4 speed or 4 speed OD?

RaniDart70 said
an od can be built as stout as the regular one to one four speed with a cast iron case or bushing in the aluminum.

Bigger difference comes in the gear shift width.

The od uses the last gear so the wheels are turning faster than the driveline which saves fuel.

So with that, the OD has a wider gear ratio range with only 3 gears....basically its a three speed with an overdrive last gear.

So that being said, you will notice that if you "get on it" you will have to rev the engine more and hold a gear longer to keep the pull going and it will have a slight hesitation when you get into the new gear.

Not so much a negative but if you go with an OD, don't plan on any competitive situation because it will make a big difference and in extreme competition (track) it will disappoint.

But as a gas sipper .....perfect.....interstate highway, low RPMs, low noise. 70+MPH...... nice.

Interesting info Rani. I may well find the OD is not the ticket, but I have it, and have already built up my 4.10 8.8 rear so I'm going to try it out. I'll likely make a trip to the track but just out of curiosity not to compete. There's a chance it might make for a fun ride that lights em up real easy without having to scream on the highway. Either way it should be an interesting experiment. :burnout::burnout:

My car won't see a lot of miles and I suspect the "weaker" OD may survive. It's all just dreaming for the time being as I've had no time for the frog.

d55dave, nice description.

Any ideas on how to build it stronger? Rani you mentioned a bushing.

dvboth, hope you're ok with jumping into your thread. I think the info may help with your decision.