which transmission...auto or manual

[RGuy]

when drag racing, which transmission performs better in regards to et. and mph?

I prefer the auto in order to reduce the potential for destroying the rearend but would like to hear you thoughts.

thanks.

Rob

[kevenj90sc]

i don't know that one is better than the other as far as potential to destroy the rear end....but you'd probably run more consistent times with a good automatic.......

[GREATWHITE666]

automatic with a shift kit will run just as good if not better than a stick. it's just harder and more fun with a stick :D
-Damon

[aplvlydrtybird]

either way you have potential of hurting the rear end, u just gotta build it, but for sure a built auto will b much better than the 5-speed jsut more consistent, but but greatwhite has a very valid point, sticks are so much more fun.

[rivlee]

Blowing shifts trying for that last .02 sec. to break into the 13's.

Losing 9 times out of 10 to the AOD's (check the fastest top ten).

"Pain is a great motivator." NOT! :D

Lee

[mannysc]

wait a friggin minute!!!!!

the top ten list is full of fast manuals,
the list does not lend merit to the phrase
blowing shifts lokking for that last .02 sec to break into 13,s

lets see the very bad cant shift cars are
Gary Kuhn 11:75 et
Connie Dalke 12:73 et
Steve Griffith 12:78 et
Mike Pucket 12:87 et
and I think Dan Sly 12:90 et

the reason there are not as many fast sc,s is not because they,
are inferrior , or only a few can shift them but,
because they are less in numbers,

its like trying to say chevys are the best because you run into them more at the track ,
oh yeah and amc never held a record,

we forget the quality and remember the masses,

yes autos are more consistant, but it never held back ,
grumpy jenkins ronnie sox ,

or poor old amc " remember the amx"

yes autos can launch as hard as manuals nowadays,
but not to long ago before trans brakes it was different.

as our sc,s get faster we will see the limits of all our trannys.

as for the top sc,s seems like its a coin toss ,
just who is building theirs not who is auto or manual.

Im sure if coy had a manual he would run it. just as fast.

this is old as the moon this manual vs, auto thing.

for stock or near stock the stick is more fun. for curving mountain roads give me the stick in traffic on a slight upgrade ,auto

[aplvlydrtybird]

Way to go manny, thanks for sticking up for the manuals!!!! round of applause

[David Neibert]

Manny...what are you smokin in that peace pipe ? Whatever it is knock it off, your making too much sense.

Autos are easier to race, but they consume more power between the crankshaft and the rear wheels. Manual transmissions are much more likely to encounter wheel hop on the track but usually have better trap speeds. Since wheel hop kills the launch and 60 ft time, a less powerful (slower mph) auto could have a lower ET and win the race.

Manuals will usually have better HP numbers on the dyno, and autos will usually have better torque numbers. On the track it really comes down to the driver to get the most from a manual. You must be willing to slip the clutch more than most people are comfortable doing if you want a good launch.

I'm a lousy driver, so the simplicity of driving an auto works great for me.

David

[BikerSC]

Boy the times they are a changin. Last year about this time, when a discussion came up similar to this one, it was very one sided toward the auto. Now, after a season where a few manuals sure showed alot of people how they were supposed to be driven, and more importantly, launched, we have some backers on the manual side.

I would have to agree with Manny and Dave.

-Steve

[BlackbirdSC]

Another thumbs up to the manuals!!!

Like Dave said.. it's all about the launch. With street tires, you have to MURDERED the clutch off the line. WIth my old motor and 3.08s I had a Centerforce I that couldn't quite hold it. It worked out good at the track 'cause I'd slip it some, feed in the gas and then let the clutch out. The clutch would 'self slip' to a best of 1.93 60' time....on street tires and no airbags.

When in St. Louis in Sept, I was trying out Hoosier Quick Time Pro's for the first time. Tried the same technique (with a CFII 11.5" clutch this time) and it bogged the motor for a 1.922 best 60'. Dave Dalke cut some super short times (in the 1.6x range I believe) by just dumping the clutch on his MT's. Hmmm... Next time I make it to a track (springtime now :( ) I'll haveta give that a shot. Trade my 1.92 for a 1.7 and I'm knocking on 12s. If I can stomach the $$ to ditch the stock IC (yup... it's still there) it should be a piece of cake.

Later,
Steve

[1BADSC]

As much as I love shifting, if I was going to do a lot of racing I would go with an auto. No matter how good of a shifter you are you are never going to be able to shift as quickly as a well built auto.

Although I have seen some test drivers banging off clutches up shifts in some corvettes at the track. Last time I tried to do that in the SC it didn't work to well. (Hold gas to floor, put slight pressure on the shifter towards the next gear, wait till engine hits your RPM limiter and in that split second that the limiter hits, the tension releases from the tranny and it pops into the next gear.) M5R2 didn't take to that too well. :)

[DamonSlowpokeBaumann]

A stick is much harder on your drivetrain when drag racing then an auto..Fun factor stick is great..For an IRS car I would have to think an Auto would hold up better be more consistant and faster...SC manuals have poor gearing ratios

[rplaster]

Just look at the top SC's list the ones at the top are all auto's. I may be wrong but i think their is only one 5speed in the 12's. The gear spacing in the 5speeds is what hurts them also.

[rplaster]

Yep i was wrong their are four in the 12's.