I thought I would try something a little different here (Four speed setups)

[MEJ1990TM]

Up until just a few minutes ago of all the reading I've done on here, and other GT related boards, I never saw anyone discussing using the full customize transmission to gear their cars like a four speed. At first I thought I would just keep it to myself. But I just read a thread about the stock cars and their four speeds so I thought I would share how I've been spending my in game time the last couple of days.

I know that most of the classic American cars in this game do come with four speeds, but I've found their gearing to not be entirely accurate. I first got the idea by wishing the transmission in the '70 Chevelle made the whine like the M22 does in real life. Then I realized I could just use the fully customizeable transmission to sort of replicate that whine. Sure it doesn't exactly sound the same, and it still whines in fourth gear but it will do for a video game.

After a while just having a replicated M22 with correct gears wasn't enough. I wanted to start plugging in other popular four speed ratios to see if they effected times at the drag strip. I used a bone stock '70 Chevelle with super soft racing tires and a final gear of 4.10 to do my testing.

Here is a list of some of my best times with different set ups.

M22 (2.20, 1.64, 1.28, 1:1)- 12.82
M20 (2.52, 1.88, 1.46, 1:1)- 12.69
M20 (2.56, 1.91, 1.48, 1:1)- 12.67 (This is the earlier M20)
Super T10 (2.64, 1.75, 1.34, 1:1)- 12.64
Saginaw (2.54, 1.80, 1.44, 1:1)
Ford Toploader Close (2.32, 1.69, 1.29, 1:1)- 12.70
Ford Toploader Wide (2.78, 1.93, 1.36, 1:1)- 12.59

I think that 12.59 was a fluke. Most runs with the wide ratio Toploader netted about a 12.62 or so. I tested out quite a few different Borg Warner T10 ,and Super T10, gear ratios. I just thought to keep this a little shorter I would only list the combination I had the best results with. If anyone would like me to I can post up the scan I made of all the different gear ratios I wrote down. There are quite a few to choose from, but I've found most of them to be ineffective since the ratios are too wide and you are in third gear before fifty five miles per hour. Here is an example (3.44, 2.28, 1.46, 1:1)

Overall I spent a good couple of hours plugging in and testing new gear ratios. All that to gain less than 1/4 of a second. I could just do some mods on the engine and make it run in the 11's with the standard M22, but I wanted to keep the car stock.

I have also had some moderate success on some road tracks with the M22 geared transmission. At least I think so, I have no doubt most of the people on here could blow me out of the water without really trying. Here are some of my times on other tracks.

El Capitan- 1:47.27 (I cheated and used 5th gear as an OD)
Tokyo Route 246- 1:49.65
Seattle- 1:38.52
Nurburgring- 7:58.15 (I changed differential gear to 3.73 to compensate for long straight away)

I guess I could start using sport tires instead of the R5 tires. That way I would actually be improving at the game instead of relying on some unrealistic sticky tires. It gets kind of frustrating chasing yourself around the track. You've got a record time that you know you can improve on, but you are stuck staring at the back end of your ghost car the whole time.

So, am I the only one out here who has had fun messing around with different four speed ratios? I much prefer driving a four speed in real life as opposed to a five speed. That close ratio M22 seems to do quite well on most tracks. You can roam between 2nd and 3rd gear without too much fear of bogging the engine since their ratios are pretty close.

 

[Parnelli Bone]

I actually have been making older muscle cars 4 speeds for years now, but not to the scientific degree that you do. I've taken down your ratios, though, will use them in the future. Usually, I just make gears really tall, so that the engine doesn't top-off down a long straight. I rarely try to match ratios with those of real-life trannys.

Putting a 5 or 6-speed in a Chevelle or whatever is anathema to blasphemy in my opinion! I know nowadays it's certainly possible to put extra speeds in older cars, but these older V8s feel most comfortable when they get to dig into their deep pockets of torque! Hail the 4-speed!

 

[MEJ1990TM]

I've found that with the correct M22 gear ratios and 4.10 gears the speeds in each gear are very accurate. I usually shift at 6,000 RPM to keep it in the power band. Anything below or past the 6,000 RPM mark and the 1/4 mile times fall off. I guess the only gear that really matters is 4th with the 1:1 ratio. What gears do you usually use?

 

[Parnelli Bone]

I've found that with the correct M22 gear ratios and 4.10 gears the speeds in each gear are very accurate. I usually shift at 6,000 RPM to keep it in the power band. Anything below or past the 6,000 RPM mark and the 1/4 mile times fall off. I guess the only gear that really matters is 4th with the 1:1 ratio. What gears do you usually use?

Like I said, they vary. I just tune till the car has the ability to roll down a long straight without maxing its RPMs to the limit.

On the other hand, if I'm doing a race at a shorter track (Laguna Seca or Autumn Ring, etc.) in an older car, I'll usually just use the stock tranny, even if it redlines heavily down a straight. As long as it doesn't max its revs, I'll go stock. If the original car only came with an automatic transmission (C1 Corvette is a great example), I'll use A/T instead of M/T, even if its performance suffers a bit.

 

[MEJ1990TM]

The other day I ran Nurburgring in a Chevelle with the simulated M22 and 3.31 gears. It wasn't as quick coming off the line as the 4.10 Chevelle, but it's time was a full ten seconds faster. Only thing I think made a difference is how much faster it went on those long gradual turns. But the stock suspensioned Chevelle is a handful ,even on gradual turns, when you are going 140+. I think I'll just stick with the 4.10's.

 

[Parnelli Bone]

The other day I ran Nurburgring in a Chevelle with the simulated M22 and 3.31 gears. It wasn't as quick coming off the line as the 4.10 Chevelle, but it's time was a full ten seconds faster. Only thing I think made a difference is how much faster it went on those long gradual turns. But the stock suspensioned Chevelle is a handful ,even on gradual turns, when you are going 140+. I think I'll just stick with the 4.10's.

Yes. Agreed. Somewhere in the RAce Reports section, I did a full writeup with a Chevelle in the Laguna Seca endurance. It's an interesting read...I'll try and see if I can find it.

 

[MEJ1990TM]

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=96997

Would this be the thread you are talking about? If so, it was an interesting read. +1 for old American Muscle.

I've been driving the Cranberry Red '70 a lot lately. I've put about 600 miles on it in the last five days or so. Only changes I've made are the transmission, and tires. Engine and suspension wise it's bone stock. I would do headers if I wasn't so disgusted with the way they make the old muscle sound.

A high compression, lumpy solid cam big block does not sound anywhere near what a rice rocket sounds. Ok, I guess the factory spec LS6 cam isn't all "that" lumpy, but it still makes for a good sound. That is the only thing that has always annoyed me about the video games. At an idle the V8's sound all right, but when you get them wound up they sound like a weed whacker.

 

[Parnelli Bone]

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=96997

Would this be the thread you are talking about? If so, it was an interesting read. +1 for old American Muscle.

That's it! Good times, that was...

I've been driving the Cranberry Red '70 a lot lately. I've put about 600 miles on it in the last five days or so. Only changes I've made are the transmission, and tires. Engine and suspension wise it's bone stock. I would do headers if I wasn't so disgusted with the way they make the old muscle sound.

Not to sound like a girl but OMG I totally agree! Yea, whenever possible, I try to use the stock exhuast...most of the sport/semi-racing & racing mufflers sound generic. Pontiac GTO is one exception, if I'm not mistaken.

A high compression, lumpy solid cam big block does not sound anywhere near what a rice rocket sounds. Ok, I guess the factory spec LS6 cam isn't all "that" lumpy, but it still makes for a good sound. That is the only thing that has always annoyed me about the video games. At an idle the V8's sound all right, but when you get them wound up they sound like a weed whacker.

The solution (in my opinion) is quite easy. PD should visit a NASCAR track, get plenty of full-bore V8 samples, and voila...problem solved. RDADADADDADADDADA....Go to an LeMans/ event, sample the real thing. Put their mics up some real GT2 cars...there's your semi-racing and racing samples.

Instead, they rely too much on their vast collection of generic sounds which are used on like 100 other cars. GT2 & 3 was even worse than GT4. The "Camaro Race Car", for instance, sounds as if it's got a Miata engine. I can tell the difference between a straight-4 and a V8...that ain't a V8 sample. 👎

 

[MEJ1990TM]

Recording some stock cars would be good. Even so, they just don't have the same deep sound like a big block.

I've got a video of the '70 running at an idle in my photobucket page if you want to check it out. It's got the same cam/lifter set, and just about the same compression as an LS6. The engine in the car is 11:1 and the LS6 is 11.25:1. Hooker Comp headers, 3" collectors, 2.5" pipe if I remember correctly, turbo mufflers, and turn downs right in front of the rear end. It's by no means the beefiest Chevelle out there ,not even close actually, but I think it's got a good sound to it.

There is also a video of there of me running it through the gears. It was only just a hair past half throttle. I didn't think it was necessary to run it up to 100 MPH in broad daylight with a car in front of me. That whine you hear is the M22 that I keep mentioning.

I've kind of fallen off my game lately. I haven't been practicing speed shifting very much in the past couple of months. The video in my photobucket is not that fastest shifting I've ever done, but it is probably better than what I could do now.

 

[PARAGON GT]

The most I have ever done with a 4 speed is in my '63 GTO I matched 1-4 to the stock transmissions ratios then stretched 5th and 6th to really stretch its legs.

I was going to use it in the 1000miles race to have some fun, but I never got around to it.

 

[Parnelli Bone]

Recording some stock cars would be good. Even so, they just don't have the same deep sound like a big block.

I've got a video of the '70 running at an idle in my photobucket page if you want to check it out. It's got the same cam/lifter set, and just about the same compression as an LS6. The engine in the car is 11:1 and the LS6 is 11.25:1. Hooker Comp headers, 3" collectors, 2.5" pipe if I remember correctly, turbo mufflers, and turn downs right in front of the rear end. It's by no means the beefiest Chevelle out there ,not even close actually, but I think it's got a good sound to it.

Nothing wrong with "not being the beefiest". Years ago when I had my '67 stang, it had a stock 2-barrel 289 small block, which was plenty fast for me!

There is also a video of there of me running it through the gears. It was only just a hair past half throttle. I didn't think it was necessary to run it up to 100 MPH in broad daylight with a car in front of me. That whine you hear is the M22 that I keep mentioning.

I've kind of fallen off my game lately. I haven't been practicing speed shifting very much in the past couple of months. The video in my photobucket is not that fastest shifting I've ever done, but it is probably better than what I could do now.

I'm gonna sound like a dolt now, but I looked at your page but couldn't hear any sound. Tried clicking on a few links...couldn't hear anything. [

 

[MEJ1990TM]

Here is the car at an idle. It's just a short thirty second miniature walk around. Thirty seconds is all I can get out of the camera.



Here is going through the gears at about half throttle. Sound on the clip is pretty bad, but you can at least hear the M22.

 

[Parnelli Bone]

:jealous:

 

[MEJ1990TM]

Thanks. I guess I should come clean. The Super Sport is my dads car. I never actually claimed it to be mine, but I understand how it can look that way. I always tried to say, "The Chevelle I drive." or something like that. He bought the car brand new. It met it's demise by plowing into a Cadillac at excess speeds. That's kind of a long story, but at least know it wasn't his fault. I do actually own my own Chevelle though. The '71 Malibu pictured on my photobucket page is mine. I need to finish the color sanding and buffing before I take updated pictures. 💡

I still need to have the drive shaft shortened before I can actually drive it. That and I need to figure out why it's smoking. I replaced the intake gaskets thinking they were bad (which they were, they were wet with oil) but that didn't solve the problem. Now we are thinking it might be a crack in the intake itself. So now I am looking for an aluminum SBC intake to go with the Holley 650 DP I bought. So far I've installed headers to repalce those stock manifolds, installed the rest of the exhaust system which was gone, and put in a Mallory HEI distributor.

I Can't wait to drive it. Even if it is a small block, automatic car. I do have a four speed to put in, I just need to get some more parts. (Z bar, clutch rod, clutch, pressure plate, flywheel, pedals, etc..) Good times.

 

[Parnelli Bone]

Yea, sounds cool. 👍