[JimMueller]

With the exception of the 3-4 Evolution schools I've taken, I've only raced my car at an autocross. Since my car is down, I have been given the opportunity to co-drive a 400rwhp C5 with an automatic tranny. The car has received FTD at the first three events of the season. The guy who typically got FTD last year has been without his Z06, and when he drove this car he had difficulty getting used to the automatic tranny. I think he's got 315 V710's on all corners, and something like -2.5 camber. Recent changes made at the suggestion of Danny Popp.

This event will sorta be a mini-road race. When we run the course as an increasing radius sweeper, stock Z06's reached about 115mph on the back stretch. We'll be going the opposite way this event, however.

So, anything in particular I should know if I take him up on his offer? Let the car shift itself? How do I prevent it from shifting in the middle of a corner? What else?

[George]

My 83 came with a 200C which is not a strong tranny. It lasted 100K miles. I drove it hard on the street and usually made manual downshifts from second to third late under braking. The shifts were so slow that I could blip the throttle to match the revs after having selected the gear. I would also drop it into first under acceleration on way out of tight corners.

The car now has a TH350 with Transgo Kit on the second setting. There's two places on the Mosport GP track where I downshift into second; again, late under braking so that the tranny doesn't have to slow the car too much. So far it's holding up OK and, for what it's worth, the shop that built the 350 said that downshifting it should not be a problem.

The TH350 is not the best solution but a T56 swap was not feasable because the car needed too many other things done to it more or less all at once.