Richmond 5-speed

[Gordz32]

Hey everyone, So one of the customers at work has a richmond 5speed that has 500 miles on it. He said it was professionally blue printed by some guy( I can't remember his name) that supposedly works for or worked for richmond and travels around and does this blu-printing on race cars. 5th gear is 1:1 so its non-overdrive. I asked him what he wants for it. He tells me $1200 including the bellhousing and all the stuff to go with it! Deal or no deal. I want to replace the powerslide in the nova with it. So for now it would go behind a measly 307 but either a 383 Gen 1 sbc or a LS2 is down the road. Any opinions are always appreciated

[jasonsnova]

id pass i sold mine a few years back with low low miles for 800, spend that money on a t56...a stock t56 is just as strong better varity of gears and shifts way better!

[mikes69z]

If it's rebuilt and includes the bellhousing and shifter, that sounds like a fair deal to me. They're going for about 800-1200 depending on condition and accessories.

Internally they are very simple and rugged and if you decide to buy it, I would recommend opening and looking it over before installing it.

There are many tran options out there, but this one is stronger than a Muncie and it will be much cheaper and easier to install than any other 5 speed out there.

Mine shifts great. I love it actually. However, some people here have had bad luck and don't like these trans, and of course, it's not a product marketed by site sponsors. They are a very under rated trans and have been around since the 1970's when it was originally designed by Doug Nash. It would be a fine match for the engine you're planning. Combine it with a or 2.73 or 2.56 rear and you have the best of both worlds.

Dave Pozzi also has a great website dedicated to the installation of this unit in a 1st gen Camaro.

Just my $.10
M

[68sixspeed]

sounds like a good deal, and it will be an easier install than the t56. Should hold more hp too.

[ertoys]

I was recently offered a Richmond that is already setuo for a 68 camaro and will bolt right into mine with shifter and all ready to go; however, I have 3:73s in my rear so, by the time I add the cost of a gear swap, its not a good deal.

I learned some things upon researching this trans. The first four gears are actually underdrive gears, so as long as you dont have anything under 3:08s you should be ok.

But, if I am going to oust my MUncie, I am going to spend more $ to get an overdrive. Final drive 5 speed- 1:1 doesnt help me out at all (same as muncie 70 mph approx. 3,300 RPM.)

[mikes69z]

I was recently offered a Richmond that is already setuo for a 68 camaro and will bolt right into mine with shifter and all ready to go; however, I have 3:73s in my rear so, by the time I add the cost of a gear swap, its not a good deal.

I learned some things upon researching this trans. The first four gears are actually underdrive gears, so as long as you dont have anything under 3:08s you should be ok.

But, if I am going to oust my MUncie, I am going to spend more $ to get an overdrive. Final drive 5 speed- 1:1 doesnt help me out at all (same as muncie 70 mph approx. 3,300 RPM.)

First gear in the Richmond is 3.27 compared to 2.21 in the Muncie, so if you install this trans, you need to install a 2.73 gearset in the rear. I did mine for $175. At 70 mph in 5th gear, my engine is turning 2100 RPM and it launches in 1st gear like the Muncie with the 3.73 rear :-)

[jasonsnova]

well when i had the richmond i had 331 rear gears 1st wasnt short at all and i was running a 255/60/15 tire at the time, but the car still was faster in the qtr with the m22muncie and 456 gears....now i im set up with a t56 and 411's .
problem with it was the richmond is it never shifted great, driving normal it was fine but if you wanted to really power shift it or shift fast it wasnt a hot set up....shifted basiclly like a muncie probally a tad worse at the time i put several calls into richmond ...they didnt have a anwser. now a t56 with a pro 5.0 is 1 awesome shifting tranny!

[Skip Fix]

You can also buy new gears for the Richmond in various ratios and drop the first from 3.27.

[mikes69z]

well when i had the richmond i had 331 rear gears 1st wasnt short at all and i was running a 255/60/15 tire at the time, but the car still was faster in the qtr with the m22muncie and 456 gears....now i im set up with a t56 and 411's .

Jason,

Muncie M22 + 4.56 gears = 10:1 first gear

Richmond + 3.31 gears = 10.8:1 first gear

And the Muncie was faster in the 1/4? What did you attribute it to?

[Grandpa Ronsy]

Ive got a Richmond 5 speed in my 68 Camaro. I am changing from 3.0 to 2.75 (Ford 9") which was showing about 2500rpm at 60mph and 2750at 70mph with the 3.0 rear. Should drop the cruise rpm back to a little over 2100 by my reckoning. I love the ratios as they are nice and close.
Only complaint is the lousy shifter.I bought a new hurst shifter but the sideways gate is narrow compared to the front to back travel. A mate tried to race with this trans in his Monza but couldn't get it to shift so he went back to his super T10. I have bought a couple of used Muncie shifters and am determined to build a better shifter(Another project)

[David Pozzi]

Richmond now makes an overdrive 5th gear version.
I like the 5 speed because it's not overdrive in 5th so the driveshaft speeds are lower. You can actually use 5th at high speeds without reaching driveshaft "critical speed" as soon. This was a concern for me, because we can use the first 4 gears at Laguna Seca, and Button Willow and go to 125mph or so at 6000, for longer courses we can use 5th and it's a very useable gear.

I used the recommended 3.08 rear gears and first through 4th gears are the same as a close ratio muncie with 4.10's. Nice even gear spacing. For a street car, slightly higher gearing would lower cruse rpm's. I think we see 2500 at 65mph.

We do autocross and open track days and our trans shifts well enough for our use and seems to be getting better as it breaks in, - similar to a Muncie in how it shifts. I haven't tried any drag racing.

[68sixspeed]

Jason,

Muncie M22 + 4.56 gears = 10:1 first gear

Richmond + 3.31 gears = 10.8:1 first gear

And the Muncie was faster in the 1/4? What did you attribute it to?

Easy if he needed to get into 5th on the richmond- 4 shifts vs 3 on the muncie.

[David Pozzi]

Hey, the other day I drove a friends BB chevelle with Richmond 6 speed, it had a 3.40 ish rear gear or so and it had WAY too many gears. I was shifting my arm off just crusing around! I talked to the owner and he just skips every other one!

Our 73 Camaro isn't bad with the 3.08's but I wouldn't want anything closer at all, meaning no lower rear gear than 3.08 and very possibly higher.
What ratios above 3.08 are available for a 12 bolt? I have a Richmond catalog but it starts at 3.08. Where can you get a 2.73?
David

[mikes69z]

Dave,

The 2.73 I have in my 12 bolt is a used one since you can't buy them new anymore. It requires a 2 series carrier with a GM gearset 15-41. A 2.56 was also made for the 2 series carrier, but decided not to pursue it because the overall ratio on 1st gear is 9:1 with the 2.73 rear - the same as it was with my M20 and 3.73 rear. Since I don't drag race, 9:1 overall on 1st gear is perfect for me.



Drop me a line if you're interested, I know someone who might have a extra set.

[mikes69z]

Easy if he needed to get into 5th on the richmond- 4 shifts vs 3 on the muncie.

Really??

Assuming a 3.08 gearset with the Richmond, if he needs 5th gear by the end of the 1/4, I'd be surprised. What did you use Jason?

[TnBlkC230WZ]

Aren't there two versions of the non-overdrive Richmond five speed? A 450 ft/lbs street version and a 600 ft/lbs road race version. Need to know which it is. I believe the overdrive five speed is based on the road race version.

[jasonsnova]

Really??

Assuming a 3.08 gearset with the Richmond, if he needs 5th gear by the end of the 1/4, I'd be surprised. What did you use Jason?

mike,
lots of things 1 richmonds shifter...sux! i called them several times(at the time) and they were not very helpful, 2 third gear pulled alot harder in the muncie with 456's then third in the richmond, and 3 crappy shifting with more shifts!!! i was not happy with it at all. over the years ive had pretty much everything for a trans in this car, m22, th350with tight convert, th350 w/4500 stall, richmond 5 speed, and now a t56...

[jasonsnova]

oh ...and no the car was only getting into 3rd....which tells me that the m22 still had a closer ratio even though it had a higher 1st gear

[David Pozzi]

Aren't there two versions of the non-overdrive Richmond five speed? A 450 ft/lbs street version and a 600 ft/lbs road race version. Need to know which it is. I believe the overdrive five speed is based on the road race version.

There is the standard 5 speed, the Road Race version which has "better syncros", then the new 5 speed with overdrive 5th gear, 1 to 1 fourth.
David

[Skip Fix]

And an older road race/drag race version with straight cut gears and very little synchros.