Stout 4-Speed. Which is best?

I am building a decent horsepower Poncho 400. I am researching transmissions and located a couple that I would like. Found the old Muncie "Rock Crusher", and read up about it. Found a Mopar A833, and read up on it. I want to keep a 4-speed so that puts out the T56 plus I heard that Tremec will melt with that much torque... I am planning on pushing around 600 ponies if all goes as planned. Motor is going into a 55 Chieftain...Any suggestions?

 

That muncie would probably be your best route
that or a ford top loader is pretty strong.

There should be some support for ford trans behind a Pontiac- there were plenty of 3 spd
Ford transmissions from Pontiac

 

Thanks! I totally overlooked the top loader...I mean it crossed my mind. Just forgot to add it.

 

The Ford top loader is a tough transmission. HRP

 

I ran a M-22 trans for 6 years in a all out
Race Car, with more Power than 600 hp
and had NO problem with it!

just my 3.5 cents

 

If I had to run a 4 speed, I would look around for an aftermarket setup like a Liberty or Jerico or....

 

er just get the 5 / 6 speed
http://www.richmondgear.com/01sixspeed.html

some jerk cried and got me censored
I heavy on the I --- I am so good at what i do i feel the need to pat myself on the back all day see the sarcasm there

 

A stock M22 won't stand up to that kind of hp if you are going to run slicks and beat it at the drags.

An Auto Gear four speed with a cast iron mid plate is stronger than a stock M22... it's what I had in my '55... but it was a lighter car (3000lbs) and had less horsepower (550hp)... it held up nicely. You have to be honest with how you are going to use it... who knows, it might work.

But if you're going to run that much hp in that heavy of a car... I would go with a Jerico...

Sam

 

http://www.richmondgear.com/01sixspeed.html

 

How about a T10? I'd take that over a Muncie 4-speed.

Bob

 

chevy truck np833a . it is a mopar style trans with gm front end. 81-87 chevy c-10 plus you will have an overdrive. they are stout!

 

I ran the muncie behind a 552 hp sbc in the early '70's. Had a garbage can full of broken parts. Switched to the new process Hemi trans and never looked back.

 

I was always told the Hemi trans was the strongest before all the aftermarket transmissions came out. If I was going to put something in a drag car I would go aftermarket. I would talk to the various companies and get one just a little bit stronger than is really needed. As usual cost can be the deciding factor.

 

This car is going to be a semi daily driver. I might run it down a line a few times just to see what she can do, however, I am planning some decent tread on it. Nothing wider than a 12"-15" radial with like 3.70ish in the ass. I want to build something that has the "go" if some youngster in a coupe comes round and acts like "John Millner". I just don't want to leave tranny parts all over for someone to come clean up. Think I will look into a top loader or a Jerico. Although, I was thinkin that Mopar A833...

 

The Mopar trans is the strongest of them all. But, it is also probably the least-amenable-to-being-shifted-smoothly of them all, too. It doesn't help to have a strong trans if you miss 2-3 all the time and lunch your valvetrain.

 

Ford Toploader

 

I've read a few times that the new super T-10 is pretty stout. Stronger than a muncie.

 

Chrysler's A-833 4-speed would be my choice.

 

Broke three big shaft, big input units in one year. The aftermarket parts are a must if you actually hook up. T10 is better choice.

 

I'm in the same boat. Not wanting to hijack this thread...

Im gonna build a 392 HEMI for the 34 project and I was also wodering about which manual transmission to use....

Being partial to mopars, I know that the 18 Spline HEMI 4 speed is the strongest factory 4 speed trans out there. Period.

I woudl advise you get an 18 Spline A833. Heck, I even thing a regular 23 spline unit would be even stronger than any muncie or T10.

The drawbacks is that it is heavier due to it's cast iron housings (but thats what maks it stronger too cause they dont deflect under load), and also, I dont know about shifter location on a 34.....seems the shifter would end up being waaaay to far back.

I found these guys who make a shifter mechanism that positions the shifter up and front like you need it in an early ford....however they dont make it for an A 833. http://www.hotrodscustomstuff.com/OLD_SITE/TFshifter.html

I still havent mocked up the engine and trans....but I wonder if the sshufter would end up being way to back on a 34 if I use the factory shifter mount position on the A833. I can get a trans out of a B body, which has the shifter mount in the front portion of the tail shaft....however its side mounted so it would probably still be kinda unconfortable being located to the drivers side.....in a narrow car such as a 34.

 

I ran a Muncie for years in a couple different cars and never had a problem. You did mention that you wanted it as a daily driver. You might want something with a overdrive to help with highway travel. I can tell you that I bought a Tremec 600 5 speed and beat it like a redheaded stepchild. Check it out man!

 

Tremec now has for sale the TKO700, which stands for being able to handle 700 ft lbs of torque. It is torque that breaks trannies. I have the TKO600 in my '56 Chevy Coupe and it handles 600 ft lbs of torque. The TKO700 will give you the best of two worlds...low rpm in overdrive, and off the line launches. Only $3K. The M22 and Top Loader are also tough trannies, but they don't have OD.

 

My first initial was that A833....so I think that will be the one...specially since I know where one is readily available. Thanks guys, for the info...just want to do this one right the first time to save some change.

 

I have scattered my share of muncies but never scattered the saginaw everyone thinks is so weak. the muncies need to be shimmed back on the input if you look at the gear mesh between the cluster gear and the others they only meet at about 75% shim them so the contact 100% and they"ll last.A 10 bolt chevy pinion shim of .030 to .040 is usually what was requiredto get the input meshed with the cluster properly,then you have to look at the weak aluminum mid plate.I would go with a saginaw, toploader, ,833 ,or cast iron t10 before any aluminum muncie if it were me.

 

I run a toploader behind my OT car, and they are really stout...this one would get my vote..

 

just for the record i had an 86 chevy c-10 truck that was and automatic with a 2.79 gear. i swapped out the auto for a np833a gm turck trans and put 3.73 gears in the back. i could hold the throttle to the floor and never use the clutch ( after taking off) and speed shiftthat c-10 till that little 305 would float the valves . i never hurt that trans and it had untold miles on it. i am sold on them and you get an od. same gear ratio as a 700r4. my .02 cents!!!!

 

Find yourself a Doug Nash 4 speed!

 

the A833 was the trany used behind hemis and 440 in the late 60s and early 70s - two different tailshaft lengths and overdrive kits - that would be my choice -jaxx

 

Get one of the new tremecs, if it's that big of a deal just screw a 4-speed shift knob on it.

 

I'm interested in the build plan for this 600 ponies 400.