fletcherson
Well-Known Member
I used to run a Pontiac 455, similar to your setup as far as high torque and hp at relatively low rpm as compared to a small block. I ran a 4 speed and 3:73, then a 3:90 gear and had good results on the street and had plenty between lights in a’72 LeManse and a ‘76 Ventura, both cars about double the weight of a bucket. It would have been fine with 3:23 or 3:42 gears as well. I built the engine with a hi duration cam, so the taller gears were necessary to get it into its rpm range for optimum power. Fuel mileage? Lol, gas was a buck a gallon. You need to consider the low weight of your car. You will not need tall gears. Running engines as discussed at high rpms like you would a small block is rather counter productive unless you build the engine to do such. Your engine will make plenty of power in the 3k-6k rpm range without running the snot out of it. Setting it up to run at its optimum rpm in the mph range that you prefer to drive at would be my goal. It all depends on what you want. From my perspective and past experience, the beauty of a big torque monster engine is that it doesn’t have to wind up to 8 grand to make power, you got it just off idle and through mid rpm range.
