Little Red 4 speed

Hi guys, I am doing a poll on what to do with my 78 LRE. I have a overdrive 4 speed from a van that will fit right in my cab, but I'm not sure if I want to that. I do not have the original motor, it is just worn out. I want to keep everything as close to stock as a can, I think it would be cool to have a 4 speed overdrive in a truck. These trucks didn't get very good gas mileage with the automatic transmission. The only thing I am missing are the pedals, but LMC sales them.

So let me know what you think. Any advice is welcome, thank you, Larry

It's always been a mystery to me why Chrysler didn't put 4 speeds in the Lil Reds to begin with. My first Dodge was a '77 D100 Slant 6 with the tree onna tree. The trans was worn out, and I picked up a parts truck with a good stepside bed and the 4 speed overdrive. Swapped it out. That truck was a blast to drive and got great mileage. I'd live to put a 4 speed behind the 360 in my '81.

Do it! you won't be sorry. nice to see folks going back to stick.

My wife's clone/tribute/fake has 3.91 gears. I swapped in a 46RH/518. We did the Power Tour in '13 (Michiga-Dallas-Charlotte-Michigan) and '14 (Michigan-Charlotte-Wisconsin Dells-Michigan)...

I am fixing to do my stepside back to a 833 4 speed. very fun on the street in a #4000 truck. I happen to have a nice hydro bell I got from member basketcase for mine and have used a A535 5 speed (grenade waiting to happen behind a V8) NV4500 granny 5 speed in it as well.

going with a regular 4 speed this time as I have a lot more engine this go round. 360 headed 318 with a 5.9 whiplash roller cam running 3.23 but will pop in a set of 3.91 gears. my truck is tubbed & lowered and swapping to a 26" tall tire has really woke it up. the 833 4 speed should make it way more fun to play with than the 833OD and the big ratio spred it has.

mopar did make a few good manual steering/ manual brake/ manual shift trucks but none were for HP use. use the same thinking as you would for an A or B body car and the truck changes to a fun hot rod truck IMHO.

for my truck flipping the shackle and flopping axle on top of spring was the best thing I have done when going manual shift or just hooking it up off the line with no wheel spin or wheel hop issues. launches just like a #4000 roadrunner.

my 88 440 truck has an A-body 8 3/4 with 12" rim 29x15x15 M/Ts & axle flip flop

my 85 stepside has a E-body 8 3/4 with axle flip flop

all converted to manual steer/ brake/ shift/ lowered & tubbed running fattys for scratchin.

FYI--- a B-body 4 speed and pistol grip shifter fit right in the trucks

if you want mpgs the 318-2v 833OD and a 3.21 gear/235/75/15 tires works great. I got 19 mpgs on hwy

love to put a 4 speed in my '81....maybe I shoulda kept that hydro set up Scratch?

I am glad you did not. hydro clutch is nice on the leg pumping. that 88 d-100 v-6 bell not only is hydro but has the duel 833/435 bolt pattern. I like hot rodding in the truck with the 4 speed and the new 255/60/15 tires. so much more fun with a 318 4 speed when it is not under geared. I buzz my teen just like you would buzz a 340 back in the day.

when running a teen in a heavy ride my rule of thumb has always been if a 340 has 3.91 gear a teen needs a 4.11 if a 340 has a 4.11 a teen needs a 4.56 even it out a bit IMHO.

what has work best for me so far is gear with a short tire = fast high reving teen. after all a 69 superbee 440 4 speed had a 14" polyglass tire 26" tall with a 4.11 gear and were torque monsters when I was 10 yrs old. same for 340 cuda/darts 4 speed cars small tire 3.91 or 4.10s 6500 rpm shifts.

then came the 5th ave with the 1500 rpm cruz rpm OD autos lock up TC 4 speed autos and 2.94- 2.76 gears 27" tires = power pig.

cant see using a 2.76 gear behind a SB now days myself but it does work good in a top fuel dragster clicking off 300 mph in a 1/4 mile run now days LOL!

OP should plan a mild SB with a 833 or 833OD 3.23 gear with a 26" tire which IMHO is a good all around set up for daily driving a truck