This is what happens when you put a street and strip converter behind a 6-71 blown SBC in a Model A hot rod. The sprag rollers were completely gone, which means the were ground up and went through the trans. I was able to save the T350 but there was a lot of damage in the front half. I suspect the converter was ballooning, and the rear most bearing popped out of place an disintegrated .That allowed the stator to slap back and forth and punch out the inner race and rollers, causing them to bend all the fins over. This particular unit was a later model that had a furnace brazed impeller, and a welded in turbine hub (as opposed to riveted in) But you can see that didn't save it in this case.
oh ya.... many people don't think they need an anti ballooning plate, until this..... That's an amazing piece of engineering, the fluid coupler is...
I was going to build him a good one, but he says it's not in the budget right now. I think he's getting a $150 big red bomb . I tried...He'll be back next year... Job security ! He needs something like this:
Hey that looks like the converter in my 49 a tight 9", drives like a regular stock converter then step on it and all hell breaks loose.........Love It
until he starts jawing you for building junk trannys even though you 'had that conversation' send him somewhere else.
Back in the day I had a O/T car and big NOS spray and found out about "ballooning" and ended up buying a "Coan" branded converter, really big bucks 20 years ago, I think it was around $2200 or so. It cost money to play hard.
Thanks for your concern. Rick is like family though..He helps us promote our race, covering the East Valley for us. He picked up the trans, and I think he's coming around on the converter. He's just like the rest of us ,working just as hard now, but the money doesn't go as far. His car runs 11.50 's too, as is , so he doesn't want to speed it up to where he needs a roll bar.
I totally get it. sometimes friends are the toughest to deal with. sounds like you're doing what you can to keep the guy rolling. thin line. best of luck to you both!