I have a 69 with 3:73s with posi. Currently the car has no engine but will have a 383 stroker. I have a 1970 M21 that I got with the car that I want to put in it but am a little concerned about the take off with the 2:20 1st of the M21. Should I look to sell/trade off the M21 for an M20? I have not ridden in any cars with this combo. I know M21 with 4:10s are fine but 3:31s are awful(slipped clutch bad). I plan to put 26.1 rear tires on it. Also the used(in great condition) hurst comp plus shifter that I have(did not come on tranny) does not have an a big offset for the handle to sit in (someone told me it should). Can you order handles that take care of this for the 69 with console or do I have to get another shifter. Anyone with a picture of what one should look like?

Thanks

I have a 3.73/M-21 combo and don't like the take-off. My engine, a SB 350, has a centrifugal supercharger and makes great power from 3,000 RPMs on up, but could use a little more power down low. My car will not do a nice smokey burn-out - it hooks and leaves. That's nice for racing, but not much fun for smokey burn-out contests.

You probably have more low end torque than I do, so it may not be that big of an issue with your combination.

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Pearl blue & white 69 Camaro with supercharged 350, Tremec TKO, and 3.73 12-bolt

See my website updated 4/16/01 at:

www.geocities.com/gheatly (http://www.geocities.com/gheatly)

Stacy, the bend is in the shifter just before the location where the handle bolts on.....if that makes sense?? Basically you need the correct shifter.

Your 383 with a 3.73/M21 should be fine - you'll have gobs of torque; 3.73 was the standard axle in the Z/28, and it had zilch torque at low rpm. It'll turn 3360 rpm at 70.

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JohnZ
'69 Z28 Fathom Green

Turbo_Jet

I think I have the correct handle. The shifter I have has the place for the handle that comes straight up from the shifter about 2 ". I was told that it needed to come up and then have a bend toward the center of the tranny.

First Gen Z's came standard with M-21 and 3.73 rears, which is a pretty strong endorsement...but...these cars were designed to go in circles...not really set up for drag racing.

I've had several 3.73 cars (great gear!) with both M-20's and M-21's. No contest...the M-20 takes off much harder from a dead stop.

I also suggest you get the larger clutch set-up (14 inch flywheel and 11 inch clutch) and good aftermarket disk and pressure plate. It definetly bites and holds more than the smaller stuff (12.5 inch flywheel, 10.4 inch clutch)...big difference.

My HurstComp shifters for the 69's have a very slight offset toward the passenger...may 1/4 inch.

Good luck with this!

I have a 69 Z with a 373 and the crossram, a 15lb. steel flywheel. then I had a guy make me a muncie tranny with super T10 gears, 296 first, 221 second, 159 third. I don't have to tell you how much fun this car is to drive now. This is great for any 302 with no torque but I'm sure a high torque motor would destroy the tranny

From the picture I was sent it looked like it came up and went a couple inchs to the right.

Stacy, I am familiar with 68's, I assume 69's are similar, but Hurst does list a different shifter for 69's. I have a picture of one for a 68 but can not get it to post.....will email it to you -- keep in mind it is for a 68.

It should be a fun ride.