Auto-X strategy with a TH400???

[atomicjoe23]

I've driven a couple of auto-x events, but only in cars with a manual transmission. . .

. . .my '67 Pontiac Firebird currently has a TH400; what would be the driving strategy for auto-x with an automatic???

I don't know much about automatics. . .in fact this will be the first car I've had with an automatic transmission. I would think you wouldn't want to have it in D and have it hunting around for the right gear or shifting up/down at inopportune times.

Start in 1st, shift manually into 2nd and then leave it there just like a manual??? Can you do that with an automatic without a manual valve body. . .to my knowledge this is just a stock TH400. . .

Thanks for helping out!!!

[SSLance]

It'll depend on the speed of the course you are on and your rear gear ratio. With my old 200R4 and 3:50 gears, I would put the shifter in 2nd and leave it there. The car would start in first, shift to second when ready and stay in second the rest of the run. This was on typical SCCA type courses. If you had a super high rear gear or were running on Good Guys type first gear courses, then you might be better off leaving the shifter in first gear.

You do not want to leave it in Drive as it'll upshift when you left off for a corner then try to downshift again as you corner exit and really upset the car.

[atomicjoe23]

Thanks SSLance. . .I didn't know the transmission would start in first and shift into second on it's own. . .

. . .answered my question.

Thanks!!!

[SSLance]

I had this exact same discussion with my friend that has a 2013 ZL1 Camaro with an automatic that I co-drove with him at our last event last year. The car had steering wheel paddle shifters and he thought I'd have to start with it in 1st gear, then manually shift it to 2nd. Well, that went horribly as you can imagine, I think at one point I was in 4th gear before finally getting it back to 2nd.

After that I showed him how to just manually put the car in 2nd gear, it would still start in 1st then shift to 2nd and stay there. The runs after went much better.