The Dodge Challenger Message Board

Hey guys I am new to the chat and was thinking of changing my factory 70 340 auto car to a 4 speed Is this a mistake?? Let me know what you think Gord

If thats what you really want, I say go for it. But if you decide to install a manual box why stop at a 4-speed? If I could, I would place 5 or 6 speed in there in a "New York" minute! You can even install a Pistol Grip and no one will be the wiser, unless they see the bezel, or leave the 4 speed bezel on for the OEM look. www.keislerauto.com

Big mistake. You will hate it.

Yeah, manual transmissions make it hard to talk on the cell phone and eat your lunch while driving.

Seriously though, I really like having the interaction that comes with shifting the Challenger. Reeling through the gears, using engine compression into the corners, and the occasional burnout of coarse. A five or six speed would be really nice by allowing for lower gears and still retain highway cruising speeds.

Most "car" people that look inside comment about how cool the pistol grip is too. Not that it makes that much difference though.

I think it really depends upon the person and the geographic area. I'm surrounded by Interstates built during the Cold War. It's really fun to sweep through the curves using engine torque to help steer the car and shifting through the turns gaining speed. I also like having complete control of the engines powerband but with the torque I have it doesnt make that much of a difference, you can accelerate very hard in either 1-3 gears at lower engine speeds. With the 340 however, it loves the revs! If you have a lot of winding roads like I do, it would be a blast keeping the 'buzzsaw' at higher RPM's with proper gear selection. If I lived in a congested area with tight roadways and short city streets, I would probably opt for the auto tranny with level 3 shift kit (Highest line pressure), higher stall convertor& cooler, or steeper rear gears. Then you can chirp the tires on each shift Most people that look inside my car---walk away very quickly

I say go for it Gordy and get some real gears in that car instead of that slush-o-matic. Seriosly though consider all the facts and options carefully because if you do change it means changing so much hardware, not to mention molesting the floorpan, tunnel, pedal box etc. Having said all that absolutely every single part is freely available, and you can easily get a schematic of the entire assembly out of a cheapo manual like Chiltons.
I personally would choose a much newer box like Eddie suggests. It would make much less frictional losses, be quieter, offer good cruising ratio's and even a lighter clutch action.I converted my '72 about 15 years ago while the body was stripped for resto and I did it in une weekend once all the components had arrived. I know they are inconsistent at the strip and baulky around slow town traffic but they are so cool and the pistul grip shifter is an iconic peice I'm sure any Mopar fan would love. If you want a list of all the process let me know and I'll post it on the site for you. Good luck! Adrian

340 gordy wrote: Is this a mistake??

You don't tell us much about what you want to do with your car...

- For drag racing, upgrade the auto transmission.

- For street driving and the occasional trip to the strip, the auto is best (unless you shift like Ronnie Sox) but you may use a stick .

- For any kind of road race, spirited mountain driving, or autocross, you'll need either a sequential auto trans or a well-built auto (some guys offer a tight valve body that could be used for reasonable road racing : http://www.brauerengineering.com/trans/index.htm ), and very big brakes, or a manual transmission (5-speed Tremec for example) (and still some big brakes).

Since you have a small-block, you're probably contemplating the latter...

If you go manual, the number of gears and the final gear ratio will let you chose your rear-end ratio, which won't be the case with a 3-speed auto (you could find a 4-speed with an overdrive 4th).

With the current offers, if I wanted an auto trans, I'd look at the sequential offer from Keisler (just came out).

For a manual, I'm very pleased with my Tremec (with a hydraulic clutch setup).

I HAVE HEARD SOME POSITIVE AND NEGITIVE THINGS ABOUT CONVERTING A AUTO CAR TO A STARDARD ANY THOUGHTS?

You could have perhaps asked this question in this current thread?

http://challenger.mpoli.fi/forum/viewto ... 4573#44573

Personally I feel any conversion away from factory original will hurt the value. Unless you throw a Hemi into it for some reason.

Many 4-speed conversions do not work as well as original due to poor workmanship and not all the correct parts.

If it's an auto, Just my 2 cents, I'd leave it that way.
More hassle than it's worth.

The choice is usually very personal. Some like to row the gear shift, some don't. If it's a numbers matching car, leave it as the factory built it. It'll be worth more $$$$ if you ever decide to sell it. If it's not, then have fun.

Merry Christmas to all

Transman