Passon Performance 5-speed

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JoesEdge said:
Wow! It took 5 years? That's patience! Did you have to put a deposit down? How did that work? I see that you live in Gilroy. That's a garlic town right? It's so weird, I bought a bottle of Lawry's garlic powder expecting it say made in California or something, and the damn thing is from China.

When you get a chance, you think it's possible to do a video on how it shifts. I mean, going through the gears, especially 5th. I've been curious how that works. Is the shifter mechanism different than say a Hurst?

Hopefully you get your garage built quick so you have more time to install that bad boy.
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Well, when did he introduce these things? It was around that long ago...If you wanted to get in line to get one, all he wanted was a name, address, phone number and email. No deposit. Then it's a waiting game.

Yes, Gilroy is the garlic capital of the world, home of the famous Gilroy Garlic Festival, takes place on the last weekend of July. :) Sorry about your chinese garlic, I can send ya the good stuff! :D

Yea, I can do a video of shifting it on the stand to give you an idea.
 
I think Passon first made them public in December of 2010 at the PRI show in Orlando. A friend from Gainsville sent me a photo, joking that I needed one for my Barracuda. I got on the list 5 yr 8 mos ago.
 
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darndart said:
I received my A855 last week. On the list for about 3 years. A few months ago Jamie called and asked if i was still interested, i said yes and sent payment. Got it in a couple weeks. She’s a beauty!

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That is a good looking tranny. The way I understand it, it just pops right in where the A833 was. I have a 69 Barracuda that has the 'twisty' shift handle. Will that go with this tranny?
 
Yes, that was Jamie's vision from the beginning. Absolute bolt in. It is a hurst shifter so your existing handle should bolt right up.
 
Just finished the install of A-855 in 70 Duster340. Fits perfect, Shifts Perfect, Love it. Can't wait to take on a long trip and keep up with traffic. I was going to
buy a new shifter stick from hurst they have 4 round sticks and modify to fit but decided to just drill hole in my original stick. It's exactly in same position as before
and the throw is less than old set-up.
 
Very glad to hear a report of another one making the streets. Do you know what list number you were? What rear gear ratio and tire dia. do you have? RPM at cruise now? I hear they need about 500 miles to break in before you can get on 'em.
 
naratajr said:
Just finished the install of A-855 in 70 Duster340. Fits perfect, Shifts Perfect, Love it. Can't wait to take on a long trip and keep up with traffic. I was going to
buy a new shifter stick from hurst they have 4 round sticks and modify to fit but decided to just drill hole in my original stick. It's exactly in same position as before
and the throw is less than old set-up.
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Nice! Jealous!! LOL

So tell us more about your Duster.
  • What gears do you have in the rear end?
  • What tires are you running in the rear?
  • What's your RPM's like now at 70 MPH?
Thanks!
 
I asked for my number on list in Feb. 2015 #296 3.55 Gears with 245/60/14 car ran about 64 mph at 3000 now 2100 ...... 75 was 3500 now 2400 70 is just under 2300 plus or minus a few rpm
For me it's just right. 340 engine mild cam and headers likes to run at 2100 to 2300 down the highway
 
What is the ballpark on price of just the transmission? I talked to them at Carlisle last year or year before, but I forget.
 
RogerRamRod said:
What is the ballpark on price of just the transmission? I talked to them at Carlisle last year or year before, but I forget.
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They come in now at $5,300. Plus shipping. And for me I had to source a bolt-in Hurst shift lever. I didn't feel like drilling two holes into my original slip in.

Regardless of the extra expenses, I'm happy i waited and got one.
 
Yes, it seems the number one complaint is availablility. Oh, and the price went up again to $5475 now.
Geo4K do you know what number you were on the list?
 
I paid $5600 shipped to my door a few months ago, I was on the list almost 3 years. A buddy of mine ordered one for a 69 Charger about 6 months ago, paid in advance and got it already.
 
5500usd buys a awful lot of gasoline...cant really see it being worthwhile for guys who only really drive their cars weekends ...very few of these old mopes would be daily drivers anymore i can't imagine..
 
john dodge said:
5500usd buys a awful lot of gasoline...cant really see it being worthwhile for guys who only really drive their cars weekends ...very few of these old mopes would be daily drivers anymore i can't imagine..
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Mine is a daily driver. The lower RPM's also save on wear and tear.
 
RealWing said:
Has anyone had gear clashing when shifting gears? What kind of gear lube are you using?

I've had some clashing when shifting into 3rd gear on my A855. I was initially using a 75w90 GL5 gear oil. Then I got a note from Jamie saying to use 75w140 GL5 and after changing I got some clashing going into 2nd and 3rd. ie seemed to be getting worse. (I've got about 5000 miles on the tranny)
After some e-mails back and forth with Passon, Jamie sent me a bottle of Lube Gard ATF Friction Modifier (p/n 61910) to add to the gear lube. I was surprised it was for ATF and after some more e-mails, I was told that they have used this with success to improve gear synchronization.
I also questioned why they specified a 75w140 GL5 lube instead of a GL4 manual transmission lube. (A GL5 lube is usually specified for differentials and has a totally different friction modifier package than a GL4 MT lube.) I was told that the GL5 75w140 performed better behind very high HP engines (ie turbo etc). ie it needed a higher viscosity oil to maintain an oil film between the gears.
My engine is a basically stock 6.1 SRT8 Hemi so I'm going to use a GL4 Manual Transmission lube ( probably Amsoil MTG 75w90: Manual Transmission & Transaxle Gear Lube 75W-90 )
I was also told they have changed the synchronizer design a bit as the tranny evolved (I was # 4- a very early one) (Interesting to note that the A855 has carbon fiber blocker rings.)
I was also sent this interesting article of MT gear lube. http://www.widman.biz/uploads/Transaxle_oil.pdf which confirmed my engineering assessment that I was using the wrong lube.
Now I have to wait until spring!!!!
Jim
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Jim, my transmission shifts great when warm with 75w-140 Lucas trans and diff but it is impossible to shift when it is cold, even 60 degrees. I start out in the morning and I can shift through the gears just fine at a standstill, but as soon as the car moves, I can't shift it into any other gear unless I match the engine speed with the trans speed and slowly let out the clutch so it will slip into gear. After about 2 miles, it will shift with a grind. After about 4 miles, it will shift without a grind but it feels stiff. After 8 miles, it shifts great. It seems like the fluid is too thick when it is cold so when I changed the fluid I used a 50-50 mix of 75w-140 and 75w-90. It only improved it a little so I added 3 oz of the Lube Gard. I did improve it a little but not near enough. Did you put all 10 oz in? Instructions say 1 oz per quart of fluid. Maybe I'll have to use only 75w-90. Roger
 
70DSTR said:
Jim, my transmission shifts great when warm with 75w-140 Lucas trans and diff but it is impossible to shift when it is cold, even 60 degrees. I start out in the morning and I can shift through the gears just fine at a standstill, but as soon as the car moves, I can't shift it into any other gear unless I match the engine speed with the trans speed and slowly let out the clutch so it will slip into gear. After about 2 miles, it will shift with a grind. After about 4 miles, it will shift without a grind but it feels stiff. After 8 miles, it shifts great. It seems like the fluid is too thick when it is cold so when I changed the fluid I used a 50-50 mix of 75w-140 and 75w-90. It only improved it a little so I added 3 oz of the Lube Gard. I did improve it a little but not near enough. Did you put all 10 oz in? Instructions say 1 oz per quart of fluid. Maybe I'll have to use only 75w-90. Roger
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Hi Roger
I haven't had the car out yet after changing to 75w90 GL4. (This is not California weather up here in the great white north!!!!) I'm going to drive it without the additive first and see how it shifts. If it still clashes, then I'll add the Lube Gard. I've left room to add the whole bottle.
Jim
 
RealWing said:
Hi Roger
I haven't had the car out yet after changing to 75w90 GL4. (This is not California weather up here in the great white north!!!!) I'm going to drive it without the additive first and see how it shifts. If it still clashes, then I'll add the Lube Gard. I've left room to add the whole bottle.
Jim
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Thanks Jim. When you get it out, let me know how the 75w-90 works. I'll add the rest of the bottle and see what happens. I know what the great white north is like. I lived in Michigan for 39 years! Roger
 
john dodge said:
5500usd buys a awful lot of gasoline...cant really see it being worthwhile for guys who only really drive their cars weekends ...very few of these old mopes would be daily drivers anymore i can't imagine..
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It's much, much more than that. The cruising comfort of lower RPM is mega sweet, but the biggie in my book is the ability to drop in steeper gears with no real penalty. Overdrive is awesome, and makes a PITA car very streetable.
 
So if its od that most people are chasing and the cruising ability at lower revs why not use the od a833?..
I know most guys are gonna critisize what i ask ...ans go on about ratios..but if its od ur chasing ...its a lot cheaper...
 
I had contacted Passon about one of their 5-speed back in November of 2014. I did get a notification of whether I wanted to proceed in August of 2017. Quite a long time, and I thought about it until I was told that the price had increased from $4250 when I placed my order to $5450 plus shifter handle and the freight. I thought when I ordered it, that $4250 was border line high, especially when I had thought that originally it was around $3800. I realize that cost of materials goes up, but 30%. I was always under the impression that when you placed an order, that you were locking in that price. I've heard that Jamie is really a great guy, that what he is doing for Mopars is really great, but I think that his accountant is leading him down a bad road. Especially since that most of his income comes from other manual transmissions and parts, ect.

I've been wrong before, maybe I am here, but having, probably $6500 or more invested just to shift gears an extra tim. I passed on my three wait for one and now am going to just let my 904 shift for itself, well kinda. I do wish Jamie the best in this new transmission venture, but too costly for me.
 
I had wanted to do this swap for a long time but can't see myself swinging that kind of money for a transmission, a 5-speed no doubt when 6-speed Tremecs are readily available. IMO the only real benefits are not having to cut the floor and a transmission that looks factory (aside from that big bulge on the back ???), pretty nice on a Mopar with some pedigree but my Duster is just a 318 car so... T-56 swap for 1/2-2/3 the price of an A-855 and put the rest of the money into my G3 Hemi swap. A member on here recently even started selling new crossmembers for T-56 swaps into Mopars.
 
MOPEkidD-3 said:
I had wanted to do this swap for a long time but can't see myself swinging that kind of money for a transmission, a 5-speed no doubt when 6-speed Tremecs are readily available. IMO the only real benefits are not having to cut the floor and a transmission that looks factory (aside from that big bulge on the back ???), pretty nice on a Mopar with some pedigree but my Duster is just a 318 car so... T-56 swap for 1/2-2/3 the price of an A-855 and put the rest of the money into my G3 Hemi swap. A member on here recently even started selling new crossmembers for T-56 swaps into Mopars.
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Your Duster sounds a lot like what I would like to do in the future. Going to wait until the 360 gives out, and I get the 38 going. I keep telling guys that in 5 years, not many are going to be doing 340-360 upgrades, but it will be cheaper and get more power out of a 5.7-6.4 3rd generation hemi. Ok, it's not a real hemi to the old farts like me, but it does have power. Mate it up to my upgraded 904A and down the road one goes. Just my opinion, of course.
 
john dodge said:
5500usd buys a awful lot of gasoline...cant really see it being worthwhile for guys who only really drive their cars weekends ...very few of these old mopes would be daily drivers anymore i can't imagine..
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I saw an "Old coot" hauling a trailer in a 66 Belvedere wagon just the other day. I will note when I see an old car like that on the highway, they are usually hanging around the 55-65 MPh speed, not doing 90 like the rest of the idiots out there these days :) Not that the Belevedere couldn't do 90, I bet it would drink the gas down at that speed.
 
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