Generally speaking, you won't lose ET by switching. That is ASSuming that the converter is "right" for your car. If it's a really good setup, it might (and likely will) pick up some ET and MPH. That's why it's imperative to get the right converter from the get-go, and that doesn't mean picking a saturday night special from Jeg's, though some do get lucky. Stall speed is only a small part of the converter.....There' s a stator, sprag, fin angle, charge pressure, etc. Powerglide is really sensitive to torque converter selection. Or should I say, a lot more sensitive than a C4 is to it's converter. Powerglide is expensive. Figure $2200-$2500 including the trans, converter, bell, everything to do the swap. And that is doing it right, not halfway. That's building it yourself with decent parts. Not top of the line, but decent. I'm not a fan of the "adapter plates". Some guys have made them work. It's much easier to use a dedicated adapter bellhousing, and in doing so, you also get an SFI approved flexplate shield. Also the stock case is weak at the bellhousing area, and removing the stock GM bellhousing eliminates that weak point. There are a few other weak points, but they generally won't show up until you really start leaning on it....1000+ hp generally speaking (kind of like the 302 blocks splitting at "500 hp"....remember...it's give or take a little and some guys can make them last). Once you get close to that level, it's time to think about updating to a Reid, ATI, or JW case. Powerglide is really easy to build. Easy to screw up too, but I think they're easier to build-and harder to screw up-than a C4. And the PG generally will last a LOT longer between rebuilds or freshen-ups than a c4 will. We always had to freshen up C4's every season. I haven't been into my PG in, gosh, 8 years now? I did adjust the band the other day though. First time I've touched it. Course it'll probably break now with my luck. And it's a home-built nothing special stock case/JW bell powerglide, with a 1.80 gearset. I broke a stock 1.76 a while back and went ahead and got the 1.80. There is absolutely no ET or MPH difference between a 1.76 and a straight cut 1.80. The ONLY differences are (1) it makes noise in low and reverse and (2) it's stronger. And there's a ton of stuff you can do internally, to free up a little more. "The book" has all of it and more. I build my own, though some don't have the time or patience to do it-and that's understandable and respectable. I don't have time or patience to paint.....and it shows in the blue Maverick, which I tried to do myself. There is a very good reason that the PG is a better option for a dedicated drag car....
Well said, and I hope so, I'm tired of rebuilding the C4 although I did get it to last a lot longer with Tractor Fluid. Oh and just so you know the cam you sold me is going in it's 3rd motor.
Glad you're able to use that cam. Just did a cam swap in mine recently, well actually still in the process of buttoning it up. Things have certainly changed since I sold you that camshaft. Especially the cost of continuing this hobby vs. the cost of living. On the PG vs C4 thing, I've built a few for local racers as well. I don't make a dime on them-break even at best but I ain't doing it for the money. Just helping people out. Thing I found is that when doing it for someone else, you cannot take shortcuts no matter how much the buyer wants to save a buck. I understand their situation if the money isn't there, but if it's not, save a little more and come back to see me. I will not skimp, period. I did once, and got burned with it, will not do it again. I did dad's, well both of them actually. The one in the Maverick and the one that's going into the '85 coupe. The coupe, I did some things a little differently and we'll see how that works out sooner or later. The C4's, did a bunch of those as well...and yearly off-season freshen up's kept us busy in the winters when we needed to be working on our own stuff. Nowadays, finding good cores is getting tough. But the thing is, the aftermarket has the entire powerglide covered, every single part right down to clutch springs, shift detents, pins, bushings, etc. And most of it is not that expensive (but adds up if you have to buy it all). Kind of like the fox body Mustang. Funny thing. I seen a facebook post recently on one of the local groups, guy had a bone stock 1.82 shorty coarse spline PG, been sitting for years and no telling if it was any good or not (internal rust?)...and people bid it up to like $200. I could not believe it. I'd have given $50 tops. Coarse spline yokes were at one time as scarce as hen's teeth.
