WHAT ON EARTH IS THIS GEARBOX

[paulmj]

Gents,
Here is a funny one for you. Whan I bought my KCC about 8 months ago it was billed as being fitted with a Borg-Warner T4 auto box. I have never heard of one of these things, but as the guy who I bought it off clearlt didn't know much about cars, but had it maintained by Thunder Road, I wasn't too bothered. I just thought it had the usuual Tremec 350 and he was a pilock. But.... Well at first I thought it odd that it doesn't kick down. On investigation I found the kick down cable connected to nothing at the box end so not very surprising. What is surprising is that there doesn't apear (I say apear as I haven't got access to a ramp at the moment so I am relying on crawling around on the ground with a torch) to have anything for it to be connected to, it just hangs down the left side of the box. Very odd.... Also, it does apear to be a 3 speed when driving it. I find it can be hard to tell on such a powerful car. It also selects the individual ratios (3 of them) by hand fine. Oddly though, when you look underneath it looks like it has had a completely different kind of box fitted to that with which it was made. The reason I say that is that from underneath you can see where the hole in the top of the tunned has been 'moved' to allow a different shifter position. Most KCCs came from the factory with a Tremec 350, so I am very confused. I was originally told it was built (by The Sports Car Centre - which I have confirmed) for drag-racing (which I have not confirmed, but having spent most of my life working on racing cars I can tell a tuned engine - I am told about 380hp which feels reasonable - when I drive one, and this is one) in South Africa but never raced. So the possibility of an unusual box is there.

Anyone got any ideas? Any of the other KCC guys come accross anything similar? Any info would be really appreciated. Thanks.

Paul

[Ian D c]

Hi Paul.

Sounds very odd ,i do have a GM TH350 with a B&M quick shifter .

My down shift cable is connected to my holly via the machanical secondary linkage.

The auto box is quite good fun, a high stall converter means you can give it some revs with the brake on then fly of the line manual style
the down side is top is 1:1 so at 85 you are alredy pulling 3400rpm.


I did find the book on TH350s very helpful from real steel.

They are very robust boxes as long as you use good oil (B&M) quick shift or dextron.

*#

The other thing is the man gear shift is fine going up the box but if you try to change down with to high revs the back wheels lock;(

[VinceBailey]

Still at the planing stage for my GD, but have wondered if an auto box may be best suited for my car. Not really in the spirit of the Cobra I guess but I am not worried about my track day times, and it would be used mainly as a summer cruiser. Does anyone have any good or bad recommendations for an auto box for use with a Chevy SB?

Thanks.

[purplepython]

Vince
I too have a TH350 with a B&M shifter mated to a 350 Hi Po Chevy . As you say, it is not exactly in the true spirit of the Cobra (although some autos where made), but I will say that I think the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

The box is bullet-proof, Christ knows I've tried to wreck it! You can slip it into manual and treat it like you stole it. There is much more space in the footwell and most importantly for me on the rare occasions that I drive into London, it behaves beautifully in traffic.

Wouldn't change it for the world. You are not a million miles away, so if you need convincing, call in.

[Bowtie]

I am using a TH700-R4 rebuilt for street race (Corvette servo, Kevlar bands, shift kit etc.). I mate it with a rebuilt 3.07 diff taken from a V12 E-type. That gives me a ratio for gear 1 and 2 close to a TH350 mated with a 3.08 diff BUT with two extra gears, 3 and 4 with a ratio suitable for highway cruising. I will use my tranny with a B&M Pro Ratchet Shifter using "auto mode" for highway and dense traffic cruising. The ratchet shifter in combination with gear 1 and 2 will add some extra fun at the traffic lights! {-}

[Ian D c]

I was not looking for an auto box when shopping around for my cob but i have no problems with driving it.

All parts are readily available from real steel for TH350s, and for high revving drag use you can get a ballistic blanket for when it explodes?.

[nbracken]

Paul, I used to have a TH350 autobox connected to my Chevy. I built it that way from new but have since converted to a manual Tremec (after 8 years as an auto mind you).

When I built I had a quick shift kit fitted to it that meant when you used the box in manual shift mode the changes were very fast (and as another post mentions) quite tricky if shifting down (tended to lock the wheels if not careful. With the quick shift fitted I decided not to bother with the kick down and never connected the cable to the box - your car's previous owner may have done the same.

[paulmj]

I think you might be right, mate. The shifts are staggeringly quick - much quicker than the tiptronic Porsche I used to knock about in.

Basically I think I need to get it on a ramp and have a good shufty. What are the characteristic features of the Trmec 350 that I should look for?

Cheers for all the info guys. Also, I can definately recommend the auto option. I was looking for a manual, but I'm converted. Anyone who says autos are not good in a Cobra clearly hasn't driven one with a US engine bolted on the front.

As a well known man once said:

"To do 0 - 60 mph in around 4 seconds, simply press the pedal on the right!"

Bring on the summer!

[Ian D c]

Paul .

As i said in an earlier reply your best bet is to get a manual on the 350 from real steel,as there are several versions and id could be hard if the original sump pan and governor cover that have code no on have been changed.Also some differ from internal parts only.


regards Ian.

ps have you done your springs and dampers yet?

[laner]

Paul,

As one of the other KCC owners (3 of us that I'm aware of) I'd like to help but mine is fitted with a Toploader manual box! Sorry!

Laner

I'm not a complete idiot - some bits are missing!:+ :+