gear swap for a 69 (Full Version)

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gear swap for a 69

  

sethalot -> gear swap for a 69 (5/5/2008 9:17:27 PM)

i have a 69 mustang that used to have a six banger in it that was swapped out for a 302 out of 71 stang, it retained the 8" rear end and its original 2.80 gears, the engine makes plenty of power but those damn highway gears just kill me i was thinking of getting some 3.55's but thought i would ask for your opinions, so what do you think i should do i dont do hardly any highway driving in the car im mostly cruising around town (occasionally eating rice if they get on my nerves)

thanks [sm=gears.gif]

  
RGMotorsports -> RE: gear swap for a 69 (5/5/2008 10:23:34 PM)

go for the 3.55's

sethalot -> RE: gear swap for a 69 (5/6/2008 10:13:46 AM)

that was the original plan, i didnt want to go too short cause the tranny is only a C4 and it hurts every time i have to fill up on premium with a shot of octane booster [sm=sigh.gif]

sethalot -> RE: gear swap for a 69 (5/7/2008 10:00:22 PM)

[sm=feedback.gif] bump anyone else?

REAVER117 -> RE: gear swap for a 69 (5/7/2008 11:18:41 PM)

I guess it depends how much it's worth to you, decreased mileage plus cost of gears and installation -if you don't want to do it yourself. I'd suggest that if you feel that the 2.79 is really holding the car back then you're probably gonna get a lot more enjoyment out of her if you do the swap...bettery launches too. I'm in the same boat as you, '69 with a 302, C4 and 2.79, the engine even came out of a '71 Mustang. Let us know how she drives, if you decide to go through with the swap.

sethalot -> RE: gear swap for a 69 (5/8/2008 11:19:59 AM)

imo the gears are holding the car back even with the taller gearing it breaks loose between shifts and i want to see what it can do with something shorter, and i had planned on installing them myself as opposed to taking it to another shop

Starfury -> RE: gear swap for a 69 (5/8/2008 11:29:22 AM)

If you're going to mess with the gears, you might as well save up and throw a limited slip unit in at the same time.  The easiest way to do it would be to pick up a complete third member and just bolt it in.  Quick, easy, and you don't have to deal with setting up the gears.

I usually don't recommend that people try to set up gears by themselves if they have no experience.  It requires special tools and knowledge, and while it's not incredibly difficult, it is very easy to mess up if you don't do it perfectly.

sethalot -> RE: gear swap for a 69 (5/8/2008 11:45:55 AM)

im no expert but i know my way around a car and when i get stumped i have a few friends with thier own muscle that have done the same things im looking into, that and most of them work at advanced auto so i can get discounts on some of the things i need

urban_cowboy -> RE: gear swap for a 69 (5/8/2008 11:47:44 AM)

Finding the right gear ratio is a funny thing.  I have 3.55 gears in my car making 450hp.  I thought I needed lower gears (4.10s or even 4.56s) for the best 1/4 mile E/T.  If you run the numbers in a 1/4 mile sim, it spits out to use 3.23 gear for optimum E/T and thus acceleration, but that is without shifting into fourth gear.  For my application, all depends on how many times I want to shift.  In a 1/4 race, you are better off with less gearing and thus less shifting, if you have enough horsepower. 

What gear is right for you depends on what you are trying to do.  More gearing means more torque force multiplication you are getting, but then you are going to sacrifice top end and fuel economy in third gear.  If you only care about acceration, then how much power you have, what tranny gearing you have, and what stall converter you have is going to play a big part.  If you don't know these things, you are just going to be shooting in the dark.  If you want a shot in the dark, I would say 3.73 would give you the best 0-60 time assuming you are making about stock horsepower.

urban_cowboy -> RE: gear swap for a 69 (5/8/2008 11:52:43 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Starfury
I usually don't recommend that people try to set up gears by themselves if they have no experience.  It requires special tools and knowledge, and while it's not incredibly difficult, it is very easy to mess up if you don't do it perfectly.


+1 on that.  Setting the shims is no easy task.  Money WELL SPENT getting an expert to do it.  If you do it wrong, the gears will not last and will make terrible noise.

sethalot -> RE: gear swap for a 69 (5/8/2008 12:17:42 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: urban_cowboy

quote:

ORIGINAL: Starfury
I usually don't recommend that people try to set up gears by themselves if they have no experience.  It requires special tools and knowledge, and while it's not incredibly difficult, it is very easy to mess up if you don't do it perfectly.


+1 on that.  Setting the shims is no easy task.  Money WELL SPENT getting an expert to do it.  If you do it wrong, the gears will not last and will make terrible noise.


thanks for the info im estimating around 300-325 hp ive never had it on a dyno but im talking to a guy i know about setting a time up for that, and 0-60 time increases is the general goal i dont get to the track much so i mostly get the stop light to stop light quicky runs, also where would you guys recommend i go to purchase the gears i havent had a lot of time to run around and get prices so far averaging around 190 for the gear set

  

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