make it a bit shorter and it is great now. I originally thought I wanted a mid shift but am very happy with the shorter, forward slanted stick in the rear position.

[Cleve]

Close ratio transmissions lower gear tachs up very fast and you dont go very far in low gear. I figured the wide ratio was a better set up for around town use.

[Cleve]

I had a decision to make. Since I was able to swap the transmission out for a wide ratio I decided not to cut crossbeam . If the swap option wasnt availaable I would have cut the cross bar. With all of this going on, its cut my progress a few weeks.

[Blitzboy54]

Agree with Paul. I had the standard shifting location the last time and bought a 427 style aftermarket shifter. The shifter always felt too tall and too far back, especially in 2nd and 4th gears. I'm going mid-shift this time with a shorty shifter, so should enjoy it a little more. I won't know if I need to cut the tubing for the Forte mid-shifter until installed, but a couple minutes with a Sawzall and its done.

Same

[Cleve]

Thanks for your positive feedback.

[OB6]

The mid-shift kit from Forte fit perfectly for me, but I've got an LS3.

202377

[Jim Doak]

Close ratio transmissions lower gear tachs up very fast and you dont go very far in low gear. I figured the wide ratio was a better set up for around town use.

I'm inclined to think that the version with the first gear ratio of 3.27:1 is the wide ratio gearbox and the one with the 2.87:1 ratio is the close ratio tranny. (I'm planning on going with the close ratio version in my build.)

If I read your posts correctly, I think you're ending up with the close ratio version. The close ratio version does have a higher ratio 5th gear (0.68); however, the overall differences between gears is less with the gearbox with the 2.87:1 first gear ratio as compared to the 3.27:1 tranny.

[Jim1855]

Here's the link to Tremec and the TKX page

I would think that the 2.87 first and then either the 0.81 or 0.68 5th would be the two Ford choices. For me I like the .68 for cruising, others might like the .81.

https://www.tremec.com/menu.php?m=184

Jim

[cv2065]

I had the .81 OD TKO 600 before and I was screaming at 75-80mph on the highway. I chose the .68 this time around.

[edwardb]

I had the .81 OD TKO 600 before and I was screaming at 75-80mph on the highway. I chose the .68 this time around.

Same here. Did it once. Not again. Unless you have a very specific reason for the .8 whatever overdrive (e.g. track) I recommend the .6 as well.

[Jeff Kleiner]

The question of which gearset to choose is totally dependent on what the rear axle ratio is. The .81 fifth gear can be suitable with a 3.08 or higher in the rear rear but not so much with a 3.55 or 3.73. Same with the 3.27 first gear vs the 2.87. Do the math and you'll see that the overall reduction when using a 3.08 rear with 3.27 first is virtually identical to a 3.55 rear and 2.87 first (10.07:1 vs 10.18:1; a difference of ~1%) Similarly the overall reduction of a .81 fifth with a 3.08 rear is nearly the same as the .68 fifth combined with a 3.55 rear (2.49:1 vs 2.41:1; a difference of ~3%). Before selecting a transmission spend some time with a calculator! ;)

Jeff

Jeff

[ProfessorB]

Newbie Highjack question: I don't even now which trans I have, since I bought an already completed car. I DO know I have 3.55's in the rear (I jacked the car up and counted driveshaft rotations). Is there a 'tag" on the transmission somewhere, where I can get the serial number and find out exactly what I have? And, thinking a little more about it, is the tag always in the same location, regardless of which model it is? And, hopefully, can the tag be seen and read when the transmission is installed?

[herb427sc]

Newbie Highjack question: I don't even now which trans I have, since I bought an already completed car. I DO know I have 3.55's in the rear (I jacked the car up and counted driveshaft rotations). Is there a 'tag" on the transmission somewhere, where I can get the serial number and find out exactly what I have? And, thinking a little more about it, is the tag always in the same location, regardless of which model it is? And, hopefully, can the tag be seen and read when the transmission is installed?

My tag on a TKO was top right corner where the Tail housing is bolted on.

[JohnK]

Newbie Highjack question: I don't even now which trans I have, since I bought an already completed car. I DO know I have 3.55's in the rear (I jacked the car up and counted driveshaft rotations). Is there a 'tag" on the transmission somewhere, where I can get the serial number and find out exactly what I have? And, thinking a little more about it, is the tag always in the same location, regardless of which model it is? And, hopefully, can the tag be seen and read when the transmission is installed?

If you know your rear end gear ratio, you can figure out your trans OD ratio is. First, figure out what RPM's you're running at 65mph on the highway, then use an online calculator like this one (https://tiresize.com/calculator/) to calculate tire diameter (if running 315/30R18's, for example, tire diameter is 25.4"), then use a calculator like this one from Tremec (https://www.tremec.com/calculadora.php) to figure out which transmission you have.