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To Those Whippled… Better Traction with Auto or Manual?

Stanzi

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So I’ve searched the forums, Google, and God knows where and I can’t seem to find any really helpful info.

I see so many posts of Automatics that spin all the way through the 60-130 tests…

so my question is will the manual transmission hook better? My thinking is I can choose the gear I’m in, and if 3rd gear is spinning then I can control which gear I’m in to mitigate the spinning (along with throttle modulation of course)…

What is your experience, those with both Manual and Autos?
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Wiley Marmot

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I've been here since May 2024 and I don't recall any posts documenting excessive wheel spin on A10R80 GTs or DHs? Seems like transmission choice amongst us boils down to what it did back in the '70s. Does the individual owner want to row their own or not? I went in to my dealer intending to order a GT with a 6spd manual. Long story short---I ended up buying off the lot and have the auto (and like it).

Excessive wheel spin sounds more like a tire size and rubber compound than transmission issue to me. That's why I pulled the OEM 265/35/20 Goodyear ASs off my GT in favor of wider 19" wheels with much wider Nitto 555 tires (though appearance and style played a role too).

Best of luck!
 

Frogdog1

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An automatic can be shifted as a manual can through paddle shifting. I don't think there is any validity to the belief that the automatic transmission causes wheel spin all the way from 60 to 130 with a whipple. It's a driver issue.
 
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Junkyard Dog

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I doubt anybody reading here has owned both a Whipple powered manual and an A10R80 so as to be able to answer your question from actual experimentation and knowledge.

I have not owned either.

I seriously doubt that with over 800 horsepower you are going to have any sort of decent traction with either. My car already breaks the tires loose pretty badly when accelerating, even if I am trying to baby it until it gets moving and slowly roll into the throttle, and my car is just the way Ford designed it, with only 500 horsepower.
 


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Stanzi

Stanzi

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I doubt anybody reading here has owned both a Whipple powered manual and an A10R80 so as to be able to answer your question from actual experimentation and knowledge.

I have not owned either.

I seriously doubt that with over 800 horsepower you are going to have any sort of decent traction with either. My car already breaks the tires loose pretty badly when accelerating, even if I am trying to baby it until it gets moving and slowly roll into the throttle, and my car is just the way Ford designed it, with only 500 horsepower.
That’s crazy. When I was test driving them- that never happened regardless of how aggressive I was driving it (granted I did not drive it more aggressively than I would my own car so…)

that said every GT I test drove (three) were manuals. Two PP and one Base

even my wife who test drove with me thought they were super easy to control and didn’t have the “pep” that our WRX did 🤣. Of course, she is not One to drop the hammer and happily shifts at 2500 RPM lol
 

goodlettjr

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The pedal on the far right has more to do with tire spin than the transmission type.

As far as the 60-130 spinning, there is so much more that is associated with the rear end gear ratio, tire compound, road surface, suspension, and more, that it comes down to a preference. Do you want to make every shift, or have the car make them for you.
 
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Stanzi

Stanzi

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The pedal on the far right has more to do with tire spin than the transmission type.

As far as the 60-130 spinning, there is so much more that is associated with the rear end gear ratio, tire compound, road surface, suspension, and more, that it comes down to a preference. Do you want to make every shift, or have the car make them for you.
Oh I’m only getting the Manual. I’ve got my car already - just in Ford Jail haha two days two late on the dealer trade - the recalls hit

S650 Mustang To Those Whippled… Better Traction with Auto or Manual? IMG_0170
 

Junkyard Dog

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One place where the manual may fall short, however, is in its capacity to handle high torque levels without breaking.

You do not have the Dark Horse manual, which will handle a lot more.

The automatic is not really rated highly enough, either, stock, but it will stand a much better chance of surviving than the MT 82.
 

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Getrag (Magna) has removed the page showing the MT 82 torque rating, and Ford does not publish it.
https://www.magna.com/en/235

BUT

This page used to say 360-500 nm depending (different builds for different applications). 500 nm is roughy 370 lb ft of torque.

Maybe they have increased the torque capacity since then? Your stock engine produces 415 lb ft of torque.
 

Q6543

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I’m Whippled and pullied down, tire compound is all that matters
My 555R2s work excellent on the road, I use ET STREET R bias ply at the track for recovery.

spinning isn’t really an issue unless you try to make it one… I would disregard wherever/whoever you’re hearing that from
S650 Mustang To Those Whippled… Better Traction with Auto or Manual? IMG_3705
 

robvas

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Getrag (Magna) has removed the page showing the MT 82 torque rating, and Ford does not publish it.
https://www.magna.com/en/235

BUT

This page used to say 360-500 nm depending (different builds for different applications). 500 nm is roughy 370 lb ft of torque.

Maybe they have increased the torque capacity since then? Your stock engine produces 415 lb ft of torque.
There were a bunch of discussions about this when the Mustang first started using the MT-82, I think it came down to something like that torque rating was in a 8000lb truck or something, not a 3700lb Mustang
 
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Stanzi

Stanzi

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I’m Whippled and pullied down, tire compound is all that matters
My 555R2s work excellent on the road, I use ET STREET R bias ply at the track for recovery.

spinning isn’t really an issue unless you try to make it one… I would disregard wherever/whoever you’re hearing that from
IMG_3705.webp
Thanks… I really appreciate that.

I am in my 50’s taking this car into retirement and have ZERO interest in racing it, hammering on it or driving it like a 15 year old boy anymore.

I simply want to enjoy having one of the last vestiges of a manual v8 and adding the “sort of factory” supercharger will set me up for the rest of my life and I can keep it pristine and hand it down to my son one day.

If it breaks, I’d love to be able to add the dark horse manual transmission - but right now I understand that’s mostly impossible due to software, tuning etc.
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