Hello again,

I need trans advice. I have a 502 engine in my 69 Camaro. I have not installed a trans yet. The trans I have is a Muncie M20 that came with the car when it had a 350 in it. I’m confused over trans selections. Should I go with a close ratio trans i.e. M22 or M21? Will my M20 long throw ratio be ok? Should I put different gears in the M20? I’m totally confused?? The car will be used on the street as a cruse night car not as a track car. However, it would be nice to try it out once on the track. Sorry for all the question but you guys have been a great help to me in the past! This one I’m really lost on. :confused:
Thanks again, Joe

What rear end gear ratio are you running. That would help determine your trans.

Sorry forgot to mention the rear. I have a 12 bolt with 3:73 gears.
Thanks, Joe

Use what you have. For a street car normally an M20 is better and unless you do a bunch of work it will never hook at the track with either one.

II have had several Camaro's in my days and everyone of them all had close ratio 4 speeds, either m-21 or m-22. I am relatively sure you will not be satisfied with a wide ratio m-20 :cool:

ztoy, Convince me why a 502 needs a close ratio trans?

I had the close ratio in my car with a 502. Have you done any work to the 502? Even if you havent stay away from the track. You will spin unless you use slicks, then you will break things if you do hook. 502 has alot of torque.
I did not like the close ratio, mine was a m22. It was too close. Ran out a gear to quick, like a granny gear on a truck. Then I could not get enough out of second cause it was too short. If you do go with a 20 or a wide. Here is a good article I wish I would have read.

http://www.gearzone.net/muncie3.htm

More good info...

http://www.5speeds.com/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi?
action=intro

http://www.5speeds.com/muncie.htm

Unless you get a supercase and build it right.

I broke 2 tranny's, three rear ends, said uncle and went to a th400. Just hid the clutch pedal under the rug.

Take a look at my car. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

http://camaroz28.cardomain.com/id/guido67ss

oger, I cannot tell you why he "needs" one, all I can say is, in my opinion, based on my experience, he won't be as satisfied with a wide ratio as a close ratio. My first camaro, a 68 Z, with a corvette LT-1 370 hp 350 in it, running 4.56 rear gears, shifting @ about 8000 rpm, jumped out of the hole using bias ply tires that I had dropped the pressure in to about 12 lbs to 15 lbs or so. I didn't redline until I had crossed the line. I ran anything that would step up, hemi's, fords, chevys, whatever. NEVER lost a race. Dropped the hammer @ 3200 rpms and immediately shifted into 2nd gear.
This Z I am running slicks to get traction action due to more ponies under the hood. Plus the 68 was made to drag, the 71 just doesn't match up as well. But with this setup I shift around 7000 rpm, and through the traps I am at about 5800 rpms running 3.73 rear gears. My first gear is is 2.199, second is 1.64, and third is 1.274, and yes it is a rockcrusher. But whether it is a 20, 21 or 22, part of it is personal preference and part of it is what matches your setup best.
But from my experiences, close ratio's have worked best for me. :cool:

I'd run the M20 with you street set up big block. I've run a lot of 302s and took down more than my share of big block cars with the little motor and with that motor and 4 series gears you need a close ratio. But with a 302 that you never want to drop below 4500 rpm and you need the steep gearing.

Your big block will have a ton of torque down low, the 302 has absolutely nothing if it hooks below 4,000. I ran a 68 with a 350 and an M20 and a 3.08 gear and for a street cruiser it worked well, but that setup is really out of character for me, I don't like 350s and I don't like 3 series gears. But in this case it made for a nice and more sane street car. If I go back 20 years most of the guys I knew racing with Muncies prefered the M20 for it's lower first gear, I'm talking drag racing, road racing is a totally different story.

Save your cash and use what you've got. I'd simply open up the side cover, inspect the hubs and synchros, check the gears out close for wear and fretting and pitting, check the slider forks for cracks and the bearings for noise or marks and replace what you need to. They are not difficult to rebuild.