I need OPINIONS!!!
 

Hello everyone. I got to thinking tonight, scary, I know this, and I have been wondering if I should go with a 4-spd Toploader instead of my C4 when I'm doing the work to the new car.

My C4 already has a B&M Street/Strip shift kit in it and is in perfect shape. No wear at all. Pan was perfectly clean after about 5 years of driving.

If I got a Toploader, I would probably have to have it rebuilt. I guess that's no big deal. And in the future I'd have to replace the clutch every once in a while. No big deal. I'd have to have my driveshaft cut. No big deal. Manuals put more power to the ground also.

Driving will not be a problem. Yeah I know I'm just 16, (3 weeks till 17! http://www.mustangworks.com/msgboard/biggrin.gif), but I am pretty experienced with manuals. Racing and all. So that doesn't hold me back either. And the car won't be a daily driver. Just a weekend cruiser this time, since I got my beefy '86 Nissan pickup, hahaha. So when people say I'll just get sick of it all the time and stuff, nah, that won't be a problem either. The Nissan is also a manual. I love stick shifts.

So what would you guys say? Stick with the C4? Or give in and go with the 4-spd? All opinions appreciated.

------------------
Previously "BennyBoy"
'69 Coupe with 351W-I rolled it 8/8
Edelbrock RPM intake, Edelbrock RPM cam, Edelbrock 750 cfm carb, Hedman headers, 2 1/2" pipe, glasspacks, C4: shift kit, 9" Currie: Trac-Lok 3.70s, 290hp-stock heads

I am a big fan of manuals. I might get flamed for this, but when I'm at the track I see allot of kick as cars and almost all of them are autos and I can't stand it. In my opinion when I see a car run a kick a$$ time with a auto I am not as impressed as I would be if it was a manual. I would go for the toploader because not many people have them.

------------------
79 hatch w/ NA 347,stage 2 Canfield heads, out of the box Victor 5.0 intake, solid roller cam, Aeromotive fuel system, proshifted TKO II.MY CAR http://www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/...splay.cgi?1288
93lx all stock + tremec

go , for the 4- speed i know i just bought a 2000 gt went with the aut , had to so the wife could drive it but, my 69 grande original 3-speed has a 70 mach -1 4 speed and the rear end out of same car 302 bult a little , but not full b,a still 35 to 0 againt's gm's & other's i gave it to my son 2 week's ago but told him, to respect it because it is fast ! if you can find a 4-speed grab it they are going fast let me know if i can help , ihave a co -worker who has had 2 boss ,302's sitting in his garage for YEAR'S i offered to help him build them but they , just sit there he has 4 or 5 boss engine's & quite a few 4 - speed 's just laying around it kills me i would almost trade him my 2000 for one of them .good luck!

------------------

Depends...if you are just building a street car, manuals are fun. For a heavier emphasis on track duty, I would go with an auto. My 11 second Chevelle had a TH350, A-1 low gear set, billet flexplate, 4000 stall 10" converter, transbrake, and a Quarter Stick shifter. For drag racing purposes, it was consistent with each pass. When that transbrake is released, it feels like your getting rearended by a bulldozer going 50mph. I'm not experienced with drag racing a 5-speed though I'm very good at driving one under normal or street racing conditions. I just can't seem to get used to having my right foot on the brake and gas at the same time. I just ride the clutch and ease the gas down simultaneously. I'm killing my ET's a bit by doing it but it's easier to me. Anyway, just my opinion, it doesn't sound like you're really building a drag car though, so stick with the stick.

------------------
Todd
1995GT Cobra look-alike
pulleys; Flowmaster cat-back; 65mm TB; Cobra R's, front, and wing; FMS aluminum driveshaft, Mac off-road H pipe
e-mail: todd5874@bellsouth.net

[This message has been edited by todd95GT (edited 09-07-2001).]

I like the auto myself. If u want to be able to shift it get a manule valve body. They are great u shift the car like if it was a stick. I love mine. It made a huge difference in my c-6. they are easy to put in also.

------------------
69 428 cobra jet: tons of mods.
97 f-150 5.4 xlt mark III
BUCKLE UP. SUCK IT IN.
Objects in the mirror are about to disappear...
QUICKLY!!!!!!

Thanks for all the responses guys. I think I've pretty much made up my mind now, that I want the 4-spd. I've always kind of wished it was a 4-spd before, and not an auto. Now maybe I'll get what I wanted!

I could shift my C4 manually, always did when I raced. If I left it in drive it shifted at like 4000, but I'd hold it until about 5200 in first and about 5000 in 2nd, that worked pretty good.

I think a manual will be a lot more fun. Finally I'll be able to get some good burnouts without having to powerstall it. It was a good (and rare) day if I could ever get my car to light them up from idle. If they did it wasn't until it hit about 2500-3000.

We'll see how it goes. I should be able to find a Toploader. Maybe even a driveshaft from a 4-spd 9" rear car. That would be nice. Thanks again for all the help!

------------------
Previously "BennyBoy"
'69 Coupe with 351W-I rolled it 8/8
Edelbrock RPM intake, Edelbrock RPM cam, Edelbrock 750 cfm carb, Hedman headers, 2 1/2" pipe, glasspacks, C4: shift kit, 9" Currie: Trac-Lok 3.70s, 290hp-stock heads