I need to decide on a transmission for my new build. build is a model A coupe on 32 rails. I have just finished the motor and it is a 392 hemi with a little stroke and bore and a rowdy cam. I will be running multi carb, 97 set up. I have decided on a muncie m-22. now the question..... I am purchasing a new m-22 in a new case but they offer it in a wide and standard ratio. Right now I have a ford 9" with 3.73 gears. The ratio's are M22 Wide 2.52-1.88-1.46-1.00 M22 Close 2.20-1.64-1.28-1.00 which will be better. Price is almost the same. place I am talking to is tbtrans any one used them? Thanks for the help, don't want to get the wrong one.
what are you plans for using the car. i have found close ratio in a light car is a waste unless you are racing it.
either one will be fine with a 3.73 gear. The wide ratio sure will be a lot of fun from stoplights....The 2.20 first in a hot rod would work though too...Just depends
You have so much power in that rig the split in those ratios wont mean much. It will rip through 1st gear in just a few seconds with either one. 2.20 would be my choice it's a little stronger. With the 3.73 and big engine, the car will accelerate very fast. If you burn out on the 3.73 on the highway from high RPM while the idiots in the asian cars drive by you at 85 MPH as they talk on their cell phones and decide to get a 3.0 or so, the 2.52 will get you rollin faster from a stop.
Good question! I always had more fun stop light to stop light with the close ratio. With the stroke of a 392 you would be able to pull out of any gear and not lug it with a wide ratio also. How tall are your rear tires? The 392 will rap RPM's faster with the close M22. With a close ratio your always ready to stomp on it, with the wide ratio you may feel the urge to drop a gear first......... Hope this makes sence and helps. JMO, Lon
With that engine, I think you'd be happier with a wide ratio. If you do a lot of highway driving, those 3:73's will get old fast.
In that light of a car, assuming that your going to drive it on the street I say go with the wide ratio. Close ratios were used for heavier cars with numerically lower gears to help them get out of hole a little quicker.
I think you may need a lower starting gear. What you have now is a combination not conducive to very low rpm torque. A 2.20 Muncie is kinda like trying to start in 3rd gear. Have you considered a Richmond 6? They have a kinda "special" model with a...3.27, 2.13, 1.57, 1.24, 1.00 and .84. Good for at least 450 torque. Good luck.
I plan on pretty much beating on it. drags and what ever else. it will be a street car. I am setting it up with a tall 7.50-16 about 32" tall. I also will have a 29 1/2 tall slick. So will the 2.20 gear pull hard. Also It will most likely be a good 500hp and trq. motor. does anyone know what rpm that it will run 1 to 1 or 4th gear at 70mph. with a 3.73 rear. Thanks for all the info.
More 1st is more fun on the street since you won't be taking off at 3000+ RPM. If you check RPM drop from 5000 RPM shifts, the two trans are within 20 RPM of each other until the 3-4 shift where the spread is 480 RPM. Still not a big deal. So the only question is do you want to give up 13% torque in 1st.
it is about a 1/4 stroke and I think 40 over. dont have my sheet in front of me. It measures out to around 426 cu in. Thanks for the insight. I think I am going with the wide ratio. anyone bought one. from who and good or bad experiance.
One at a time: "The 392 will rap RPM's faster with the close M22" No, the wide ratio had more torque in every gear. "with the wide ratio you may feel the urge to drop a gear first" Backwards - the wide ratio is lower MPH and higher RPM in every gear. "what rpm that it will run 1 to 1 or 4th gear at 70mph. with a 3.73 rear." About 2,745 RPM.
WIDE RATIO. I have a close ratio muncie with 4:10's and with 28" tall slicks it wants to bog off the line a little at the strip, pretty hard actually and I have dumped it at about 6600 rpm.. I am probably switching to the wide myself for a little deeper first gear. With your tall ass tires your going to want that little bit deeper first as well, especially with the slightly taller 3:73's.. Close ratios are funner for 2-3 shift but getting it off the line sucks, if I had 4:33's my problem could be solved...hmmmm....
Modern transmissions have even wider gearsets (around 2.97-3.35 first gear), and with the broad torque band of a big hemi, you could really take advantage of the wider gear spread. A Tremec five speed would give both more dig from the stoplight, and easier cruising in high gear (OD). It also has an internal rail shifter, capability to mount the shifter several different places, and the strength of a toploader Ford. You may have unstated reasons for going with the Muncie, but if you are chosing mostly on the basis of performance, there are better choices.
As I think I said before, I would recommend the wide ratio and a 3.50:1 rear gear with the tall rear tires. The Hemi won't even be breathing hard at 80-90mph with the 3.50 rear and those tires. That is the exact combination that I run in my coupe...and you can ask anybody that has tried to keep up with me on the highway and they'll tell you that I cruise at 85 mph in 4th gear, and can run off and leave them if I lay into the throttle. No downshifting required. I think the 3.73 is going to be too low without O.D, and the higher 3.50 gear will actually help you launch with the skinny tires. In my opinion, the Hemi's broad torque band will work best with the wide ratio.
My Dad had a '29 Model a pickup with a close ratio, and a vette rear end with 3.08 gears. It took alot of clutch to keep it rolling at slow speeds. The gear spread is nioce on the close ratio, but you need 3.70 or higher to make it nice to drive at events where you sit and go a few feet at a time(car shows). You have plenty of torque with a 392, you won't notice the big shift from 3rd to 4th so much. If you had a rpm dependent sbc, you would. With a wide box you could go as tall as 3.00 to 1 with a bigblock and a light car and still have nice power. Jeff
The Jalopy Journal
