[RObs71Nova]

Hello all,

I currently run a Turbo 350 behind the 454 in my 71 Nova, but it recently broke for the 4th time in 8 months. The sprags in the tranny keep breaking, even though they are the hardened "high element" sprags. According to my transmission guy, the next step would be to put a new, better drum in the tranny along with new sprags, and that will cost probably 500-600 bucks just in parts.

A neighbor of mine has a Powerglide I can basicaly HAVE. The transmission guy (who is a very reputable guy I have used many times in the past), says he can build the powerglide to be stronger than the turbo 350, and for less money, and the car "should" be faster because of less weight and less powerloss from the motor to the wheels.

My question is this:

Has anyone here actually ran a powerglide in a street car? I am a little concerned about the street manners a 2 speed tranny would have. The car runs a good all around gear (3.73), but I wouldn't want the car to be turning 3500 rpms just cruising at 50 MPH or something. Would the powerglide hurt the lowend torque my bigblock makes?

If it comes down to it I will have to sacrafice a little bit of speed and get a bulletproof turbo 400 built, but that will be my 2nd choice.

If anyone can offer any insight, please let me know.

Thanks in advance for any advice you guys can tell me.

Rob

[HemmiGremmie]

We ran a glide in my fathers 81 pro street Mazda with a sbc and it ran very well.
Running a glide is like starting out in 2nd gear on a turbo 350 and you do loose some low end. A better convertor can help as can deeper gears.
As far as cruising around, it will be the same as the glide and t350 both have a 1-1 drive ratio, so theres no difference there.

You can really rev up your motor with a glide as you have no 1st to 2nd gear to shift between and theres no delay betwwen the 2.

Usually with a t350, you shift to 2nd at like 50 mph, then to third at ?????
With the glide you will take off in low and then shift into drive at 100+ mph!
My friends impala with the glide and 2.73 rear gears could hit almostt 120 mph before he shifted into drive. It was wild. Hg

[dinger]

I ran a P.G. in my Tbucket, 4:11 gears, it was an animal off the line but cruising at 60 it was winding pretty tight, if I remember right, around 3 grand. Dan

[NXS]

If you're going after the et the glide would be good, but for driving around town....not so good.
Your tranny guy may need to do something different with the th350. I used to work at a tranny shop, wasn't a guru or anything, actually don't really know a lot about them. When they built mine they told me they were going to use a 700r4 sprag and hardened race. I protested until the builder sat me down and showed me the difference. the 700 sprag is probably about 33% wider than the th350. i'm not sure if they just drop in or if he did something special.
Nontheless, my buddy ran a 9.83 @ 143 mph in an all steel elky with a th350. It didn't break.
Your tranny guy is probably blocking off the 1-2 accumulator, shimming it solid or at the very least taking the spring out. You might talk to him about this.

[RObs71Nova]

Thanks a ton for all your input guys.

I will definitely bring your points up to him NXS. Thanks alot.

Thanks all.

Rob

[orangef4]

The 700r4 sprag NXS mentioned is the low roller clutch at the back of the transmission. It sounds like you are having problems with the intermediate sprag at the front, correct?

[RObs71Nova]

Ya orange. I am guessing the intermediate is the sprag responsible for the 1st to second gear shifts? That is the one he says keeps breaking.

I got to thinking today, and all things point to me going to a turbo 400. I was thinking hard about the powerglide, but from what you guys tell me it wont be that good in my heavy street driven Nova, and I wouldn't be able to use the new B&M center console shifter that was installed on a powerglide.

Thanks alot for the input.

Rob