For the Love of Automatics

[Shelby_r_b]

OK - I'll admit it. I've spent most of my adult life as a self-diagnosed 4-speed snob. I've always thought that nothing beats running through the gears manually. And, whenever I saw a classic with auto, I'd immediately pass judgement on the car. Yeah, I'm not proud.

Since I've had my 67 GT350 auto, my world has completely changed. Don't get me wrong: I'm not giving up on 4-speeds, nor would I say I prefer one transmission over the other. What I can say is that I have a whole new appreciation / love for automatics. Having a Shelby with power steering, power brakes, AC, and an auto transmission have made for an incredible cruiser. And, there's nothing like whipping a corner while punching it in an auto!

I love the rawness of my Carryover (which, is the complete opposite of my 67 in almost every way) and I love the contrast of driving a peppy small block 4-speed versus an auto.

Funny how we can make uneducated assumptions, only to be disproved...by ourselves. 😉

[GT350DAVE]

Years ago I had the same awakening. I always had stick shifts. A 67 Shelby with an automatic is a really nice package. My brother refused to drive the car because it was an automatic until one day he was forced to. He got out of the car shaking his head. He couldn't believe that he really liked the combination.
Dave

[jguyer]

Yes, as people get older they realize they may need assistance. Has Dirty Harry said, "A man's got to know his limitations."

[shelbydoug]

Yes, as people get older they realize they may need assistance. Has Dirty Harry said, "A man's got to know his limitations."

Automatics and hubcaps too. You don't even need to bend over to clean them. Just hose them off! 

[JD]

OK - I’ll admit it. I’ve spent most of my adult life as a self-diagnosed 4-speed snob. I’ve always thought that nothing beats running through the gears manually. And, whenever I saw a classic with auto, I’d immediately pass judgement on the car. Yeah, I‘m not proud.

Since I’ve had my 67 GT350 auto, my world has completely changed. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not giving up on 4-speeds, nor would I say I prefer one transmission over the other. What I can say is that I have a whole new appreciation / love for automatics. Having a Shelby with power steering, power brakes, AC, and an auto transmission have made for an incredible cruiser. And, there’s nothing like whipping a corner while punching it in an auto!

I love the rawness of my Carryover (which, is the complete opposite of my 67 in almost every way) and I love the contrast of driving a peppy small block 4-speed versus an auto.

Funny how we can make uneducated assumptions, only to be disproved...by ourselves. 😉

I hear that, some of the best lessons learned are the ones we learn without outside influences

[greekz]

Ruben,

I, too, have the same opposite ends.  My '66 is a 4-speed and a joy to drive.  Shifting the gears at a high RPM is so cool, and the feel of the road with no power steering or power brakes is really a great feeling.

The '67, with an auto, power steering and brakes is also fun to drive.  I enjoy and appreciate them both for different reasons.

[6s2020]

Yep, Love the Hi-Po auto behind the race spec R-model motor in 6S2020

3000rpm flash stall is fun

My 17 Shelby GT is 6sp manual and love that to

Best of both worlds 

[pchmotoho]

Biggie and I recently discussed this via text.  For me a stick all day.  I just drove 1800 miles today to pick up a Rubicon, equipped with a 6 speed with the other stuff I wanted, more accurately I should say without the stuff I didn't want.  Also got pulled over for 80 in a 75 ugh...(but left with a written warning). 

Of course god forbid I could wake up tomorrow needing a third surgery and no longer able to drive a stick but for now a stick suits me fine. In this lifetime I will only be able to own one 65 to 67 Shelby at a time and if I am able to shift it will have a third pedal.   If I had the money though I would own some automatics as well. 

[Sixx7shelby]

I also would rather have a stick for tooling around town.  My 67 350 is 4 speed and a blast to drive, handles great and I can drive it anywhere. As a teenager my first car was a 68 Cougar with a 428/C6, and that heavy duty C6 would lay 5 feet of rubber shifting into 2nd gear everyday leaving school with one arm out the window. I just upgraded my torque converter in my SCJ Eliminator to a 3500 stall Hughes.  The Eliminator is a beast off the line with the auto/sticky tires/traction bars and much easier to drive at the drag strip. They both have their own styles of driving experiences, but sometimes you gotta love the automatics. Remember that the Tasca Boss 429 was automatic!

[shelbydoug]

The transmission to have in the car is the Ford 6R80. Test times in the current Mustang with it are faster then the 6 speed manual.

The thing is too big to fit in the existing 65-70 transmission tunnel without modifying the tunnel.

The bell is the same size but the main body of the C4, C6 and FMX narrow down very quickly as opposed to the6R80 which is quite fat and in addition the pan is wide and low.

The fact is that these modern automatics really are very quickly making manuals obsoltete.

Drive any Porsche that has the PK transmission in it. You won't every have to worry about your clutch leg cramping out and making a substitute driver necessary.

Now I'm a stickshift guy from way back but the fact of the matter is that the original 4 speeds by comparison to todays transmissions are just poorly geared.

[kjspeed]

Automatics don't necessarily need to be driven in Drive. I don't think I ever let the transmission shift itself in my first car, a 67 fastback/289/auto or in my second, a 69 Mach1/351C/auto. Sometimes passengers would ask why I manually shifted those cars, so then I'd run through the gears and let the engine twist up to 6500 RPM. Then they stopped asking.

I debated about what combo to use in the 68 project I'm working on. Since my Shelby and 09 Bullitt are sticks, and for performance reasons, I have built up the original C6, put a lower first gear set in it and mated it to a GV overdrive that will run through a 3.89 rear gear. With the right convertor the stroked Tunnel Port ought to make it get up and go. It has a full manual valve body so I'll be shifting every gear I just won't have to use the clutch pedal. I doubt anyone who drives or rides in that car will complain about the "slush box".

[shelbydoug]

In a streetrod type of application the 6R80 is the way to go. There is an aftermarket electronic tuner that you set your shift criteria into. It's like $40 and the transmissions are all over the place for like $1,000 to 1,100.

First gear is 4.16, 5th and 6th are both overdrives. With 3.89's you could do wheel stands and still cruise at 2,000 in 6th.

The fat part of the tunnel just needs to be extended so you wouldn't (I don't) want to cut up the tunnel in a 60s Shelby but you would be in the under 4 second 0-60 times with the car and it is still civil at highway speeds.

[67 GT350]

I for one am a manual guy, but I just got a GT350 67 it had been done over and a 4 speed was put in it, I did get the original auto with the car...I decided to correct the car and put the auto back in it. I was rebuilt and installed, I was thinking oh well, I have a Boss 302 with a manual, I have a Ford GT with a manual, I would have preferred the 67 to be a manual, but I would rather it being correct. I got to say, I took off down the street and when it shifted into 2nd I heard a massive chirp and was sold! WOW, the more I drive it, the more I liked it! I am very happy driving it with its correct auto. Sure I still rather the manual, but if I want to get a GT350 with a manual, I will sell this one and get another one with a manual! I have 3:89's in it, so its a little rough at 65, but it is a little rocket around town! I will say  that the 289 HIPO is a nice mate to an auto.

[1967 eight barrel]

I have 350's in my 500. With 26" tall tires and I tach 3300 at 65.  I am going to 315's with the wide ratio top loader.  The 2.78 with the 3.50's is the equivalent of 2.32 with 4.11 gears.