69 Z/28 Day II Project (Air Force Brat)

[NorCam]

Wide Ratio 2:56 1st gear, 4:56 Rear and not sure on tire height but they will be 50's on the back. I currently have some NOS H50/15 Mickeys but they are a lower 26" profile so they they may be changed up to Pro-Trac N50's for the extra 2" of height. Fronts will be getting some skinnies. Looking for some air shocks for the back now. I should have kept those Hurst Shocks I had (lol)

[napa68]

Originally Posted by NorCam

Wide Ratio 2:56 1st gear, 4:56 Rear and not sure on tire height but they will be 50's on the back. I currently have some NOS H50/15 Mickeys but they are a lower 26" profile so they they may be changed up to Pro-Trac N50's for the extra 2" of height. Fronts will be getting some skinnies. Looking for some air shocks for the back now. I should have kept those Hurst Shocks I had (lol)

I ran a M22W in my 67 Nova behind the 422" SBC. 3.70 gear on a 26" tall tire. It was an attention getter to say the least. You think the 4.56 may be a bit too much?

BTW, I've got that beer ready for when you come through (if they ever open the effen border)

[NorCam]

Had 4:56 gears in the Nova and it wasn't all that bad (except on the highway) lol. It only had 26" rear tires and would have been better with some 28" rubber. It depends what tires I run on the Camaro, but could always opt for 4:10's and that would ease up on the rpm a bit. I'm not as concerned about the highway RPM as I don't plan on running it on the highway other than in and out of town for cruise nights which is a 20-minute run for me right into south Calgary. And, I'm lucky if I do cruise night once or twice a year. This one will be more of a street/strip car that can also go out for track days but will be a while until it's ready for that.

Unfortunately the Beers too....will have to wait until MCACN or another road trip Tim.

The CAN/USA border is still closed and may not fully reopen for a while, so I pulled the trigger and got TFX to pick the car up in PA. They are actually loading it up early this morning. It should be here in a week or two and I will take a full inventory and get started on the work just as soon as I unpack it. It comes with much of its original parts and pieces (very complete car) and is pretty well stuffed to the brim for the trip north.

Can't wait to dive into it and get started...

[NorCam]

The seller was kind enough to rent a trailer and haul it over to meet the transport truck this morning. It's now loaded on the transporter and is on its way to the great white north...Eh!

Soon...it will begin the next chapter.

[Chuck_Burg]

With a 2.56 first gear, a 4.56 rear gear and 28" tall tires you'll have a starting line ratio of 11.67! 4.11s would give 10.52 which is probably a little more manageable. I'm nowhere near an expert on this but I think the 10.50 range is where you want to be with a light weight Camaro with a 3.50" stroke.

[NorCam]

Originally Posted by Chuck_Burg

With a 2.56 first gear, a 4.56 rear gear and 28" tall tires you'll have a starting line ratio of 11.67! 4.11s would give 10.52 which is probably a little more manageable. I'm nowhere near an expert on this but I think the 10.50 range is where you want to be with a light weight Camaro with a 3.50" stroke.

Agreed Chuck. I looked at the calculators after posting that combo the other day to help decide if I was going to order a close-ratio (.220 first) or a wide ratio (.256) trans. I have now decided on the wide ratio and will likely go with 4:10 gears.

[Chuck_Burg]

I have a 496 going in my 67 with a standard close ratio M22 with a 2.20 first and 28" tires. I'm in a similar boat to you, not really concerned with driving it on the highway for sustained periods... Not sure which gears to go with. It is a street/strip car with 90% street use. I think 4.11s are ideal but will blow the tires away on the street in probably every gear. May go with something around 3.55 even though the first gear will go forever... What are your thoughts?

[NorCam]

Originally Posted by Chuck_Burg

I have a 496 going in my 67 with a standard close ratio M22 with a 2.20 first and 28" tires. I'm in a similar boat to you, not really concerned with driving it on the highway for sustained periods... Not sure which gears to go with. It is a street/strip car with 90% street use. I think 4.11s are ideal but will blow the tires away on the street in probably every gear. May go with something around 3.55 even though the first gear will go forever... What are your thoughts?

Chuck, that 2.20 first gear with 3.55 gears and 28" tires will have a final ratio of around 7.80 which is going to pull the engine down when you let go the clutch. Granted your 496 is going to have more torque but there are much better transmission gear ratio combinations for street cars that will also see some highway use. (See the AGE gearing options here)

To keep it fun off the lights with 28" tall tires, I chose to run a 2.99 first gear. With the stock 3:73 rear, this should have a final ratio of 11.15 and will feel like having 5:13 gears off the light. Granted it will be a short shift when driving normally, but at WOT this should keep a good set of sticky tires running on the ragged edge until 2nd gear is pulled at 50 mph. I'd then pull 2nd gear at 4500 rpm and 3rd/4th would keep me in the 5200/5300 range on a full pass.

Best part is I get all the excitement of a great rpm launch that won't pull the motor down and will still have the final gear ratio of 3.73 for the highway runs in 4th. I may even choose to step down to a 3.55 rear gear when I rebuild the diff. That would have me in the 10.6 final range which is even more ideal. With big block torque, you could even go 3.31 and still have a better transmission ratio to easily launch the car without pulling the motor down off the line. Plus it's way more fun launching like it has 4:88's.

Might want to look into the gearing options here and check the multiplier on trans gearing x final ratio.

[Ryan1969Chevelle]

Originally Posted by NorCam

Chuck, that 2.20 first gear with 3.55 gears and 28" tires will have a final ratio of around 7.80 which is going to pull the engine down when you let go the clutch. Granted your 496 is going to have more torque but there are much better transmission gear ratio combinations for street cars that will also see some highway use. (See the AGE gearing options here)

To keep it fun off the lights with 28" tall tires, I chose to run a 2.99 first gear. With the stock 3:73 rear, this should have a final ratio of 11.15 and will feel like having 5:13 gears off the light. Granted it will be a short shift when driving normally, but at WOT this should keep a good set of sticky tires running on the ragged edge until 2nd gear is pulled at 50 mph. I'd then pull 2nd gear at 4500 rpm and 3rd/4th would keep me in the 5200/5300 range on a full pass.

Best part is I get all the excitement of a great rpm launch that won't pull the motor down and will still have the final gear ratio of 3.73 for the highway runs in 4th. I may even choose to step down to a 3.55 rear gear when I rebuild the diff. That would have me in the 10.6 final range which is even more ideal. With big block torque, you could even go 3.31 and still have a better transmission ratio to easily launch the car without pulling the motor down off the line. Plus it's way more fun launching like it has 4:88's.

Might want to look into the gearing options here and check the multiplier on trans gearing x final ratio.

I vote figuring out gear ratios for these old cars!!! My drivetrain selection is very similar to yours, 2.98 first gear, 3.42 rear gears, and 26.2” tall tires. Awesome SLR (starting line ratio)

The gear spacing is extra wide and feels a little much, especially at some downshift situations.....

Ryan W31

[Chuck_Burg]

Originally Posted by NorCam

Chuck, that 2.20 first gear with 3.55 gears and 28" tires will have a final ratio of around 7.80 which is going to pull the engine down when you let go the clutch. Granted your 496 is going to have more torque but there are much better transmission gear ratio combinations for street cars that will also see some highway use. (See the AGE gearing options here)

To keep it fun off the lights with 28" tall tires, I chose to run a 2.99 first gear. With the stock 3:73 rear, this should have a final ratio of 11.15 and will feel like having 5:13 gears off the light. Granted it will be a short shift when driving normally, but at WOT this should keep a good set of sticky tires running on the ragged edge until 2nd gear is pulled at 50 mph. I'd then pull 2nd gear at 4500 rpm and 3rd/4th would keep me in the 5200/5300 range on a full pass.

Best part is I get all the excitement of a great rpm launch that won't pull the motor down and will still have the final gear ratio of 3.73 for the highway runs in 4th. I may even choose to step down to a 3.55 rear gear when I rebuild the diff. That would have me in the 10.6 final range which is even more ideal. With big block torque, you could even go 3.31 and still have a better transmission ratio to easily launch the car without pulling the motor down off the line. Plus it's way more fun launching like it has 4:88's.

Might want to look into the gearing options here and check the multiplier on trans gearing x final ratio.

Good advice! I think I'll go with 3.55s and the current set up initially. If it lugs too hard in first, I'll go with the wide gear set in the AGE M22. I've never owned a car with this kind of torque (other than a magnuson superchargerd 2016 LT1 Camaro, which was just stupid) so I'll see how it goes... I don't think street tires will stand a chance even with the 2.20 first gear and 496 torque.