David et al.

The automatics delivered to this country had a 4.56 rear end. I don't know the exact ratios of 4th gear vs. the auto but the engines are crankking over pretty good for highway speeds. I keep mine pretty tuned up but it's a stock (except for steel timing gear) b18 w/ su's I built 60k ago. I can do 80 plus in it but I try not to hammer on it that hard for extended periods of time. It does have less get up and go than a stick does.

The car is a '65 auto that I have driven for the last 200,000 miles. They tend to be significantly louder than a stick. If I have to drive it more than about 20 minutes at freeway speeds, I put in a set of ear plugs. It's just the nature of the beast. I have found that the life expectency of the the BW-35 is about 100K miles between rebuilds. This is from my learning as well as the notes about when the tranny was rebuilt before I bought it.

I have no desire to change mine to a stick. It was custom ordered as a auto and I will leave it that way. If I want a stick, I will go buy a 122 with a M40 in it...

Hope this helps.