Powershifting 101

[BBIGG BLOCK 396]

Well in the past it was not really a big problem if you tore something up! But with the money we have tied up in cars today it is wise to shift them differently!
Although I am currently working on a project to do just that! POWERSHIFT it till something breaks.Building a little 67 Dodge Dart with a 69 model 340 bored and stroked to a 416 C.I.,had my Trans Buddy build me a Chrysler A833 just for POWERSHIFTING and I always liked the pistol grip shifters so I am going to incoporate a pistol Grip handle onto a vertical gate shifter! SHOULD BE FUN! The little 416 C.I.Strokers put out TONS of TORQUE and a lot of HORSEPOWER depending on the heads used in the build.One thing I suggest to anyone trying the POWERSHIFTIN THING is that you get a good REV LIMITER installed to prevent a lot of problems! Forgot to mention it also has a 6" drop straight axle in front for that old GASSER look!

[Motion Camaro]

<font color="blue">Sounds very cool. Can't wait to see it.



My powershifting stories:

1) My 66 GTO I shifted sooo hard I ripped the shifter right off the transmission!
Ears were still attached to shifter.
I drove 2nd gear all the way home (about 10 miles).


2a) My 65 Chevelle I shifted 3rd, slipped off the ball &amp; busted my knuckle on the radio! (radio didn't make it either).
2b) I put in a Hurst Super Shifter with a 'T' handle &amp; ripped the shifter off the mount! (jeez)


3) Built a Hemi crashbox for my Vega with a Vertical Gate Shifter &amp; never had that problem again.


The best person I ever saw powershifting was one of the Carbone Bros. in N.Y.
Richie had a Blk 70 Z28 with a 355 &amp; when he shifted the RPM change was not noticable &amp; the front end never dropped.
He would shift the Super Shifter mostly with his wrist (I used my whole body) &amp; never missed a gear or lost a race.
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[68l30]

Great article...I still have my copy! I really enjoied reading this mag esp the articles by Tony D....yeah they were a tad strange but each writer had his own voice....

"Put your right foot flat to the floor....If you can't ..your a wimp....Go get an automatic!"


Steve

[TC]

Hmmmm.....how about side steppin?

The art of speed shifting.....plus slipping your foot off the side of the clutch peddle to shave some time off a shift!

I remember as a kid doing that in a 66' Impala 2 door coupe,327/275 hp three on the tree.
I was pretty sucsessful for quite a while,till'....my foot was quicker than my hand,and first and second gear climbed on top of each other......and broke my (well...mom and dads) transmission case all up!



Tom

[Chris396]

I have power shifted the following. My old 1969 Chevelle SS 396, 1974 Superbeetle, and my 1995 Geo Metro. I don't do it anymore.

[olredalert]

-------Learned to drive when I was around twelve or thirteen. We lived in the country and nobody really cared. My trainer was a 1948 Jeepster and its sitting at the transmission shop as I type this. At about 15 I had heard about powershifting and gave it a try with the COLUMN shifter. Seemed easy enough at the time and I started doing it just about all the time, except when Dad was around. I pretty generally did nothing but abuse that poor jeep for about 4 years until I could afford a real car (in my mind). My Dad got his revenge when I turned 40 as he gave it to me for my fortieth birthday. He knew Id restore it and correct all the damage I had done in my teens. Been powershifting ever since but at a vastly lesser rate than I used to. Powershifting a 1966 425hp Corvette at the ripe age of 19 the first time was an experience I will never forget!!!!.......Bill S

[ORIGLS6]

Ah yes! 1-2 &amp; 3-4 shifts in my '57, my '68 Chevelle and my '68 Corvette. 2-3 in the '57 could happen too with the Hurst Comp+, but was a definite No-No with the other two and their factory linkage.
2-3 shifts in the Chevelle could be timed with a calendar.

We also damaged a couple of T-10 crash boxes.

God, to think about the stuff we trashed back then................. Today, it's not just about the $$$, it's also about the scarcity of those parts.

[Kim_Howie]

I had a 55 chevy 2dr post in high school 283+125. 301 built it in shop class. I couldn't afford a 4-speed. Broke a ton of three speeds. I put them in with only 2 bolts across from each other made them alot easier to get out when broken. I had a mystery shifter 1st to 2nd was 50/50 chance powershifting it. Had a lot of good times in that car!!!