4spd vs. auto on the street?

[JoeD]

I'm looking to purchase my first muscle car soon and have little experience with high horsepower engines on the street. What are the pros and cons of autos or 4 spds. on the street?

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--+JoeD+--

[DusterFamily]

If you don't mind rowing through the gears go manual. With an automatic you have to run a high stall converter (if you want it leave hard). This large converter requires a fluid cooler and overall compromised street driving. Another plus for the standard is you can vary the launch rpm's infinatley( and with street tires this is a big plus).
Overall it really depends on how radical the car is, how much actual street driving it will do, and how much you are willing to compromise in streetability.
I run an auto in my 12 second street Duster (3500 stall and 4.30 gears)without problems, but if I had it to do over again, I would have switched to manual.

[Larry S.]

I'm just the opposite of DusterFamily. I had a 70 340 Cuda with a 4 speed, and it was a bear to get to hook up on street tires, so the one I'm building now with the 392 hemi is getting a 727 behind it. There probably is more expense involved with the automatic, what with having to run a high stall converter and at least a shift kit of some sort to get it to perform right in a high performance setup, but it is easier to get to hook up and is easier on drivetrain parts.

I will say this though, for sheer driving fun you can't beat a 4 speed!

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1970 392 Hemi Cuda

[turbododge]

I think it totally depends on what the intended purpose of the car is. If you are going stop light racing, the auto with high stall would probably be best. If you want to be able to do comfortable cruising, and go longer distances, the stick would be way better and a lot more fun.

My Challenger is a 5 speed and it is VERY difficult to launch well, but I don't mind because the car was built to be good handling, easy to drive, and fast from a roll. As the others said, you always have to comromise something to gain elsewhere.

[ehostler]

The automatic is more consistant, in ET bracket racing. The 4 speed is much more fun to drive.

Ed

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'96 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT CC 360 4X4
'68 Charger 383-4

[BB 70 Challenger]

JoeD:

The guys are telling You the truth. For racing or consistent launches, You´re better off with an automatic. But the 4-speed is SOOO much more fun.

And one more thing: with a racy high stall converter the car´s drivetrain feels like a rubber band when cruising with part throttle. OK, it kicks real well when You stand on it, but the cruising is just "nothing". And the trans gets hot and You spend tons of gas. So in my opinion the 4-speed is fun every single second, every shift is fun, even part throttle. You just can´t substitute the feeling when You release the clutch.... no rubber band thing!

Just my 2 cents ;-

[JoeD]

Thanks for the input fellas, I think a 4 spd is what I'll look for as most of my driving will be street.

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--+JoeD+--