Talk me into a transmission change...

[jayb]

Jay try Joels on Joy in Micihgan. They do all the C4's for the Cobra jet race cars for Ford. The Mod motors with Blowers are putting out a 1000HP+.

Chris, Blair turned me on to Joel's transmissions a while back.  I have one in my Mach 1.  That is a 530", 850 HP engine and when I called Joel to talk about a C-4 for it, he didn't sound real confident that it would hold up over the long term, in my application (big cubic inches plus lots of street miles plus track time).  So far it has done fine, but I don't have a whole lot of time on it at this point.  In any case, though, based on what he said, I'm not sure I'd want to try one behind my SOHC. 

In 2009 I had a brand new C-4 behind the 935 HP SOHC in my Galaxie, built by a local guy who is very good with race transmissions.  It made it all the way through Drag Week that year, but gave up on my last pass (after I'd already made one good pass on the last day).  Teardown showed that it was mostly junk at that point, and needed a complete overhaul with lots of part replacements.  Maybe Joel's transmission would have done better, but based on prior experience I'm a little gun shy on the C-4 at this power level.

[Cyclone03]

I'm a stick guy at heart,way back in the mid 80's McLeod started doing adjustable clutchs for Stock Elem. My friend was on the list at McLeod so he got one (a few really) and we went testing,no data logging just ET and feel really. In 2 days we killed 3 disc's but we knocked something like 2ths off the 60ft time . So they work , the problem is,was back then, that was ONE track. Without a lot of Data and logging switching from track to track will take at least 1 pass as a base line,then another to see if you went the right way,then a third money pass (at least). At your class level with the other at track make ready do you have time for 3 passes? That of course assumes nothing HAS to be repaired.
Simple ,proven,seems to be the theme of Drag Week,except for the guy who redesigns a 50 year old basically one off NASCAR engine and drives it on the street 1200miles and races at 5 different tracks,FOR FUN.

Work with your converter guy and move to Texas for winter testing before you tear the car apart.