what gears....??? 3.23/3.55..need quick awnser

CanCritter

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which way do l wana go for my71 GT /440 basic stock 10-1 compression aproxx 2200 stall looking at 3.55 or 3.23...going for nice cruiser with attitude..not a drag car...thoughts plz
 
3.23..
What tire size you running?..Nice to include in the equation.
 
somewhere in the neighbourhood of a 235/75-70/r15...not shure as to the tires yet...but whatever their calling for diameter wise...mild cam..was leaning to 3.55 as most of my vehicles have 3.73...not shure what these cars require for good street/hyway manners...3.91s to high
 
If you plan to use the car cruising the highway, and still have decent around town performance, I would go with 3.23. You already have a little higher than stock stall speed in the converter, and with a mild cam, such a package would be well balanced for spirited driving around town yet have quiet, steady highway cruising. My Cuda 440+6 with the 3.55s is tiresome on the freeways/highways since you always hear the engine spinning more than it needs to. But I am not a crazed speed demon, either1
 
I was trying to decide the same thing. I then got to thinking about freeway driving and mpg without having a o/d trans. My car had a 3:23 in it before I lost the cross shaft in the carrier wiping out my gears and I was getting 17 mpg on the highway
at 70mph so went back with the 3:23.
I just have a stock 383 with a 750 Edelbrock,Performer intake with a Pertronix electronic conversion and dual exhaust.
 
I was trying to decide the same thing. I then got to thinking about freeway driving and mpg without having a o/d trans. My car had a 3:23 in it before I lost the cross shaft in the carrier wiping out my gears and I was getting 17 mpg on the highway
at 70mph so went back with the 3:23.
I just have a stock 383 with a 750 Edelbrock,Performer intake with a Pertronix electronic conversion and dual exhaust.

thanx...kinda glad l went with the 3.23....
 
I had 373s in a 69 Sport Fury, I never noticed the engine screaming. The fuel economy was more of a concern at the time
 
I had the same dilemma.. I'm going to run a low deck BB with a mild cam a 650 carb on DP4B.. And I'm running 3.55s I think with the longer arm of the 440 you'll be happy with the 3.23
 
3.55s will wear on you the second hour, by the 3rd hour your ready to change them on the shoulder of the road. With that tall of a tire you might add a hour to the above.
 
Affirmative on the 3.23. I posted the same thing here a couple years ago and took the advice. At 65 I'm running at 2500 rpm with the 4 speed. Auto might be a bit different.
 
There's not a huge difference between 3.23 and 3.55. But for a "cruiser with attitude" and no O/D conversion, I'd probably go 3.23. That's what my Coronet R/T has (factory installed), and its just about perfect.

My "C" had 2.76 gears from the factory with a 2-bbl 383. When I went to a 440, most of my putting-around-town complaints about the tall gears went away... and they're awesome on the freeway. Again, 3.23 would be just about perfect.
 
At 1 thousand wheel speed rpm its a difference of 3230 compared to 3550, that about 73mph compared to 65 mph.

Or almost keeping up with traffic compared to lagging in the right lane with swift trucks passing you.
 
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