How streetable is a powerglide?

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03-07-2018, 08:45 AM
USMCPONY

How streetable is a powerglide?

I'm having trouble finding a local shop that is comfortable tuning a 6l80 car that'll be around 1400rwhp. I guess my only other option is a powerglide. I do not want a th400. I'm looking for people with experience driving them on the street. I have a f1x on the car so I have to run a loose converter (creates more heat). I'd most likely run a lower gear to be able to drive it on the freeway. 3.43 2880rpms at 70mph, 3.25 2740rpms at 70mph, 3.15 2646rpms at 70, 3.00 2570rpms at 70mph. Of course the lower gear makes it more sluggish off the line which effects the ET. My only concern is I don't want to turn my car into a strictly race car. I want to enjoy it on the street without having to pull over and letting the trans cool. I don't want to make it sluggish to wear a Jetta can pull me from a stop light. I went through the trouble of making a 6" radiator and 6" intercooler to keep the car cool (car can idle for 45+ minutes at 170 degrees). I don't want my trans to be the limiting factor of why I can't enjoy my car. Car is 70% street 30% track. My car is a 2013 with 4000 miles. It is not a daily driver. I race the king of the street class. Which requires a 60 miles Cruise. I'd probably drive an hour or two at most on the highway.
03-07-2018, 09:42 AM
JIMS SVT

Th400 will help keep the heat to a minimum over the pg. Shifting one time and lugging around in high gear isn't something I'd want. I put a th400 in my turbo cobra and never had a issue. Street drove that car everywhere
03-07-2018, 10:12 AM
USMCPONY

The only thing bad about a th400 is I have to cut the trans tunnel out completely and they're $6,000 more than a powerglide.
03-07-2018, 10:42 AM
Hensley32

Lenco or gforce trans outta the question?
03-07-2018, 10:58 AM
USMCPONY

Keep breaking my 6l80 or switch to a powerglide is my only option.
03-07-2018, 11:19 AM
Maximus

Quote:

Originally Posted by JIMS SVT

Th400 will help keep the heat to a minimum over the pg. Shifting one time and lugging around in high gear isn't something I'd want. I put a th400 in my turbo cobra and never had a issue. Street drove that car everywhere

Id love to put a TH400 in my Nova. PG on the street is no fun, but on the track it works great.
03-07-2018, 06:01 PM
draggin50

The Th400 would be the best route. Sucks to cut on the car at all. Id stick with the 6L80 before I went to a glide.
03-07-2018, 09:05 PM
Crucial

ive heard good things about Century Transmission 6l80's .. guy on corvetteforum was just talking about it... have 434 9 sec passes on his before he broke it .. so they are slowly working them out ..
03-07-2018, 09:25 PM
2-Tone

Would you have room for a gear vendors overdrive behind the glide ? That is the only way I would consider a glide streetable in your car. Also talk to rpm if you haven't already. http://www.rpmtransmissions.com/page9.html
03-07-2018, 09:34 PM
USMCPONY

I've talked to Jeremy and he makes it sound like I can daily drive. I'm still not completely convinced but I have no experience with a glide. No room for a gear vender. I already called and asked them.
03-08-2018, 09:19 AM
exrider416

Quote:

Originally Posted by USMCPONY

The only thing bad about a th400 is I have to cut the trans tunnel out completely and they're $6,000 more than a powerglide.

I have a cutoff wheel! Lol I'd personally stick to the 6l80 and pull some power and find someone to tune it (even if not local) or get to cutting. You'll have a race car that drives good on the street by cutting the tunnel and putting in a th400 or with a powerglide you will just have a race car
03-08-2018, 12:31 PM
JIMS SVT

Do a 6r80e. Kenb seems to be doing good with them.
03-08-2018, 12:58 PM
S281SC

How streetable is a powerglide?

I am a little confused. You wont put a cage in, but you will put in a powerglide. Also what track will run king of the street without a cage?

To switch from a transaxle to a solid axle with a “normal trans” power glide or anything else, you are going to be cutting some things for a four link setup of some sort to mount a 9” or dana 60 or 12 bolt or?!? You are at a precipice. Cut it up or leave it 6l80.

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03-08-2018, 01:43 PM
S281SC

I also forgot to add the streetability of the powerglide is pretty high. 2fast4u drives his on the road all the time. Right Shayne? Also every gm car in the late 60s used them on the road. It cannot be that bad?!?

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03-08-2018, 03:34 PM
USMCPONY

When did I say I won't put a cage in it? I'm talking to Rob about a cage right now. And the powerglide conversion is still a trans axle. There is no cutting.
03-08-2018, 03:39 PM
2Fast4You

I do it all the time Steve, my neighbors don't mind that it sounds like I'm doing 85 mph in a 25 mph subdivision. I'm sure that the 5500 stall converter w/ the powerglide has anything to do with that either. Lol
03-08-2018, 03:46 PM
USMCPONY

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2Fast4You

I do it all the time Steve, my neighbors don't mind that it sounds like I'm doing 85 mph in a 25 mph subdivision. I'm sure that the 5500 stall converter w/ the powerglide has anything to do with that either. Lol

Can't tell if your being serious or not. I'll most likely go with a 3500 stall, 3.43 rear with a 28" tire if I decide to do it. Trans has a 1.80 first gear.
03-08-2018, 04:22 PM
k062693w

Just my $.02 ... But don't do a glide, You'll Hate it on the street ...
03-08-2018, 05:33 PM
2Fast4You

Quote:

Originally Posted by USMCPONY

Can't tell if your being serious or not. I'll most likely go with a 3500 stall, 3.43 rear with a 28" tire if I decide to do it. Trans has a 1.80 first gear.

The PG is a great trans and holds up, it just isn't fun like manual trans or something that has more than 1 shift point.
03-08-2018, 06:59 PM
S281SC

Quote:

Originally Posted by USMCPONY

When did I say I won't put a cage in it? I'm talking to Rob about a cage right now. And the powerglide conversion is still a trans axle. There is no cutting.

“If I cut it up I know I'll regret it. Haven't decided on a cage yet. I'm not sure how much I'm going to track it. “

This was in you build thread. And a couple other times you mentioned not doing a cage because you did not want to damage the special leather on the anniversary dash. Had not heard you post otherwise.

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03-08-2018, 08:16 PM
JIMS SVT

Quote:

Originally Posted by S281SC

“If I cut it up I know I'll regret it. Haven't decided on a cage yet. I'm not sure how much I'm going to track it.

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At this point it doesn't.matter if it's.on the track or street. With as much power as he's talking a cage is a safety factor on and off the track.
03-08-2018, 08:44 PM
USMCPONY

Quote:

Originally Posted by S281SC

“If I cut it up I know I'll regret it. Haven't decided on a cage yet. I'm not sure how much I'm going to track it. “

This was in you build thread. And a couple other times you mentioned not doing a cage because you did not want to damage the special leather on the anniversary dash. Had not heard you post otherwise.

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I don't want to put a cage or a powerglide in it. I never said I wasn't going to. Looks like I don't have a choice if I want to use it. The only two guys I know with the exact same long block as me and a f1x made 1608rwhp and the other made 1610rwhp slightly after. I'm not going to call them a liar but I find it weird the second guy made 2hp more than the other guy. Taking the f1x dyno record. Mine might make 1100+rwhp or it might make 1600+rwhp. I don't have a answer. Even if I turned the boost down. The 6l80 may not live. No one's ever pushed them this far.
03-08-2018, 10:43 PM
exrider416

Run the 6l80 and if or when it breaks, then decide. Enjoy the car some and be the first to push it that far. Get the car down the track and post them numbers, not dyno numbers someone else got with that setup. The car will be fast no doubt, but go prove it! Or at least drive it around and talk how much that setup has made.
03-08-2018, 10:49 PM
USMCPONY

Quote:

Originally Posted by exrider416

Run the 6l80 and if or when it breaks, then decide. Enjoy the car some and be the first to push it that far. Get the car down the track and post them numbers, not dyno numbers someone else got with that setup. The car will be fast no doubt, but go prove it! Or at least drive it around and talk how much that setup has made.

I thought about doing that. Then I'd be out of a $6500 transmission that I could sell abs recoup some money.
03-12-2018, 03:55 PM
chad393na

Ran a glide for awhile in my 95 gts, I loved it. I was running a 3.27 gear so revs weren't bad on the highway. I would've really liked it if I was making more power, it's 60' times were a little slow compared to my 4r70w/aod.
03-12-2018, 06:25 PM
USMCPONY

Quote:

Originally Posted by chad393na

Ran a glide for awhile in my 95 gts, I loved it. I was running a 3.27 gear so revs weren't bad on the highway. I would've really liked it if I was making more power, it's 60' times were a little slow compared to my 4r70w/aod.

From what I hear you have to be light and make over 1000rwhp to really benefit from a glide. Otherwise a th400 would be better in my case.