# Gear Vendors Overdrive



## 65gto (Aug 2, 2013)

I have been looking for reviews on the McLeod 5 speed tranny. I finally found one on a Nova site that was pretty bad, leaking oil and grinding in a couple of gears. 

I know the Tremec is very popular, but I'm concerned about all of the cutting I would need to do.

Also, either of these 5 speeds gets away from the spirit of an old Muncie four speed. 

Since my main interest all along is being able to cruise at highway speeds a little more comfortably, and keep the oomph of a lower gear for around town, I am now looking at a Gear Vendors under/over drive. Here's their website.

https://www.gearvendors.com/hotrods.html

Anyone have any experience with these?


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## Bigfoot21075 (Oct 12, 2015)

I am all ears as well.....


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## Pinion head (Jan 3, 2015)

they work, had a GV od unit off the back of the built Turbo 400 in my old 3/4 ton GMC. 468 BBC with 4.09 rear gearing. can I say it paid for itself, not really, didn't have the truck but for 2 years and it was just an occasional tow rig. An old friend had a similar deal, American Eagle OD in his '86, and it paid for itself, as he kept the truck into the 00's. 

in a vintage musclecar thats a streetcar/cruiser, and added weight is not an issue, the GV OD and shortening the driveshaft makes a LOT more sense to me than cutting a large hole in the floor for an aftermarket Tremec 5spd... been through that. An old friend and Vette guy I'm dealing with today has two loose GV OD's he's run behind multiple BBC's. I'm looking at one today for him to see what it takes to mate to a M22 in his '72 vette.

If OD and an automatic are the priority, and the Pontiac V8 musclecar is a very healthy street machine/ cruiser, I'd go with a built 200R4, the gear ratios in the 200r4 are much more conducive to the torque band of a Pontiac than the ultra low 1st gear 700R4. Have built rears for several Pontiac with both, and just prefer the built 200R4.


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## 65gto (Aug 2, 2013)

Thanks, I haven't been able to find a bad review on these, other than price. But it looks like the cost of a 5 speed and this are about the same.


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## Bigfoot21075 (Oct 12, 2015)

These look like an easy straight forward install in most cases. My '65 GTO with a 4 speed manual would be really nice with a highway overdrive gear. It is expensive, but still a winter project that could be justified.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I would run a GV unit long before I'd cut up a floorpan (not an option). Another solution is to change the gears in the rear end. That's what I've done with both my GTO's. For a 4 speed car, a 3.23/3.36 is the ticket, and for an automatic car, a 2.93-3.08 is about perfect. Gear vendors units are bulletproof, and work very well, but you will need to drive the car about 200,000 miles to make it cost effective, gas-wise.


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## brooknice (Jan 9, 2013)

I was looking into a gv but went with a 2004r instead. I am not sure but with the gear vendor I thought you would have to modify the trans tunnel on the gto. Not sure if any one advise if that true.


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