School me on PowerGlides!

[dville_gt]

Need something built to handle 600+ rwhp and still be drive-able on the street. Would like a brake, a good converter, and a warranty. What would be your suggestion? This one in particular is going to go in a real nasty LT1 w/nitrous, probably around 550-600rwhp, but I am also interested to possible swap one into my lsx-coupe when the th350 dies.

Any good local builders?
Do I need to find a core, or is it best to just buy a complete setup from a builder?
Anything to consider or lookout for when going to a glide?
About how much am I looking at for a "bullet-proof" glide for 600rwhp?
How are the street manners of a glide?
Anything else?

Thanks in advance DFWmustangs.

[greenbullitt]

parts for the glide add up quick. For that power level, a 1.76 stock planet will work fine as well as the case. Youll need a tbrake v body (which can be built out of a stock body), a clutch hub from TCI, TS etc, A good turbo input shaft and a stator tube IMO..That for the most part covers it...

pm me if youd like contact info

Hes local, and very good. Built several units for several members including myself. He builds convertors IN HOUSE too..

[Lason]

I built my last powerglide, they are real easy to do! That being said Mikes trickshift is what greenbullit always recommends. I have heard some good stuff from him.

For 600hp I would find a 1.76 aluminum glide as opposed to the weaker 1.82 first gear glide. There is really no way to tell what you have till you tear it apart but even if you wind up with a 1.82 gearset you can swap out a 1.76 set that you can get off ebay or craigslist. Other than that, the weak part is the drum which is a cheap upgrade.

I liked the TCI pro tree brake/valvebody I used. Other than that use a good deep pan (I used a deep cast aluminum summit brand pan) and red alto clutches and ditch the wave plates in the clutch packs and use extra clutches instead.

If your interested in a good book that will walk you through a rebuild and show you alot of tips and tricks you can do along the way check out this book. I used it and learned ALOT.

http://www.amazon.com/Powerglide-Trans-HP1355-Chevrolets-Applications/dp/1557883556

If you just want a builder though, hit up Mikes Trickshift

[Mach1]

What about a 2000hp glide, what kind of $$$ are we talking about, $2000?

[Lason]

2000 horse glide, your looking at $5k+

[dville_gt]

Thanks, I've forwarded on Mikes number to my buddy.

On a related note, is this your old car? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vItVDBDYP0Y

And to you and everyone else, how is a glide compared to a 350/400 on the street? I know that the final ratio is the same 1:1, so I figure it's not too bad, but I want first hand experience. My buddy is a little gun-shy as he thinks it'll kill driveablity. Everyone I've know has loved them, and they seem to last a long time when built right.

I built my last powerglide, they are real easy to do! That being said Mikes trickshift is what greenbullit always recommends. I have heard some good stuff from him.

For 600hp I would find a 1.76 aluminum glide as opposed to the weaker 1.82 first gear glide. There is really no way to tell what you have till you tear it apart but even if you wind up with a 1.82 gearset you can swap out a 1.76 set that you can get off ebay or craigslist. Other than that, the weak part is the drum which is a cheap upgrade.

I liked the TCI pro tree brake/valvebody I used. Other than that use a good deep pan (I used a deep cast aluminum summit brand pan) and red alto clutches and ditch the wave plates in the clutch packs and use extra clutches instead.

If your interested in a good book that will walk you through a rebuild and show you alot of tips and tricks you can do along the way check out this book. I used it and learned ALOT.

http://www.amazon.com/Powerglide-Trans-HP1355-Chevrolets-Applications/dp/1557883556

If you just want a builder though, hit up Mikes Trickshift

[Mach1]

2000 horse glide, your looking at $5k+

damn, so a th400 would be a cheaper option for that power level eh.

[Lason]

Thats my old car but new owners vid.

Driving with a glide is cool, especially with a manual valvebody. I used a Cheetah Shifter so I just pushed the shifter up and down to shift between 1st and 2nd, no levers or other complicated crap. The only thing that took getting used to was the lazy 1st gear leaving lights. About the equivilant to leaving in 2nd gear on a 3 speed.

[greenbullitt]

A glide is the same shit as a 350/400 as far as driveability IMO. they still have a 1:1 final, youre just missing one gear...

[Lason]

damn, so a th400 would be a cheaper option for that power level eh.

Maybe but I would guess a 400 would be pretty close price wise. But you would end up with a 2 shifts down the track instead of 1, a tranny that uses more power to move and potientially too tall of a first gear.

Im not tranny expert but I would guess the prices would be pretty close to the same.

I remember my buddy at ACE transmission built a glide for a guy on the east coast that was going in a 2k horsepower car and there was about $4k worth of parts on the bench alone before you even got into labor. The expensive parts being the SFI case, aftermarket planetary and converter.

[Blue88Coupe]

A glide is the same shit as a 350/400 as far as driveability IMO. they still have a 1:1 final, youre just missing one gear...

I never understood why people say "oh you cant cruise around in two gears on the highway." Well why not if the trans has the same final gear as any non over drive trans does

[turbostang]

I have used about 30 transmissions built by Mike and never once had a failure. I have 2 of his glides right now and one TH350.

You can fully expect to drop a minimum of 1500$ on a glide and converter, maybe more - depending on options. One big option bieng whether or not to use a SFI Belhousing. (personally, I don't think it's an "option", should be mandatory)

The stock 1.76's will be fine, I have HUNDREDS of passes on mine now and no problems. They even originally came out of pumpkinhead and had a hundred or so passes on it then - running 5.40's.

FWIW, glides are FINE on the street. Just run an adequate cooler and lines.

[Woods Racing Transmission]

Any good local builders? Yes

Anything to consider or lookout for when going to a glide? Unless its A turbo/supercharged car keep the rear gear higher than 3.73 3.90's and 4.10's work great on the street.

About how much am I looking at for a "bullet-proof" glide for 600rwhp? You don't need a "bullet-proof" glide at that power level. I would say around 1100 with stock gears, and 1800 with pro gears like a 1.80.

How are the street manners of a glide? Great, remember this tranny came as a standard option in almost everything GM built from early '60s to early '70s. Anyone that says its not a street tranny has never owned one.

[slow55]

I ran a glide with a brake in a street car with 4.56s for years and was a blast.
IT's fun leaving off the trans brake at a red light.

[turbostang]

I ran a glide with a brake in a street car with 4.56s for years and was a blast.
IT's fun leaving off the trans brake at a red light.

I ran my Nova back in the early 90's for a LONG time with 4.56's and a TH350. I had 28X9's on it and drove it to the track often - but the summer time damn sure sucked!