OK guys and gals. Having just bought my first Barth, an 85 29' Regal w/ 454 and Turbo 400, my son-in-law, ( the jet plane aka drag car builder, pilot) and I are talking about putting a 6-speed Allison in it. He says they're now available as an aftermarket item and the engineers have worked out the coumpter stuff so it's not too hard to make the switch. Has anyone had any experience doing this? Pitfalls? Bonsus'?
Jim

"85 29' Regal w/ 454 and Turbo 400"..."install Allison 6-speed..."
Sounds like a lot of (expensive) fun. Be sure the son-in-law doesn't disappear halfway through.

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"You are what you drive" - Clint Eastwood

I do not mean this disrespectfully toward our wonderful Barth coaches when I repeat some wisdom which was share with me long ago. "Don't put fillet mignon in a stew".

If you want a 6 speed Allison wait a couple years and buy a 1993-4, 33 foot Breakaway that is if I don't first.

The Allison is incredibly expensive.

Consider a Gear Vendors behind your 400. You will have 6 speeds, but you will probably use only 5 of them. 3rd OD is great for saving gas and engine on level roads, and 2nd OD is great for climbing hills when 3rd is too high and 2nd is too low.

quote:

Originally posted by bill h:
The Allison is incredibly expensive.

Consider a Gear Vendors behind your 400. You will have 6 speeds, but you will probably use only 5 of them. 3rd OD is great for saving gas and engine on level roads, and 2nd OD is great for climbing hills when 3rd is too high and 2nd is too low.

Bill do you have an under/over in your rig? Can you give me some infor on how you installed it? How do you engage the under/over in each gear? For everybodies info-- if you're patient, you can pick up a used Allison out of a Duramax 6-speed wreck for about $2000.

Hey Dave! That would be one incredible stew!
Jim

[/QUOTE]
Bill do you have an under/over in your rig? Can you give me some infor on how you installed it? How do you engage the under/over in each gear? For everybodies info-- if you're patient, you can pick up a used Allison out of a Duramax 6-speed wreck for about $2000.[/QUOTE]

Go to www.gearvendors.com for full info on their unit.

I would wonder how a diesel trans would work with a gas engine and its computer. But that would be neat if it works.