SST A41 perfect fit kit

[1 Wild R/T]

I'm typically not a resto mod type of guy,... but I'd easily admit that is one SWEET looking ride !!!!!

Thats funny... Every thread you start seems to point to building a Resto-Mod..

[Soy bomb]

I know it seems like it but if you look back I really want a stock look with hidden modern amenities. Stock ride height and tire sizes definitely are needed for a stock look. 4 link coil over is visibly not stock. I'd prefer to have rear leaf springs but take advantage of modern tech. Resto mods typically ride lower and have low profile tires. I get it,... just not my thing,... for now.

[1 Wild R/T]

Gray area... A restored car is supposed to be stock, hence "restored"  a vintage car that looks stock but is modified to add modern improvements no matter whether it continues to look stock or has different tires & wheels & may be lowered IMO fits in the class of a Resto-Mod....  And from going to car shows it seems the judging criteria is typically three mods move you out of "stock" class judging...  End of the day build the car you want, it's your money & hopefully it makes you happy but know if you plan to have it judged at a show no matter how stock it looks a few minor changes will kill your chance for a stock class trophy..

Then again just get in & drive it....

[jordan]

My car would look stock if it wasn't for the wheels.  I thought of bolting on a pair of the Year One wheels to give it more of a stock look.  I decided against it because the tire selection is less in 17" and the wheels are heavy.  My car is lowered about an inch.  I could adjust the height of the rear leaf springs and put a little crank on the torsion bars and be back to stock height. And put on skinny little wheels.  But the rubber would negate any of the work I did to get it to be a performance car.  If you are insistent on having stock wheels, then just put a set of bilstein shocks in and forget it .  If you are thinking new tech springs, new geometries, and everything else, then your stock tires and wheel sizes will limit your brake sizes, and traction.  Before you know it, you will have a set of wide modern tires under there.   

Modding your suspension is a slippery slope.  The weakest link will always show up. 

And if you are thinking car shows, a few mods will have you right in the modified class.   Around here, a pro touring car can't compete with the old school drag racer look at a mopar show.  Im sure that is because of the conservative culture the classic mopar crowd.  I quit going to shows.  Now I spend my weekends driving instead of sitting around not driving. 

[1 Wild R/T]

My car would look stock if it wasn't for the wheels.  I thought of bolting on a pair of the Year One wheels to give it more of a stock look.  I decided against it because the tire selection is less in 17" and the wheels are heavy.  My car is lowered about an inch.  I could adjust the height of the rear leaf springs and put a little crank on the torsion bars and be back to stock height. And put on skinny little wheels.  But the rubber would negate any of the work I did to get it to be a performance car.  If you are insistent on having stock wheels, then just put a set of bilstein shocks in and forget it .  If you are thinking new tech springs, new geometries, and everything else, then your stock tires and wheel sizes will limit your brake sizes, and traction.  Before you know it, you will have a set of wide modern tires under there.   

Modding your suspension is a slippery slope.  The weakest link will always show up.  Agreed and your car looks great the way it is... I like the 17" rally/Road wheels and while they offer allot better tire options they are far from the ultimate performance wheel

And if you are thinking car shows, a few mods will have you right in the modified class.   Around here, a pro touring car can't compete with the old school drag racer look at a mopar show.  Im sure that is because of the conservative culture the classic mopar crowd.  I quit going to shows.  Now I spend my weekends driving instead of sitting around not driving.

 Also agree 100%

[Mopar Mitch]

I agree with all that Jason has said.... DRIVE and ENJOY!   Modify according to your desires, but you may want to look at your available car clubs (car shows, racing club rules... AX/HSAX, etc) so to be wise and limit within those restrictions, or else... you can over or under classify your car whereby it won't be competitive wherever you choose to participate....be wise and study the mods you'd want to do against the competition you'll face.

I may someday install an SST A41 to replace my 727... seems easier that installing a manual whereby the floor hump would then need to be changed/welded, etc.

[Soy bomb]

It all sounds reasonable. Point made. I'm not interested in show judging. I'm all in for driving and just enjoying that. I guess for me, when I see a classic that has the basic look,... but " looks" different enough to be noticeable with a casual glance , I call it a resto mod in my mind. It's nice to know the technical definition though. It's funny,... years ago, when that Foose guy had his show on TV, I used to mostly cringe, not always, when he'd do his modifications since he usually lowered the ride height and used low profile tires. Perhaps the connection was made there. I'm weird,... what can I say ?

[Soy bomb]

I may someday install an SST A41 to replace my 727... seems easier that installing a manual whereby the floor hump would then need to be changed/welded, etc.

Just a question in regard to this - A shop quoted me around $12,000 to do this work, converting from a 833 manual to the A41. I understand modifying the tunnel with welding and all. The materials quoted to me direct from SST are $5600 for the stage 2. The shop said the carpet had to be changed as well. Does this price sound about right ?

[brads70]

Just a question in regard to this - A shop quoted me around $12,000 to do this work, converting from a 833 manual to the A41. I understand modifying the tunnel with welding and all. The materials quoted to me direct from SST are $5600 for the stage 2. The shop said the carpet had to be changed as well. Does this price sound about right ?

Seems excessive to me    but then I don't run a shop.

[jordan]

$12k to do the labor?  Not including the trans?  WOW!!  What shape is your car in now?  Full driver?  It will take a fair amount of work.  Drop the trans. probably have to drop the exhaust.  Gut the interior.  Tunnel mod.  Sound deadner.  Trans instal. Trans cooler and lines. Wiring.  TPS sensor. Trans module set up. Carpet kit. Reinstall the interior.  Reinstall the exhaust. 

Do some of the work your self like the sound deadner, carpet, and interior install and save a little money.  I think if you shop around, you can get a better price. 

[jordan]

Mitch is right about the classes and modifications.  I did an autocross last year and i had to compete in the race car class, because my car has so many modifications from stock.  It is absolutely not a race car.  Oh well.  I didn't think I would win any way. 

[1 Wild R/T]

  No.... I've never done the install but I've done hundreds of trans exchanges & a few O/D conversions plus I just looked through the conversion instructions & read a couple on line magazine articles... I take all the printed stuff with a bit of skepticism but still I can't see it being more than $2500 max....  Then again everybody these days seems to be ripping off anyone they can....

[quagmire]

$12K?!  LOL, that "shop" is hosing you.  What tunnel mods?  Why change the carpet?  If you're starting with an auto already, you don't need to do any of that.  The only tunnel "mod" necessary is taking a BFH to roll the pinch weld near the bellhousing for clearance.

I don't have a full A41 set up, but I do have a 4L60E with their crossmember and shifter set up, and it fits like it was OE. 

Honestly, with their kit it's probably an 8-15 hour job for a DYI'er depending on skill level - less if you have a decent shop, lift, and know what you're doing.  And even though I just purchased a few parts from them, the customer service was top notch.  I would NOT hesitate from using SST.

[Mopar Mitch]

quagmire -- I've sent you a PM... please contact me.

[Soy bomb]

" $12K?!  LOL, that "shop" is hosing you.  What tunnel mods?  Why change the carpet?  If you're starting with an auto already, you don't need to do any of that.  The only tunnel "mod" necessary is taking a BFH to roll the pinch weld near the bellhousing for clearance."

That's what I reasoned ! I talked with SST and they said as you did,... a little massaging of the pinch weld at the firewall in two places for bell housing bolts,... that's it. The tunnel mod was for converting from a manual to an automatic. The shop said that the linkage area was located in a different spot so the old penetration location would need to be patched and the new opening for the auto location cut in,... that they weren't the same.  Also, the mounting brackets would need to be changed. They said this would necessitate new carpeting due to new hole locations. Sounds reasonable, although I don't really know.