I recently got a 1991 Camaro Rs with a Lt-1 5.7 out of a C4 corvette and a t56 6spd out of a C5 corvette with, I believe the stock, 3:28 rear gears. The car runs great everything's pretty fluid, but in reverse there's no going slow, like once it engages it like wants to go. This is only my 2nd manual vehicle so I'm not sure if it's just user error, or the rear end needs a gear change or thats just how these transmissions are? I know 1st 2nd and 3rd gear are pretty short as well.

 

Obi-Wan Kenobi: Use the clutch, Luke. Use the clutch.

If you want to back out of a parking spot slowly.... use small amount of throttle, if any, and slip the clutch to control speed.

 

Ok thank you, that's what I've been doing, just wanted to make sure it wasn't like major trashing stuff.

 

I was taught that you pretty much are never using every bit of reverse in a manual. light throttle, work the clutch. You're only going a few feet, not a few miles, so it's not much wear and tear.

 

The only time I've ever fully released the clutch pedal in reverse in any vehicle is if I'm in the street and need to go more than a house length, or at my parents where the driveway is 75' long. Remember, gravity is your friend. Where I park at work I can pull through the spot and it's pitched enough to allow me to roll back right to the line without reverse at all.

 

^That^. You can let the clutch all the way out (if you're backing more than a couple feet), and just let the engine idle along, nice and low. 500 RPM.

That being said, ALL trans rev ratio's are too tall. IDK why...packaging, probably. But you could have a 5:1 rev ratio and that'd be totally fine. Only one time that I can think of when you need to actually USE the reverse ratio's that we're given:

 

Heheh, Use the clutch.