> If you put overdrive on top of the 2.94 ratio, you
> have too steep of a gear
> (like about 2.3). The engine will have trouble
> hauling the 5400 lbs on
> anything but the straightest roads and/or at speeds
> over 80. Also, the
> converter will waist a lot of energy even in the 70
It all depends on what you want out of the car, and
how stock the engine is. A stock 440 makes a lot of
low end torque, and I don't think a 2.3 final drive
would be too low. The 80's Imperials used a 2.41
ratio (I believe, someone correct me if I'm wrong) and
had only a 318 engine. They also got ~25 mpg on the
highway. Adding a GV OD unit would definitely help
the gas mileage, and a well-tuned engine could
conceivably get in the high teens mpg on the highway
with the OD and the stock 2.94 gears. Even if you
switched to the 3.23 rear, you would improve gas
mileage some, and also improve your acceleration.
As D^2 says, though, the converter would be slipping
at the lower RPM, and it would be advisable to add a
lockup converter that locked electronically when the
OD was engaged. Or, go for broke and install a set of
3.55 or 3.73 gears and get ready for some whiplash off
the line!
I read that the GV unit when installed with the 727
tranny, actually creats a 6 speed transmisison that
shifts through all 6 gears as a normal automatic
would. Evidentally the spacing of the gears in the
727 and the OD ratio on the GV makes an ideal split
between 1/2 and 2/3, adding a taller final gear OD as
well, obviously.
=====
--Mike Pittinaro
One point eight litres
Stromberg carburators sing
Loose nut at the wheel
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