How does a Lenco transmission work and can it be used for street?

depends on what you call "high HP" I guess.. but there are many other 5 and 6 speeds that can be made to live behind turbos and superchargers just fine(many are WELL over 1,000 horse). I rode in a friend of my uncles 1972' 440 Dart with a 3 speed Lenco when I was just 22 and I'll never forget it till the day I die. I've been in much faster cars since then.. but that was an experience most would definately remember.

Noisy and downright brutal is about the best way to describe those things. I consider myself an extremist when it comes down to what most would call "streetable".. and even I wouldn't be looking at one of those things for anything less than full race duty.

 

"Noisy"? Anybody have a video of one in action so we can hear the "noise"?

Is the noise from the clanking gears, or does it have a "whirrr", or what?

If nothing else, the looks of all those levers is definitely a theft-deterrent!

 

It's not the HP rating that tears up a transmission, it's the sudden application of torque, combined with the amount of traction available at the tire/road surface that will break one. Toploaders were used behind some very stout engines back in the day in road racing and lived to the point where they never developed a reputation for failures that others did. I ran a small block Toploader behind a stroked 427(428 crank) in a 67 Stang and never broke one. You're making another "mountain out of a molehill" here in assuming you have no other options (seems to be a recurring theme for your threads) than spending $5000 on a transmission you do not need.

 

if I wa gonna spend the money I'd have a 4L80E built it the same as a th40 but with OD,buddy of mies was running one he built behind a 505ci bbc in his 3700lbs chevelle and it was goin 960s and would cruise 80 at around 2k rpm

 

Search the Internet for a video. In particular there's a blue fairlane (66 or 67 I think) with a lenco at the track. The owner does a little interview in the beginning and the car runs great. It also has an in car camera that shows the driver pulling the gears.

 

they are impractical for the street do you want to bang gears without the clutch when you are in a lot of traffic go with a toploader 4 speed or a five speed or six speed you will be much happier and use the money you didn't waste on the tranny for something else

 

I vote viper t56 for your uses mo'

 

Who needs practical? Lol!

 

A Lenco is planetary unit that works similar to an automatic. Clutches are applied to lock the planet/sun gears which toggles between underdrive and straight 1:1 on each unit. Units are stacked to increase the number of "gears" with each unit being "one" gear. You only use the clutch for start/stop. Then add a reverser. Prolly over $7G now for a 4 speed with reverse...

.
How a Lenco works (basic).
Lenco ST-1200 street tranny.
Good exploded view (PDF).
Street Lenco article out of a brand "X" mag.
6 yo pricing in post #12 here (also note the previously noted "Fairlane" vid has been deleted).

 

I also not sure on how well those things do downshifting, plus no engine break will not be good for what you are doing...

 

How do you figure "no engine break"? An automatic trans has engine breaking (unless it has a full manual VB). Did you watch the vids?

 

A guy was killed at Ohio dragstrip with his new lenco setup. You let off gas goes to neutral. First pass,well that spooked him so next pass he was gonna get on the breaks quick...RIP.
http://fox8.com/2012/06/09/serious-injuries-in-crash-at-thompson-raceway-park/

 

add about 3500 for a good clutch setup and 1200 for each gear set,id go with a reverse and a 4 speed

 

this has been one of the top choices bryant and I been talking about.

 

This badass is running a Tremec TKO 600


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1963...6242990?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item4aba7b9c2e