New Passon A-855 5 sp overdrive

[Topcat]

The ideal rear gear ratio on a stroked big block for these is _____.

3:73" ?

[dakota]

For what it's worth:  I bought one of the  A-833 4 speed overdrive units from Jamie earlier this year. He also helped me select a clutch based on what I was going to be doing with the car.  I had the tranny and clutch in my hands right on the schedule he predicted (something like 7-10 days).   I had a couple of follow up questions on ring gear selection (one on the phone and one over email) over the next 4 months which received immediate replies.   And lastly I asked him for a picture of the inside of one of his shipping crates so that I could correctly reassemble the one my OD came in when I used it to ship my old transmission - again, got an immediate reply.   The long wait times on the new 5 speeds are understandably frustrating, but my experience with him in the 4 speed world has been all positive.

[cordodge]

I haven't received any e-mail back from him about  not finding me on the list, hope he does cause that would mean I have been sitting here for a year thinking im on there moving up on the list.   bruce

[tommyg29]

as the original poster I hate saying this, but think I have decided to go the 4 speed route, so Im wondering if anyone wants to sell a good used 4 speed overdrive (preferably a passon built unit, but any good unit would work) I want to make the swap this summer. Its either buy used, or buy the set for $2000 from passon and either have my transmission shop buddy do the swap for me for his cost, or give myself another project for 2015 (like my 6 pack rebuild project wasnt enough for 2014) and do it myself.
I'm going to be selling my close ratio. Its in good condition, but with 2nd gear syncro starting to go.
Im guessing the only drawback to a passon unit, if you could call it that, is I would have to spend extra for an 18 spline clutch/TO bearing. Is that correct?

How much does it cost to ship these babies cross country?

Heres my current close ratio. I think its from a 1968 B-body

[ragtopdodge]

There are other options out there if you can't wait.

If you don't mind hacking your tunnel and x-member, then just get a new T-56 Magnum 6-speed.

If you want to do a little hacking, silver sport (I think) can get you the same Tremec 5-speed TKO-600 that Keisler sells.

[tommyg29]

My tunnel has already been cut once...I assume for the conversion the prior owner did...from auto to a833, but I would rather not have to cut on it even more. Plus I want to spend as little money as possible to achieve my goal of lower highway rpms. Trying to squeeze a hellcat in the budget sometime next year makes it tough enough.

[rUNCHARGER]

I'm looking for a used Passon OD 4 speed as well. No way I'm cutting my floor pan and my 528 doesn't need 5 gears.

Sheldon

[Topcat]

So I've read before that the ratio between 3rd and 4th on the OD is pretty wide apart?

Is that true?

Hit 3rd and then 4th...Then droning out like in a loss of potential power since the RPM suddenly went too low?
I'd like to test drive a 4 speed OD 833 with a 3:55.

[rUNCHARGER]

Yes, a bit of a gap between 3rd and 4th. I figure no problem with the 528, use the 3 speeds in the quarter and then just use the OD 4th on the highway when I want to get somewhere in a hurry.

Sheldon

[ShelbyDogg]

I have 2 of the overdrive 833s in my challengers. One behind my 440 and one behind my small block.   If you want to race, you don't put in an overdrive. I've tried it and when you downshift on the highway, you jump down to 3rd, which is 1:1 and like leaving it in 4th in a normal car. 2nd is too low to shift into on the highway going 60+.   I love shifting so I'm glad I can swap them in or out whenever I feel the need. The OD has a lower first gear too.

Last year I had to do a clutch change behind the 440 and put in my regular non-OD 833 just to play around, since I've been using my small block-833-OD-2:73 rear Pace car on the Power Tour. I'm back to downshifting on the highway at 70mph, acting crazy, and wasting gas again.  I changed my 3:55 to 3:23s to offset the change. I still get good gas mileage due to the fuel injection, if I don't mess around.

[73EStroker]

Just thought the members would like to know that Jaimie has committed to increase his production output. He has taken some suggestions and is moving forward. His last update on Moparts has him saying he is going to order larger production runs from sub suppliers. Which in turn should allow him to hold cost and produce faster. He is saying that he hopes to have the backlog cleared in about 6 months and then stock his shelves with gearboxes. A very positive thing.

[73EStroker]

Topcat- the ratio change between 3/4 on the Hemi OD from Passon is so close. From 1:1 to 1:0.8. I had one before I got my 5 speed. In fact if my cam was not so wild I would have stayed with the 4 speed. 2-3 was the worst ratio drop but all in all he did a great job of sorting gear ratios when he only had 3 gears and one OD to play with. But the 5 speed is like driving a normal HEMI box then having an OD for cruising.

[Topcat]

Topcat- the ratio change between 3/4 on the Hemi OD from Passon is so close. From 1:1 to 1:0.8. I had one before I got my 5 speed. In fact if my cam was not so wild I would have stayed with the 4 speed. 2-3 was the worst ratio drop but all in all he did a great job of sorting gear ratios when he only had 3 gears and one OD to play with. But the 5 speed is like driving a normal HEMI box then having an OD for cruising.

Thanks Barry for the insight.

Oh how I would love to get a 5 speed too.

[73EStroker]

Mike, please refer to the first of my two posts yesterday. Once Jaimie sorts out his business end he can supply after 6 months to clear backlog. You can have one!

[IroquoisPliskin]

But it means, if I order today, I will have to wait at least 12 months forthe A855, right?