Well, ladies and gentlemen, you've seen the other great poll, firebirds vs. camaros, now heres the next best one, 350 automatic or 305 manual???.... start your engines!

5 speeds are the best!

Autos can be modded to have a manual valve body, so you get the shifting part without the clutch. I would never choose a 305 over a 350 with equal money to mod with.

In muy opinion, the 350 with a automatic tranny with a nice shift kit. Sometimes you just want to mash the pedal to the floor, and not play games with an extra pedal while trying not to spill your drink. I have had my share of manual transmssions, they are fun, but after a while you just want to put the car in drive and go. Just my opinion man.
Later
Mike

305 /w a manual tranny, obviously.

automatics are for old timers and women. (ducking).


this is a performance car, so drive it like one.



if you reallllyyyy want to go fast, you'll be pulling the engine anyhow, so what better time to spend the extra hundred bucks or two and throw in a 350, 383, or whatever else and hope you don't leave the tranny on the ground during that nasty shift into 2nd gear.


merry christmas,
Hype.

Manual All the way. As for spilling your drink, get one of these consoles if you don't have one yet,

454 MANUAL!!!

305's are for old timers and women.

350 with a t-56

Definently 350 with manual!!!!

I just like driving manuals too damn much It may be dumb of me to lose all that power for a manual tranny, but they're just too much damn fun to drive. Although.............maybe not as much fun once I lose to a 350 auto.............hmmmmmmm

that would depend on which 305 it was.......the L98 350 is only 250hp so a well modded 305 could catch up to it easy with a 5-speed. I'm sure the 350/auto combo would work just fine for most applications.

the manual saves 5% more power then autos....just to correct the post above.

Good ole 350 with a T-56. After all, 6 gears are better than 5.

I couldn't decide...so I got both!!!

get one of each, pull out the powertrains, divorce em, hook up the 350 with the 5-speed, and the 305 with the auto...

put the 350/5spd in your car
put the 305/auto in the wife's

a 350 is very tempting ,but who drives an automatic. i think i'll stick with all the manual guys out their. no effence automatic drives, you would probaly kill me in a race but stick is just to good.


P.S. this is a great poll

my daily driver - (a 98 lexus GS400) is the only way to go auto trans (e-shift).

Looks like Zepher visited 4gen's R US.

I like both. The 305 minus some bering problems that I took out of my bird does very well in the GMC 4x4 5speed. Alot more power than infront of the th350 in the firbird. I would rater have an auto in a drag race for reaction time and no user error shifts. But going on down the road (im sure all auto guys do this) I like to have complete controll over shifts so I manually shift the auto wishing it was a 4 or 5 speed. BTW humming the knight rider them song.
User prefrence clutches can be more of a pain than there worth especially when you fry one per season but hey alot of people fry trannys quicker than that. TIE.
SSC

I like my auto with my 3.8 turbo motor.

"There is no replacement for displacement"

I'm sure if a 350/MT was a poll choice there would be no argument.

AT's IMO just take the fun out of driving .

All 3gens come with an optional drink holder...its called a PASSENGER

You ain't seen nothing yet.
give me another year or so and I'll have a 98+ T/A front Clip mounted on my 86 T/A as well as a Targa Top Conversion.
Also a Richmond 6 speed and Twin Turbos.
Only thing holding me back is money.

LMAO cause my wife just got pi$$ed of at me today for calling her my little cup holder when we went thru the drive thru.

Mark

Double overdrives and skip shi*ft are for the birds.

Changing an engine is easier than converting from auto to manual........ Engine swap is a direct bolt in.

Swapping the engine over to make the car a manual from an auto, would still require you to add the clutch pedal, different smaller brake pedal, and cylinder. So it wouldn't be a direct swap. I will still stick with the auto trans and the 350, unless I happen to fall on a nice 6 speed. But even then I would have to think about it. To me there is something about not being able to shift as quick as a built auto tranny in a race, or missing a gear when you are to the floor and shifting! That can do some damage!
Take care
Mike

auto for drag racing and manual for street racing

You are going to have to replace that crappy T-5 anyway, so, if having a manual transmission is that important to you, then convert you 350/auto to an 5 or 6 speed. The Richmond 6 speed is the best manual on the market, but you can find all the parts you need to convert your auto to a manual from a junk yard for really cheap, and get a T56 or Tremec for under $1600 easy.

Choosing an automatic over a manual to get a few more cubic inches in the deal would be like kissing your sister because she happens to be better looking than your wife!

A decision I had to make when I ordered my '89 G92 IROC new.....obviously the LB9/5-speed combo..and with no regrets!

350 with Auto. I like Auto's better for many reasons.

As far as T5's not lasting, 126,000 with ZERO TROUBLE BONE STOCK! (not even a K&N)305TPI with T5, on a 1LE...Also, I do own both as well...a 350 auto(my 95) and a 305 stick, and there is NOTHING as fun as rowing the gears....BTW, I'll meet ANY of you (stock) 350 guys at a road racing track...We'll see who's faster...

350 with a 5 or 6 speed ! best of both worlds