1982Camaro383

I have a Saginaw 4-Speed Manual Transmission, my question is I have a 1982 Camaro with a 350 Small Block Chevy pushing about 400-425HP & TQ. I want to swap out my TH350 AT Tranny for the 4- Speed does anyone know if this tranny would survive and does anyone know what this tranny can handle power wise. Any help would be greatly appreciated as soon as possible.

Thanks,

Justin

1982 Camaro

http://www.fbody.com/members/82Camaro

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Thanks,

Justin

1982 Camaro 383

350 Small Block Chevy, 9.6.1 Compression Ratio, Comp Cams 280H (Power Band 2000-6000 RPM), Rhoades Variable Rate Lifters, GM Performance Parts Drilled and Tapped Vortec Heads, GM Performance Parts Aluminum Self-Aligning 1.6:1 Ratio Roller Rockers, Edelbrock RPM Air-Gap (Non-EGR) (1500-6500+ RPM) Intake Manifold, Edelbrock Victor Series Aluminum Water Pump, Holley 4160 750CFM Carb, March Performance Deep-Groove Pulleys & Brackets (Crank, Water Pump & Alternator), Mobil 1 Tri-Synthetic 15W-50 Motor Oil, K&N 14"X4.5" Filtercharger with K&N Xtreme Top, MSD Electronic Distributor Part# 85551, MSD Blaster 2 Coil, MSD 6AL Ignition Box with Rev-Limiter, MSD 8.5MM Plug Wires, Sanderson Cast Iron Headers Part #QP1200, Custom 3-inch Aluminized Steel Exhaust Tubing, Flowmaster Part# 43083 with Single 3-inch Inlet and Dual 2.5-inch outlet 80-Series Muffler, TH 350 Tranny, 3:73 Posi Rear End Gears, Harwood Outlaw Z Fiberglass 4" Cowl Induction Hood

purpleworm

The saginaw is not the way to go. they are easy to come by because they can't handle the power. Get yourself a muncie or a borg warner super T10. I would suggest a warner because they are tough and realatively cheap. I have seen them stand up to power shifting for a year of street driving in my frineds car. It out lasted everything else in the car and he was running low 12's on street tires. VERY tough tranny!

ImportEater

Purple is entirely right. If you were going with a saginaw, you might as well toss in a t-5, you wouldn't be able to handle any power in either case, but at least you'd have overdrive with the T-5 .

Go with the Super T-10 or a muncie -- either way you shouldn't have a problem handling the power of your engine. Since you've been running a TH350 auto you won't be losing overdrive because you don't have it now; but I personally can't stand driving without O/D because I put in alot of highway miles. If you want to explore the overdrive route, look into either a T-56 or a Tremec 3550 or TKO. In the T-56, the 5th and 6th gears are overdriven. Whereas in the Tremec 3550 or TKO they basically skip to the deep overdrive in 5th gear -- effectively they just dropped the T56 5th gear out of the tranny. Naturally, I think you're trying to save some dough -- so the O/D trannies probably don't fit in, but drivability IMO approves tenfold.

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1985 Trans Am - rough and ready -- 3" cat and primary exhaust, lowered 2", custom rust body work mild fender denting. Daily driver.
1976 Corvette Stingray - not so rough, but always ready. mild 350/th350 tranny. mostly stock till I whack the hood for the blower

1982Camaro383

I would love to get an overdrive tranny. Next summer I am going to be putting in a 383 Small block chevy which will be pushing 550-600hp and tq along with suspension upgrades, etc. I am trying to find a tranny preferebly manual that would be able to handle that power at the dragstrip and weekend driving. Does anyone know where I could find a Muncie M22 AKA "Rockcrusher" tranny or a T56 or an overdrive tranny that would be able to handle the power. Any help would greatly be appreciated.

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Thanks,

Justin

1982 Camaro 383

350 Small Block Chevy, 9.6.1 Compression Ratio, Comp Cams 280H (Power Band 2000-6000 RPM), Rhoades Variable Rate Lifters, GM Performance Parts Drilled and Tapped Vortec Heads, GM Performance Parts Aluminum Self-Aligning 1.6:1 Ratio Roller Rockers, Edelbrock RPM Air-Gap (Non-EGR) (1500-6500+ RPM) Intake Manifold, Edelbrock Victor Series Aluminum Water Pump, Holley 4160 750CFM Carb, March Performance Deep-Groove Pulleys & Brackets (Crank, Water Pump & Alternator), Mobil 1 Tri-Synthetic 15W-50 Motor Oil, K&N 14"X4.5" Filtercharger with K&N Xtreme Top, MSD Electronic Distributor Part# 85551, MSD Blaster 2 Coil, MSD 6AL Ignition Box with Rev-Limiter, MSD 8.5MM Plug Wires, Sanderson Cast Iron Headers Part #QP1200, Custom 3-inch Aluminized Steel Exhaust Tubing, Flowmaster Part# 43083 with Single 3-inch Inlet and Dual 2.5-inch outlet 80-Series Muffler, TH 350 Tranny, 3:73 Posi Rear End Gears, Harwood Outlaw Z Fiberglass 4" Cowl Induction Hood

Cowboy

I have a Muncie M-22 freshly rebuilt with a Lakewood Bellhousing, Ram Clutch, and Hurst shifter for $1000 firm, everything included.

I also have a T-10 that was original equipment in an '82 still in the car. You pull it and it's yours for $300 as is.

I also have a T-56 but that's mine for my IROC. I'm located just south of Toledo, Ohio so we are pretty close geographically. Let me know if you want anything.

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'87 IROC L-98 with mods
'82 Pace Car with mods; not running
'96 Yamaha V-Max with mods
'98 Neon R/T

ImportEater

Honestly, if you're planning on racing it with 600 HP, I wouldn't put too much stock in a T56 at least until some companies figure out how to beef them up a little. For normal driving the T56 would probably live. The M-22 should definitely take the power, but for me, the lack of overdrive would kill the idea. The ultimate as far as I'm concerned would be a stout Muncie backed by a gear vendors O/D (did you know the gear vendors O/D will handle up to 2000 ft/lbs?) the coolest thing is that the gear vendors will also act as a gear splitter effectively giving you 8 forward gears (1, 1 O/D, 2, 2 O/D, etc) That's the stuff

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1985 Trans Am - rough and ready -- 3" cat and primary exhaust, lowered 2", custom rust body work mild fender denting. Daily driver.
1976 Corvette Stingray - not so rough, but always ready. 427 BBC .030 over (433 ci) 12.5:1 compression about 600-700 HP/World Class T5 tranny, and no, I can't gun it for fear of breaking my tranny - upgrading to a muncie/gear vendors O/D as soon as I get some more $$$

ImportEater

Forgot to mention, I can get you the muncie if you want it -- not necessarily with all the goodies, or if you want them, I can dig it up. Email me for a $$$

82 TRANS AM

Saginaws are weak, but many of them eat themselves due to a design flaw. The reverse gear counterweight rides on a steel ball, the ball is between the counter weight and the side cover. As it ages and gets worn (beat) the ball can drop out and when it does, it gets right into the cluster and BOOM. If you have a Saginaw, make sure the bolt that fastens the reverse gear shifter linkage to the side cover is and stays tight. I learned the hard way to use locktight on the linkage/sidecover bolts.

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Kenney
82 Trans Am WS7 notchback
83 Trans Am WS6 T-tops
Painter @ Chevy dealer
GM junkie

purpleworm

Damn that is the cheapest crusher i have ever seen. My buddy is in love with the damn things. I didn't even mention a crusher because they are getting so rare. I would love to pick that up for oly a grand if I had the cash. They are worth a fortune up here. It is nothing to get $2500 for one and I am talking American funds. They are bullet proof but you have to be able to put up with a little gear whine. The gears are cut very straight to give it strength. You could power shift that all day and it owuld love it. GET THE CRUSHER!!!!!

firebird2.8

t will hold just fine I put a 400 in a 88 firebird with the Saginaw and it made 486 hp with 352 tq and a 308 rear gears mine has a blower and a full cam so there u go

firebird2.8

I have never hand any problem out of a saginaw

Tom82Z

I have a 1982 Z28 camaro and in need of a proper clutch kit for my 4 speed Saginaw transmission and need to know also the proper flywheel for it. Having problems with adjusting the linkage , looks like it needs a longer rod or the kit is wrong . What did you use for your clutch kit and flywheel.? Love to know what the heck they put in there way back when. Tom Florkowski