Reply to "3.22 ratio anyone done it?"

My friend GTS5W (Geoff) didn't give us enough information. I work on his car sometimes and accompanied him to Santa Pod drag strip last year.
First the engine: It's an all aluminium 427 DART Windsor that dynoed at 550hp. So with the restrictive GTS exhausts, maybe it was making 500 in the car.

The car is a 74GTS with a GT5 body and delta wing. The wheels are 15x10 & 15x13 campys (345,35,15)
With the 3.22 R&P The best time recorded that day was 12.80 at 118mph. This was with 10 year old tyres that where hard so the traction was very poor.
At the time of the run the car weighed in at 2860lbs with half a tank of petrol. Some time later we realised that the throttle linkage was not set up properly and we had not been getting full throttle.
I have also removed the restriction from his GTS exhaust boxes (documented on this forum) so that should improve the performance a bit more.

Also since the run, Geoff has fitted a "real" carbon fibre deck lid. This weighs 16lbs, the steel one weighs 77lbs. This brings the overall weight down to 2799lbs.

I feel that even with a car as light as this, a 3.77 and 6.20 5th (Lloyd does make a 6.20) would be more fun and much quicker. Stephen, your 5S with 400HP and more weight would not suit a 3.22 at all. Go with the 3.77 and 6.20 5th. Roland is right, the taller 5th gears that Lloyd makes are better lubricated than the original ones due to extra oil holes.

Johnny