You probably thought I'd forgotten all about the project '49 Chevy huh? Unfortunately a combination of work schedules, the start of the show season and the fact that I have been doing a few jobs on my '46 roadster pickup meant the Purple Pig has sat unloved down in the basement for a while. When I finally dragged it over to our Tech Center it had repaid me by going rusty on all the bare metal parts, so you'll have to excuse the less-than-new appearance until I get around to acid washing the rust. When I originally planned the project, it didn't include an engine with as much horsepower as the Smeding 383 stroker motor it now has, and the Level 2 200-4R transmission from Gearstar was perfect for my plans.
However, the Level 2 trans is rated up to 400 horsepower, and the new motor has made over 425 hp on the dyno, but discussions with Zack Farah at Gearstar led us to decide that as he'd never been given the opportunity to perform a long-term real-world road test on one of his Level 2 transmissions behind such a motor, and that this trans is way more affordable than a Level 2.5, 3, or 4, and as such would be more likely what most readers would purchase, we would keep the Level 2 that had been installed behind our dummy block in the '49 for some time, and see how it performed.
This confirms Zack's confidence in his work, as he knows that I have a heavy right foot and won't be happy if the trans gives up in the middle of the California desert. The offer to have it replaced if it ever fails is admirable, but no-one wants to be at the side of the road 150 miles from anywhere at 6pm on a Sunday with a wife/girlfriend/kids do they? I have faith in Zack and Gearstar products, so the deal's on, and the Pig is one step closer to the road.
