I am going to be building an LT1 for my truck, so I figured the best place to check for info on an LT1 and associated drivetrain was a place concerning cars that origionally had one. I have a simple question, I am going to buy a used motor eventually with tranny, would I be better off with a manual or auto? a little background, I have already put a ford 9" in the rear, going to do suspension work, what not, ill be doing a set of heads and a cam, probably stage 3 heads, not sure where to get them or what kind just yet (if anyone could suggest it would help greatly) and be rebuilding it to a 383 stroker, planning on making some power with it, question is, would I be better off going with the auto tranny? can the manual hold more power? which is more reliable after being run for such a long time, either one, I plan on having it rebuilt a little bit, and getting whatever I need to have it work correctly and safely, what should I look for?

 

a stock T-56 will hold much more power than a stock 4l60E or 4l60. ultimately, they both can be built up to similar potentials. the stock T-56 will hold mostly everything the average hotrod can throw at it, but for insurance i wouldn't go doing 5k clutch dumps. Both are relatively easy to build to hold more power. the t-56 will cost a little more to build up if you decide to go with the 700 dollar viper 30 spline shaft. it's just a matter of what you like. sticks are great to drive, but nothing beats the sound of a good stall converter keeping the rpm to that optimal range while cruising. (assuming you have a good exhaust note). on a car i prefer a stick so i can hit the curves and swap the gears myself. If i had a truck, i'd probably lean towards an auto, unless that truck was going to be doing some curves, as well.
on a motor, AFR heads are great, but if you prefer to stick to stockish castings, lloyd elliot (eportworks.com) has a great rep on this website for doing good heads with great power. he also sells cams with these heads in packages if you want. joe overton and bret bauer are both reputable cam designers if you choose to go your own way on the cam.

 

do you think I would be better off going with the 6 speed? it wont be just a track vehicle, it will be a cruiser, but for the bang for the buck, is it worth the extra money for the manual?

 

it really depends on what you like. if you love manuals, get a 6speed. i would prefer an auto for drag racing for sake of ease, especially once you have a lot of power. but it's still fun with a stick, but your times might be inconsistent with those kind of hp numbers. a t-56 is a great trans if you're going to have a manual. it's very strong, and all forward gears are fully synchronized. it's kind of a bitch to overhaul, but it's not too bad. Also, a .50:1 overdrive ratio is very nice to have, especially when running taller gears. you will get better gas mileage that way as well, when cruising. If i had to make this decision...... if the car was drag focused, i go auto. if it was fun and cruise focused, i go with a t-56.