Stick verses Automatic (Stock Eliminator)

[Rory McNeil]

My 85 Mustang Stocker is a "stick only" combo, so I can`t really comment about the stick vs auto there, but I can give you the details about the differance with my bracket car. It`s a 3100 lb Ford Fairmont with a fairly mild 428FE. It does have ladder bars and 14 x32 tires, so I know any comparison to a Stocker is usless, but it could apply to a S/Ser. Anyhow, I ran the car for years with a decent C6 3 speed auto (trans brake, 8" convertor (5200 WOT on the brake), needle bearings thruout etc)and the best the car ran was 10.55 @126 mph, with a 1.42 60 foot. About 7 years ago, I wanted to run our local stickshift association, so I replaced the auto with a Jerico DR4 and a McLeod "Soft Lok" clutch. I changed nothing on the engine or chassis, other than going from 4.56`s to 4.88`s, in anticipation of no convertor slippage. It took a few passes to get used to the stick (the quickest 4 speed I had driven before was my 12.4ET 69 Mach 1 street car), but by the end of the first weekend with the stick, I was running solid 10.2`s @130mph. Last year I tried some different gear ratios in the Jerico, and with some clutch tuning, I have since gone a best of 10.03 @132 mph, best 60 foot is 1.29.Will I ever consider putting an automatic back in the car? Uh,....NO!