Ford toploader question

Getting ready to rebuild my toploader ,it's a close ratio from my 70 cyclone 429,big input,  It needs 2nd and 3rd synchros so was debating on getting the close ratio conversion as I have seen guys do it. Car is 70 cyclone, gt 3:91 rear gears, My motor is a 547, 4.5 stroke , aluminum scj , s4073 roller rockers,10.3 ish  ported torker 2 and cam is from Randy solid cam with edm lifters. To be honest I never drove any thing with a close or wide ratio toploader,i just have heard guys converting for easy of takeoff?

Cant imagine you needing the lower first gear with that setup... you should have plenty of torque already..

I agree it would be counter productive on an engine that big! I did the wide ratio conversion on my 428 CJ but it doesn't have the torque you have. It's not cheap . Aftermarket input , 2nd , 3rd , and cluster are required. Those can be from a donor but not the input .

With a close ratio toploader and that kind of torque, you will probably start out in 2nd gear and shift to 4th right away on the street.

A wide ratio will let you put a lower rear gear in the car.

XEngr wrote:With a close ratio toploader and that kind of torque, you will probably start out in 2nd gear and shift to 4th right away on the street.  

A wide ratio will let you put a lower rear gear in the car.

That's what I was trying to get at. Did some more research on the net about it. Think il get the wide ratio kit from David kee ,it's like 600 bucks.

With street tires in the 275 section width range and that size engine, you be able to completely fry off the tires even with a 3.25 ratio rear gear.

The aftermarket main shafts are supposed to be stronger than the original shafts. I twisted a main shaft with a crash box toploader, they do give you some warning before they twist off (you can feel the eccentric feedback through the shifter).

Ford went with the close ratio in the big block supposedly as a conservative strength issue. Less multiplication means less torque on the mainshaft.