Richmond Vs. TKO

[Pzary3233]

Hey guys,

First post in this section of the forum! Sweet! :bananna2:

But on to the real question:
I have a 68 Firebird with a pontiac 350 in it (for the moment a 428 is in the works) backed by a 2 speed auto and a 2.56 rear gear. All of my attention so far as been on the suspension and brakes (how can you have a fast car with out being able to handle the power?). I have started thinking that my next step should be a transmission.

I have really been looking at two different trannys. The Richmond 5 Speed (used to be the Doug Nash 5 Speed) and the Tremec TKO. I really like the gearing of the richmond but the tko is more popular among you guys... with my rear gear that I have now the richmond seems like a much better performer... and the gas milage is not bad either. With the TKO it seems that a rear gear change would be needed. What do you guys suggest? I want the best for my car but at the same time I am on a college student shoe string budget! Any help would be great!

I really want to grab some gears! :drive:

Thanks guys!

Paul Z.

[parsonsj]

Paul,
Leaving price out, the TKO is hands down better. Stronger, better gear ratios, more shifter options, easier bolt in, etc. If you gotta buy one or the other, buy the TKO.

If you put price in the equation and add in the cost of the rear gear swap, then the choice isn't so clear. What gear are you running now?

John Parsons

[Pzary3233]

JP,

That was what I was thinking, but with my 2.56 gear in the car the richmond seems better geared for it! But any opinions are always wanted! I've heard may good things about both trannys...

Thanks,

Paul Z.

[68RallySport]

throw a 6spd and some gears, thats what im doing and i have 2.56 right now. Now my car hauls some ass but just imagine the jump from 2.56 to 3.73 or maybe even 4.11 and while still being able to ride on the freeway with some high speed respect...
David

[parsonsj]

Paul,
Did you know you can get the TKO with a .82 overdrive? Does that help?

jp

[Hurst - Jeff]

You can find some useful information at www.classicchevy5speed.com about installing a TKO in your Firebird.

[Jim Nilsen]

If you order a 4:01 1st gear and you get the .76 overdrive you will have the widest range of overlap in any gear you choose. The ability to stay in the tourque curve slowing down for a corner or two into an even slower part of a track or a corner right before a straight and being in the higher gear to eliminate a shift and pick up more mph is much better.I have a 3:07 but the number for a 2:73 at the time I was doing all of the calculations was even more impressive to me and I think it might still work even better with a 2:56 rear gear.

If you really get enough power to ever do damage to the drivetrain you will have to really be hooking up and not frying the tires.

The mileage would increase on the overall and the lower 1st gear puts you down low enough to not really need any power down low to get going quickly and you will never run out of gear until you reach about 200 mph or more if you have the power to go 6000 rpm in overdrive.

The Richmond probaly isn't as strong but it is designed to fit right in and will more than likely survive what you are going to do. Unless you really beat on your car hard .

I almost opted for the Gear Vendors over drive and my M21 Muncie 2:56 low wide ratio but 6 Spds are the way to go and the cost of the 6 spd is with the shifter and the cost of the 5 is without so in the end it really isn't that much difference if you are already spending that much.

You will really be unhappy sooner or later if you don't get what you want the 1st time and the difference was only $500 at the most and you spent $2,500 or more to start.

I spent a whole month with a calculator and gear charts from everyone and am totally happy with what I understand I can get out of it for how I plan to drive.

Smooth is faster but you still have to have the gears to get there quicker and the gears to go faster which is what I know I have and the price was $3,100 delivered at the time and it has the extra mount for a C4 Corvette drivetrain so it will work with or without a crossmember.

You can also get a better deal these days if you just call Richmond direct and buy it from them. Go figure ? Unless they changed in the last yr or so.

It's a hard decision that you have to really get realistic about what you can live with and afford at the same time.

Goodluck , Jim Nilsen

[yody]

in my experience richomnd side bar shifting transmissions shift like shyt. I don't plan on ever using one again, the shifting is extremely notchy, or maybe i just had a bad experience, Tremec trannies are the only way to go, TKO's and T56's.

[Kenova]

The biggest problem I have with just about all of the newer transmissions is the big RPM drop between 1st and 2nd gears (Richmond 6spd = 32 to 37.5%, GForce T56 = 52%). The ratio spread is nice and tight in the higher gears, but I'd be willing to take a slightly wider spread in the higher gears to reduce the RPM drop between 1st and 2nd. With six gears to work with, you'd think they could even out the RPM drops between gears.
I know that close upper gear ratios are desireable when road racing, but when I shift from 1st to 2nd, I don't want my revs cut by 1/2 or 1/3. Maybe it's just the drag race mentality I grew up with.
So far the only tranny I've seen that I like is the GForce GF5R. You can pick and choose your own ratios, and the trannies are built for a lot of power. They do however carry a hefty price tag, but I guess I could consider that as a premium for getting a strong tranny with the ratios that I want.
Now if they could only offer the same ratios in a 6spd................
Ken

[yody]

actually the T56 and the NEW TKO arent' that bad, the old TKO and the 700R4 have the bad drop from first to second, the Richmond isn't all that bad either so none of that really matters here

[Kenova]

actually the T56 and the NEW TKO arent' that bad, the old TKO and the 700R4 have the bad drop from first to second, the Richmond isn't all that bad either so none of that really matters here
Ever power shifted a Mopar A833? First to second RPM drop is only 27%. It's nothing short of brutal if you grab second around 6500rpm. Damn it feels good :evil: . The close ratio Muncies were similar.
I guess wether or not it matters depends on how you use your car and what you expect from it.
Ken

P.S. Nice lookin' 'Bird in your sig.

[mikes69z]

Yea - you're 2.56 rear gears are perfect for the Richmond / Nash 4+1!!

[andrewb70]

Yea - you're 2.56 rear gears are perfect for the Richmond / Nash 4+1!!

Holy resurrected thread Batman!

Andrew