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FEATURE INTERVIEW:

Jeff Kauffman and Bryan White
Silver Sport Transmissions

In this episode of TMCP our feature guests were Jeff Kauffman, ‎VP Sales and Marketing, and Bryan White, Senior Drivetrain engineer (and former TMCP interviewee) from ‎Silver Sport Transmissions. Since I picked up my General Lee I have been debating options for overdrive transmissions to make life on the highway a little easier and to have a better gear ratio selection all around. The current transmission in the car is (I think) a 727 Torqueflite…and it needs help. I feel that I’m just doing what the Duke Boys would have done if they could have anyway, especially if they had been allowed on highways outside of the county. I asked Jeff and Bryan to come on the show and answer some of my questions about transmission options.

As Jeff shared, Silver Sport has been in the muscle car transmission swap business for years and initially put together the A41 Overdrive automatic swap package for Mopars specifically – so it’s exactly what I need! The A41 itself starts life as the General Motors 4L60E automatic and then received the modifications required to literally make it a bolt in replacement for the old 727. The Silver Sport kit includes everything necessary from the flex plate all the way back to the differential. They even include the cross member and a little template to notate where you may have to roll back a pinch weld for clearance. No cutting of the car is required and reverting back to stock is completely possible.

In addition, Silver Sport is a HUGE Tremec transmission dealer and specializes in all of the popular manual transmission swap packages for nearly every muscle car as well. They have the engineering expertise on staff to evaluate any swap you can really think of, so if it’s not a package you see available for your needs on the website just give them a call and they’ll talk you through it.

You may recognize Bryan from  previous Episode 324 where we discussed options for racing on a budget. It turns out that after he began listening to our old Cars for a Living show he concluded that his day job as an engineer at a major corporation was not someplace he wanted to stay. Bryan started looking at job postings (the SEMA board specifically) and attending events where he could make connections. Once such event was the 2017 Hot Rod Power Tour where he met Jeff and soon had to make a life decision. Bryan is loving his new position and is looking forward to more at Silver Sport Transmissions!

You can get more information on Silver Sport Transmission packages at Shiftsst.com.

Thanks the insights, I am looking forward to trying the A41 in the General Lee!
-Rob Kibbe

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This interview sponsored by our pals at National Parts Depot –
your premier source for muscle car restoration parts!

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“Ask Rick” with NPD’s Rick Schmidt!

Mustang R Models and the Future of Car Collecting

This month I ask Rick about special model collector cars and in particular the Ford Mustang Shelby “R” Cobra. The NPD collection holds three “R” models and Rick has personally drag raced some. The original Shelby R is a race purpose built vehicle with stiffer suspension, higher horsepower, and no rear seat. They even put lighter glass in the back window on some models. Fast forward to the 90’s and Ford re-released the R model in limited quantities and actually had to produce more than planned due to dealer complaints.

Since we were talking about newer Mustang collector cars I ask what Rick thought about new collector series cars and the future collect ability. He said that the good thing is that these special cars are being treated much much nicer than they were in the 60’s and 70’s when people did not realize what they were bypassing. Hind-sight being 20/20, people now realize what they missed and are quicker to buy a vehicle simply for investment purposes. This means that current short run models will be preserved but that they will be worth a little less since they were treated so well.

For the last question I asked about a particular basket case convertible on eBay and if Rick thought it should be restored. He said yes, why would you leave it in sad shape? He reminded me that this is a hobby and not every vehicle “makes money” but unlike other hobbies, at the end of the day you still have something that is worth something. When you are done building you can drive it and enjoy it for years.

That’s the perfect perspective. I love this guy!