powerglide vs 3 speed
 

Anyone care to share there experience switching from a glide to a 3 speed in a sbc stocker? Performance? consistency? reliability?
New car to me needs lots of updating and currently has a glide in it. Not trying to set any records but would like to keep the glide plus I have lots of powerglides here for spares with different ratios.
66 Nova 327/275 combo.
Thanks

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

A lot of it DEPENDS on how good your PG is....some guys have picked up a tenth...get you a Mc Clay, Leo Glassbrenner, Tim Wudarczyk, , Sepanek, Arnett, metric trans .....

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

I can't say for a stocker, but I replaced a pg with a Mcclay metric with 2.52gear in my 3430# 283 super stocker. PG had a 2.08. Looking at the data, we feel good for a tenth at first race. There is a little more when Im able to play with the shift points, launch rpm. Hope this helps.

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

If your not trying to set any records, and you don't run into too many heads up runs, keep the glide. Ask Vic Penrod how he feels about running a glide vs. a 3 speed. You will be about 12-14 slower with the glide. J.R.

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

Jim, '68 Chevy II, 327-275 G/SA: I changed a darn good A-1 Powerglide (1.98) over to a Billy Lynn Metric 200 (2.74) and picked up .10 on the average, just trans-to-trans. Further convertor work netted some more gains.

Billy does a really nice 200. :) -Al

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

To those that said they lost about .1 - .15 with the glide, is this with using the same rear axle gear ratio with both trannys.?

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

3spd is 2.75 low gear, PG is 1.98

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

Jim

In Denver and the conditions your likely to run in, I would think the metric would be considerably quicker.

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

No rear gear changes for me when I changed over.

For sake of example, the 'same' convertor with the 2.74/2.75 low gear in the Metric will make the convertor act 'tighter' on the flash than it was with the 'Glide.

Not that the convertors interchange because they don't. -Al

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

No rear gear change for me when going to the metric. I did send converter to change splines from pg to turbo. While out, trans guy loosen converter to account for metric.

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

Like my p/g just fine! And my bias tires too,because neither one would get me where I need to be in a heads up.i do however need a little help in those summer races sometimes staying far enough under the index,BUT, we all know what lots of gear and radial tires like to do on 135 degree tracks.....keep the glide ,work on the rest...................Victor Penrod

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

Congrats on the win Vic. Had some problems back in the day with radials on hot tracks with my chevy II but made it work after a while, running on the edge gives you the warm fuzzy feeling but does not always win races. Won more races back in the day going slow than when I went fast. You did not have to have the fastest car to win stock at Indy this year but you had to have a fast car. Tom

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

In my 427 Corvette, the car is .10 to .12 quicker in bad weather with the 3 speed (Glide vs. T350). In good air, the ET difference was less than .02. While many would argue, my particular combination is more consistent with the 3 speed. This is all without optimizing the convertor for the 3 speed. Used the same converter between each trans.

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

Thanks Mr. Tom..I do like watching the fast guys run ,especially when they turn them loose.Ive bracket raced ( bad words-lol) so long that I like to keep it simple,but the reality is ,if the trans rule had not been changed ,I would NOT be running Big Block ...one other thing ,for the stockers anyway,is the quick shift point WITHOUT some sort of automated 1-2 shift....thanks and good luck to all....Victor

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

Thanks for all the replies. One question on the 200, how is the shift point with the auto 1-2 changed or adjusted?
May stay with the glide and with other updates see were I am at.

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

Paul Forte and others I suppose sell E shift controllers that can be used with the compatible valve body. Personally I’d call Paul (TurboAction) if I wanted to explore that.

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

Jim, My McClay 1-2 shift RPM is adjusted by turning an adjusting bolt at bottom of trans case, in or out depending which way you want to go.

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

I may be mistaken but I don't think E-shift can be used on the older stuff non computer cars.

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

Technically correct, but who knows, in today's world.
Auto upshift can be used, seeing that's a function of the governor.

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

Jim, just go ahead and cut the hole in the floor! You already have some Jericos lying around, right??!!

Re: powerglide vs 3 speed
 

Ha! Paul that has been discussed but this car is so original I can't even get myself to drill a hole in it let alone a big hole in the floor! It is almost to original to race. It is going to be a challenge updating it without modifications that cant be unbolted and put back.
Nice meeting you at Kearney, I may contact you with some questions as this project moves along.