Quote Originally Posted by drbb View Post
Some have mentioned that the first gear of a 5 speed is not really usable. (they were speaking specifically of my engine.) Do you find your first gear as very short and not very functional when accelerating hard? I was also wondering what kind of hp engine you were using, if you don't mind me asking? Thanks for your time.
I don't have nearly the hp that most of the guys do around here. I've only got about 360 or 370 at the crank, with roughly the same torque numbers. My first gear goes by quick, but it's definitely usable (probably thanks to my 3.31 rear).

My car hooks up very well, even with the crappy Goodyear Eagle GT II tires, and I often wonder if that is due to the fact that I actually have a less powerful engine than most Cobras. In 100% street trim, I can cut 1.7 second 60' times at the drag strip, which normally is in the range for cars that are more powerful than I am, or are on slicks. Once I hit third gear though, my lack of power become noticeable. But out of the hole my little car gets with it.

Obviously, the biggest deciding factor is the one that everybody else has mentioned, but that I failed to: how and where are you going to be driving your car? If you don't plan on doing a lot of highway cruising, then the 5- or 6-speed may be unnessecary. For me, I'd say highway cruising accounts for probably at least 50 or 60% of my driving time; so I kinda like the fact that 70mph is at 2000 rpm in 5th.