A500 vs. Gear Vendors
#1151134
01/05/12 11:58 PM
01/05/12 11:58 PM
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,356 Kentucky
dfsmopars
OP
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OP
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,356
Kentucky
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Dropping a '95 360 Magnum in a '72 Charger with a 904. It appears to buy a built A500 to replace the 904 is going to be well over $2000. The question is, for the money and the headache, if you were going to spend $2500 on an A500 why not just buy a Gear Vendors and make it simple?
‘72 Charger, 5.9 Magnum, Tremec 5 spd., Pro-Touring ‘14 Big Horn, Quad Cab, 4x4, 1500
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Re: A500 vs. Gear Vendors
[Re: dfsmopars]
#1151136
01/06/12 12:29 AM
01/06/12 12:29 AM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,822 Colorado
denfireguy
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Rebuilt, fully warrantied A500s around here are less than 1000. Both will require shortened drive shafts and tunnel massaging. The only advantage for GV is that usually the cross member needs less work, I am not sure about on your car but on Ebody that is true. Add to that, the better OD ratio for the 500 and it kind of tips me to the 500 over the GV.
2014 Ram 1500 Laramie, 73 Cuda Previous mopars: 62 Valiant, 65 Fury III, 68 Fury III, 72 Satellite, 74 Satellite, 89 Acclaim, 98 Caravan, 2003 Durango Only previous Non-Mopar: Schwinn Tornado
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Re: A500 vs. Gear Vendors
[Re: denfireguy]
#1151137
01/06/12 10:11 AM
01/06/12 10:11 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,123 Grand Haven, MI
patrick
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,123
Grand Haven, MI
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A500 all the way....
1) A500/42RH has the low first/2nd vs. an older 904 (2.74/1.54 vs. 2.45/1.45)
2) A500/42RH has a lockup torque converter to help drop cruise RPM
3) A500/42RH has a .69 OD ratio vs. .78
4) newer 42RH's have an improved converter hub design that is much less likely to crack (and that I'd recommend looking for)
IIRC on later B's, with some trimming of the ribs on the OD tail section, there is no floor pan/tbar crossmember cutting required, but you'll have to make your own lower bolt on mount/crossmember
1976 Spinnaker White Plymouth Duster, /6 A833OD 1986 Silver/Twilight Blue Chrysler 5th Ave HotRod **SOLD!*** 2011 Toxic Orange Dodge Charger R/T 2017 Grand Cherokee Overland 2014 Jeep Cherokee Latitude (holy crap, my daughter is driving)
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Re: A500 vs. Gear Vendors
[Re: patrick]
#1151144
01/06/12 03:47 PM
01/06/12 03:47 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 502 St Louis, Missouri
Runnin74
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mopar
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 502
St Louis, Missouri
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Quote:
Quote:
Too big at the rear.
a500 and 518 tail sections are the same. they will fit under a stock late B and E body floorpan with some trimming of the external case ribs.
Patrick, When you say late b-body, is that 73-74 and later?
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Re: A500 vs. Gear Vendors
[Re: Runnin74]
#1151145
01/06/12 05:41 PM
01/06/12 05:41 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,123 Grand Haven, MI
patrick
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I Live Here
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IIRC '71 up....search the forums, I know way back there was a post with pictures...
1976 Spinnaker White Plymouth Duster, /6 A833OD 1986 Silver/Twilight Blue Chrysler 5th Ave HotRod **SOLD!*** 2011 Toxic Orange Dodge Charger R/T 2017 Grand Cherokee Overland 2014 Jeep Cherokee Latitude (holy crap, my daughter is driving)
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Re: A500 vs. Gear Vendors
[Re: patrick]
#1151146
01/06/12 05:55 PM
01/06/12 05:55 PM
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,255 IL
furious70
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I have an a500 in my Fury and I'm very happy with it. Required 0 modification to the car, just had to have a new cross member and had to adapt a B&M cable for use with the OEM console shifter. We've had GV in a truck and it just plain didn't make enough difference to be worth it at .78 IMO. FWIW I think I paid around $3200 for mine, and that was drive in drive out with a 383 sitting in front of it. I have a 727 bell welded on and the trans sits exactly where it should in the car so that all kick down and shifter linkage work perfectly and there are no shims to deal with.
70 Sport Fury 68 Charger 69 Coronet 72 RR
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Re: A500 vs. Gear Vendors
[Re: dfsmopars]
#1151149
01/06/12 11:19 PM
01/06/12 11:19 PM
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,356 Kentucky
dfsmopars
OP
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OP
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OK, it looks like the A500 is the ticket. I have two builders with very similar prices. So I have to decide which one makes the most sense for me. I can install it and make my own cross member. Getting closer to that cross country road trip all the time.
‘72 Charger, 5.9 Magnum, Tremec 5 spd., Pro-Touring ‘14 Big Horn, Quad Cab, 4x4, 1500
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Re: A500 vs. Gear Vendors
[Re: dfsmopars]
#1151150
01/07/12 12:16 AM
01/07/12 12:16 AM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 669 Michigan, USA
ramman5600
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 669
Michigan, USA
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This is some info that I recently got from a reputable company that sells both options when I was inquiring about the GV vs a 518. "Having reviewed your tech submission and your request for information on our overdrive transmissions for your '70 Superbee with the 6.1 hemi, I offer the following information for your consideration. As I had previously indicated, installation of the A500 or A518 will require extensive modification of your crossmember and floor pan modifications. In addition, the A500 or A518 will drastically increase the elapsed time on the strip by at least 1/2 second in the 1/4 mile, which in a street application will certainly be noticed in performance potential. The option that I highly recommend for your application is our StreetPro 727A with the "Shortie Overdrive" option. This unit is only 7 1/4" longer than your 727 and is a direct bolt-in (other than driveshaft shortening). There are no floor modifications or crossmember fabrications required to install it the '70 B body. When installed, it will have fully automatic overdrive shifting functions like a new car. We have seen mileage increases as high as 50% with this unit. Dropping your cruising rpm drastically reduces engine wear and maintenance. This unit does not substantially increase power drag (slower e..t.) like the A518 Chrysler overdrive. The "Shortie" version of our Street Pro series transmission has 4 direcct clutches and the 4 pinion planetary to take the extra load of the overdrive, which will also accomodate any future plans to increase your torque and horsepower up to the 500 h.p. level. For greater details see our website." Just wanted to share and have no interest in this company.
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Re: A500 vs. Gear Vendors
[Re: DaytonaTurbo]
#1151151
01/07/12 12:17 AM
01/07/12 12:17 AM
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 12,392 Taxes & Virus's R-US, NY
Dragula
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I Live Here
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Taxes & Virus's R-US, NY
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Quote:
I would pull a A500 from a junkyard truck for 100 bucks and pocket the rest. Or spend some of the money and rebuild/upgrade the A500. The 500 has a better overdrive ratio than the gear vendors and can be done substantially cheaper if you build the trans yourself.
I never saw one for $100 at the bone yard...Mine was $800 and in very good condition out of a 91 van. The problem with them is the OD, the way the factory lets it slide into lock is not very good for a hot rod. Some things need to be changed to make it work, and the valve body is the main area of changes. I recomend SMR trans for the parts and the changes needed. I run one with 4.56 gears, and shift into it at full throttle at times. Locks in just like any other gear when I flip the switch.
The GV unit will take 0hp away from your normal 3 speed operation where as the A500 is always robbing some hp because it drives thru the OD all the time. They say it can rob as much as 1sec in ET...
Also, if you use the lock-up, meaning a good lock up converter, your limited to about 400-450hp as the shaft into the converter is hollow. With the none lock-up converter, the shaft is a normal solid one, and it uses a normal 904 converter.
Last edited by Dragula; 01/07/12 12:18 AM.
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Re: A500 vs. Gear Vendors
[Re: ramman5600]
#1151152
01/07/12 12:52 AM
01/07/12 12:52 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 4,127 Ramona, CA
NicksGarage
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master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 4,127
Ramona, CA
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Quote:
The option that I highly recommend for your application is our StreetPro 727A with the "Shortie Overdrive" option. This unit is only 7 1/4" longer than your 727 and is a direct bolt-in (other than driveshaft shortening).
What is this overdrive system? Is it a GearVendor product?
When I was building my '79 Dodge B+ motorhome I considered going to a 518 trans because my exsting trans was shot and I can get the 518 for less than a hundred bucks at the half price sales at the junkyard. I was looking at this type of conversion - http://www.transmissioncenter.net/SwapInformation.htm
Before I committed to it I asked around if this transmission would be a good choice for a motorhome (weighs 6500 pounds) and was told that the overdrive part would be too weak for this application. I ended up just building a standard 727. I would have liked the extra mileage. Now I have a new '74 camper which is around 7000 pounds and interested in overdrive again but this rig already has a good 727 in it and wonder if this shortie overdrive would work.
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