Stick verses Automatic (Stock Eliminator)

[Tim H]

Originally Posted by L79racer

I was thinking of going over to an auto from a stick but, now I have to re think this after reading Rorys' post. I would hate to loose 4 to 6 mph and almost a 1/2 second. Has anybody else gone from a stick to an auto and lost et and mph?

Don't forget he changed rear gear also !

[69Cobra]

Originally Posted by Tim H

Rory, Interesting story, just one question, how consistent is the car now with the stick versus before with the automatic? You said it was a Bracket car and sticks generally dont go rounds as easy as automatics do.... Be honest ...

A good driver in a stick car is as consistent as any auto out there. How many auto's can say they can run back to back in different lanes and run dead on to the thousandths?

[Jesse Knapp]

Good responses here. Quite informative for me. As I said in the original thread, I used Bobby's car as the example b/c that is the combo I am interested in. With the higher mph the stick makes, the better quality clutches and trannys available, and a really good driver, one that can shift it like an auto does, I would think the stick would go quicker. I keep thinking about the mph thing and I thought that tells you about the power you're making. I also used stock eliminator b/c it's a footbrake car. In superstock I think the transbrake might equalize things. I know that when I let go of the button, when racing my car, it felt like I was dumping a clutch. Thank all for the participation. That's the purpose of this board. Jesse

[L79racer]

Originally Posted by Jesse Knapp

Good responses here. Quite informative for me. As I said in the original thread, I used Bobby's car as the example b/c that is the combo I am interested in. With the higher mph the stick makes, the better quality clutches and trannys available, and a really good driver, one that can shift it like an auto does, I would think the stick would go quicker. I keep thinking about the mph thing and I thought that tells you about the power you're making. I also used stock eliminator b/c it's a footbrake car. In superstock I think the transbrake might equalize things. I know that when I let go of the button, when racing my car, it felt like I was dumping a clutch. Thank all for the participation. That's the purpose of this board. Jesse

What is the difference in your 60' times from footbrake to transbrake??

[Jesse Knapp]

I always thought there was some power loss with an automatic, kinda like a bit of drag on the engine, possibly causing the lower mph. I would think the stick frees the engine to rpm quicker. In superstock that brake might offset this loss somewhat with a harder launch. Any thoughts on this? Sticks are sounding more interesting to me. Just don't know about driving, or more imporntantly, launching one with a good light. Jesse

[Tim H]

Originally Posted by 69Cobra

A good drive in a stick car is as consistent as any auto out there. How many auto's can say they can run back to back in different lanes and run dead on to the thousandths?

More than can say that with a stick !!!!

Look at how many bracket cars are auto versus stick , not to mention that a heavy BB car is much harder on parts .

[Jesse Knapp]

Originally Posted by L79racer

What is the difference in your 60' times from footbrake to transbrake??

My car was a superstock camaro. I used a glide with a brake. Never footbraked it. Previously that same car was a footbrake bracket racer. I had a 350 smallblock, a large Holley, high compression, and a turbo 350. Totally different combos, nothing to compare. Superstock engine was much stronger, partly from much more rpm. Jesse

[Troy Henderson]

Originally Posted by Tim H

More than can say that with a stick !!!!

Look at how many bracket cars are auto versus stick , not to mention that a heavy BB car is much harder on parts .

That's true but easy to say when only 10% of the fields may be Stick shift cars.

We're still having more fun

Best Regards,

[Jeff Lee]

I don't have the stats memorized but look at the number of Stock world champions over the last 10-20 years. If there are only 10% (don't know if that is accurate) of the Stock racers running a stick, then that number definetly does not correlate to the number of championships won by stick cars.
A stick car, with the right parts and tune, will hook up more consistantly than an auto trans car, especially when track conditions get bad.
A stick car is more repeatable as engine temps rise; it's easier to cool down a stick engine as an auto trans acts like a heat sink to an engine.
A stick trans is not affected by trans fluid temps. A clutch disk does not alter the stall speed like a convertor under various fluid temps.
The carb of a stick car is not subject to air-valve and tip-in throttle problems as associated with a foot-brake auto-trans car.
Speaking as a racer who once raced in S/ST with a solonoid shifted P/G with a delay box and 4-stage throttle stop, IT'S JUST MORE FUN TO RACE A STICK CAR!

[bsa633]

The Ford with a C6 and smallblock with PG is ofcourse"good" examples... probably the two best there is if you are trying to prove that stick is faster than auto,if you look at chryslers you will hardly see any stick cars at all...and if..the auto's is faster!. Bobby's car even with all the right parts and tune-up would be hard pressed to get a lower ET with a stick.. thats my opinion...and i'll "stick" with it until proven otherwise!