Ever since the 727 Torqueflite first appeared in drag racing, automatics
have been consistently faster thru the traps than manuals. Only when
manuals were speed-shifted without using the clutch (a.k.a. Ronnie Sox)
could they beat the autos, all else being equal. Drag racers nowadays use a
highly modified auto tranny (e.g. - Lenco). These are basically
manually-shifted autos that offer the best of both worlds as far as speed is
concerned.
Psychology plays a major role in whether a person prefers an automatic or a
manual. People who drive manuals are more in control of their car as far as
where shift points occur, and they also have a more direct physical contact
with the driveline. People who drive autos tend to be a little more
pragmatic, letting the driveline do its job, while they concentrate on other
tasks, be it driving or whatever. Chrysler could easily put an auto in the
Viper and it would most likely make the car faster and could be made just as
durable (or more durable) as the 6-speed. However, for the aforementioned
reasons, Chrysler went with the manual - it is more macho and sporting and
plays a major psychological role in the overall driving experience.
-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Crumley <mcrumley@airmail.net>
To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net <dakota-truck@buffnet.net>
Date: Sunday, February 28, 1999 10:51 AM
Subject: Re: DML: www.dakotaperformance.com??
>At 06:52 PM 2/27/99 , you wrote:
>
>>BTW- What is a "Slush-o-matic"
>
>It's a derogatory term for an automatic transmission. Usually used by
>owners of the inferior "stick shift" or manual transmissions after they
>have awakened to the reality that, although their "stick shifts" may seem
>more "macho", they are actually slower to get from point A to point B in
>the least amount of time. Jealousy is an ugly thing
>.
>Mike Crumley 97 V6 Auto
>mail to: mcrumley@airmail.net
>
>If I were going to burglarize a place that had guard dogs,
>I'd do it during a thunderstorm and bring a vacuum cleaner.
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