C6 Advice

[Gunslinger9416]

Hello friends! Did you miss me?

Back on the '71 grind again, and I keep coming back to my crazy transmission project. My build is for a autocross/road race streetable car, but it came with a C6. The other members of my project don't want to go through the hassle of ripping it all out and doing a manual conversion. Been looking into the Gear Vendors Over/Underdrive, with a Mastershift Paddleshifter. However, need to build the C6 up a bit first, so it can manually up AND downshift when the paddles tell it to. Now, I am not the first or only person to think of this, I saw a dude who built a killer VW Beetle with like a 632 BBC, and a TH 400 set up in a similar fashion that I am looking to do with the C6 for road racing. So I come to you, masters of Classic Ford knowledge, to find some recommendations of tranny builders that I can take this madness to. Thank you for your time, glad to be back at 71-73 Forums.

 

[marks73]

I'm sure technology has overwritten what we did in the early 80's. We bored and honed added 3 extra clutch pads to the pacs and used racing tailshafts out of California, and every size ball bearing that would fit the valve body. Still couldn't match a Powerglide.

 

[will e]

how are you going to get the paddle shifters to control the c6?

 

[Gunslinger9416]

The Mastershift kit comes with an electronic control box that mates up with shift linkage on the C6, and also wired into the GV Under/Overdrive, then you just do a little tweaking with a laptop and off you go.

 

[MotoArts]

Tried autocrossing my 530i once.

It has the autostick override thingy in it (bump the shifter up/down, fake manual).

It sucked.

Mushy and slow. Not even close to "real" stick performance in an intense situation like that. Not bad on the street, but not even close to fun for auto-x.

The C6 deal sounds spendy. I'd do a lot of googling and question asking before popping for one, solely based on my car's experience.

 

[will e]

It looks cool. I am probably going to do the gear vendors kit next fall. (It's hot here in the summer so I won't be putting any real miles on in he next 5 months). I kept think about some way to get the gear vendors to switch into/out of it's OD rather than timing a foot switch with my gear shift. (If you are in 1 high you want to disengauage as you go into 2nd for example)

The paddles look like a cool way of doing it but the cost is really really expensive.

 

[Gunslinger9416]

MotoArts - Appreciate the input, I've heard that is a big issue with those BMW transmissions. I'm definitely whipping out the Google Fu on this, and no matter which way I slice it I think I'm looking at 6 grand to do this right (upgrade the C6, or convert to manual with a T56 Magnum).

will e - That is exactly why I'm looking at this, because from what I've been reading timing disengaging the over/under can get real inefficient, but Mastershift worked exclusively with GearVendors, and the owner of GV and his son both have the Mastershifts on their personal vehicles. So yeah, expensive sure, but I'm going all out on this project so, Buy Once Cry Once!

 

[cazsper]

Not to sound sarcastic, but that sounds easier than a manual conversion? I too considered a unit from gear venders but not for auto cross. When I build the 393w for my '68 coupe, I also dropped the C-4 and switched over to a TKO-600. I ordered everything from Modern Driveline. it was actually very easy.

But I woukd like to see how the Gear Vendors unit comes out. Good luck.