David Kee Aluminum Toploaders

[madeulook]

On the David Kee Toploader site and saw all aluminum Toploaders for $2,300, which sounds like a good value, should weight savings be in your car's diet. Less weight and better brakes is my focus lately, rather than 585 horsepower small blocks....

[Rickmustang]

I'm running one in my 65 right now. Great trans.

[shelbydoug]

On the David Kee Toploader site and saw all aluminum Toploaders for $2,300, which sounds like a good value, should weight savings be in your car's diet. Less weight and better brakes is my focus lately, rather than 585 horsepower small blocks....

Do you happen to know the weight difference between the iron and aluminum?

[madeulook]

I am shipping an iron top loader today. I will circle back with the weight.

[2112]

 I will guess 110 lbs with linkage for an iron toploader

[shelbydoug]

I have two of them sitting on the floor in the back of the shop. You aren't going to make me pick them up and weight them are you? 

110# sounds about right but the 1-3/8 input might be a few pounds heavier.

When you go to the aluminum 9" rear carriers, the complete assembly is about 20# lighter in aluminum. I'd guess about the same for the transmission as well. Maybe a little more?

Odd that that wouldn't be specified on Kee's website?



In the case of the aluminum 9" carrier, it's fine for a race car which is going to be a low mileage car and probably would be acceptable wear wise in a street Shelby because of a low total mileage usage. I'd hate to be 500 miles away from home and break one though.

In a race car, the trailer is right in the lot and you could probably pop in a spare right there. Not so much on the road.



An aluminum case T&C though is somewhat of an unknown as far as overall reliability. The aluminum T-10s don't seem to have suffered issues with that though. Just popping out of second all the time being the main issue.

I used to think that was because of case flex?

I think more top loaders were swapped into race cars just for that reason? No one wanted to attempt to "waste time" fixing that in the transmission.


I vaguely remember Jim Cowles remarking about that and maybe saying he had fixed that issue?


I remember CSX 2126 constantly popping out of second for no reason other then it being a  T10.

[Rocket]

 Have owned 6S550 since summer of '67, and have never had it jump out of any gear. Ron

[Bob Gaines]

Have owned 6S550 since summer of '67, and have never had it jump out of any gear. Ron

Consider yourself fortunate. Having the T10 jump out of 2nd is a common complaint.

[GT350Lad]

Have owned 6S550 since summer of '67, and have never had it jump out of any gear. Ron

Consider yourself fortunate. Having the T10 jump out of 2nd is a common complaint.

Yep, the 2nd gear jump out is always nice

[csxsfm]

The long aluminum T-10 tail housing on road racing Cobras would crack with regularity, causing 3rd gear pop out.  Happened to me at Riverside and I still remember my "pucker factor" entering turn nine.  In period Cobra racers replaced aluminum tail housings with cast iron.   

[madeulook]

Took the crate to UPS and it weighed over 150lbs., so I did not send it at that time. The guys check did not clear, so I'm very lucky.