Speed or towing?

[thecantaloupeman]

So this is a bit of fantasizing going on in my head but I wanted to talk about deciding between speed and towing. I like the fact that I can use my camper special truck to tow things and maybe put a camper top on it, but I want it to be quite a bit faster and more of a performance truck as well when I'm not towing. Is this a reasonable expectation or do you usually have to decide between the two?

I think if I decided to do a pure performance truck at some point it would be cool to keep the camper special parts of it because that's part of what makes it unique. I.E mirrors, badges, bed dampers, tie downs etc.

Is the low gear ratio in the rear forgiving if I wanted to make it more of a performance truck. Is there a gear ratio that would be good for both towing small trailers and performance too?

This is all way in the future but it is fun to think about. I was kinda wondering if maybe anyone else has done something similar.

 

[bucket]

You can have both. A mild big block in a heavy truck can not only tow well, but also beat unsuspecting 5.0 Mustangs.

 

[75gmck25]

In general, building up your 350 for more performance will be much cheaper than using a 454, but the 454 will have an easier time covering both speed and load hauling. You can build a 350 or a 383 stroker to make good low end and mid range power for hauling, but that requires a mid range cam (max of about 218-220 @ .050) and limits total HP. If you pick a 350 cam that makes max HP, you usually lose the low end torque. With a 454 you already have so much torque that its easier to do both. However, do some cost estimates before you swap to a 454, since you are starting from nothing and it will probably cost more than you think.

One way to cover the low gear ratio is to swap in a 4L60/700R4 (.70 overdrive) or a 4L80e (.75 overdrive) transmission. If you go to the later years of the 4L60/700R4 they had improved them for better reliability. The 4L80e is basically a TH400 with overdrive (very strong), but it is electronic and you would have to also get an aftermarket tranmission controller. The .7 overdrive would drop your 4.10 gears to a 2.87 in 4th on the highway.

Bruce

 

[80BrownK10]

Yep, for towing you want a low rear end gears ( numerically higher) . For a performance truck , or quarter mile or off the line or stop light to stop light, burn outs etc, you would also want low gears to give you more torque and get up n go power. But both of those limit your top end because your engine will be wound out on the highway at speeds over 55mph. Now if you for some reason want to turn a square into a road racer and be going ridiculous speeds on a road course, you maybe don't want 4:10 or 5:12 rear gears...but I don't know why you would want or try to go that fast in a square body anyway. Plus I would think even with suspension changed out to some rediculos high dollar set up it still won't be great, far better than what it it, but it will sit so low and look stupid as chit towing around a trailer or you won't be able to handle much of a load before you start dragging and having no suspension travel.

 

[1973c10]

My .02 go with a 454 and don't look back
I put them in everything I have from my 73 step side my 75 3/4 4x4 that I tow with and even my 38 chev rat rod pickup
IMHO a mild built big block can not be beat for a dual purpose truck

 

[RoryH19]

With some work on the 350 and a 700r4 you could gain performance and still be able to cruise on the highway. You will gain the overdrive gear without having to add a computer or module to control the trans. It works off a TV cable connected to the carb.