still deciding but considering that my motor of choice (a Turnkey LS2) will be pushing 600hp I have narrowed my choices down to a Mendeola (if they come out with a 6 speed and actually bother to answer my emails), a G96 (unless you think I should do something else) and a Griffin box.
I am looking at Mendeola SDR-5 b/c it can handle 650 HP / 600 TQ, but price is up to $10,950 plus an additional $2,250 if you want the complete kit (FFR mount adapter, starter, CV joints and boots, pressure plate and disc, speed pick up flywheel balanced and shifter set-up). What was Mendeola offering through FFR for $8K???
What other options can handle 650 HP/ 600 TQ??? If nothing then what about 500 HP / 500 TQ?
the one plus with Mendeola that I see is that they sell an engine/transaxle package which should save a few bucks. BUT I am picky on my transaxle and if need be I will purchase them separately.
With Griffin they already make a 6 speed box that will fit and with a first gear that will actually work without leaving most of your tires on the street. Just no prices and their website is a bit sparse. There is also no mention of anyone using a Griffin box in their GTM (they seem to be part of the SLC packages) so I am not sure as to how much work is involved in installing one.
I could also go with the porsche transaxle if I can get the gearing changed to something more usable and if it can handle that kind of hp and torque. From what I have read on the forums Erik is a great guy, willing to answer any questions and GBox has good customer service which are all a big plus.
As you can see I have a lot of thinking ahead of me.
...With Griffin they already make a 6 speed box that will fit and with a first gear that will actually work without leaving most of your tires on the street. Just no prices and their website is a bit sparse...
narkosys,
So you know, Griffins 6 speed box starts at $10950.00
Owner of this GTM stated he was running a stock porsche 5 speed transaxle with minor modifications to the transmission side for support if I remember correctly (g50-01 maybe )... dynoed over 1000 hp ... so.... what am I missing here with all these horspower ratings and claims ???
I dont have any video of mine unfortunately, but Ive had 12 psi on a bone stock transaxle with only a locker upgrade.... but I will throw this out there for you to ponder on. Im no transmission expert ... but if you dont re-gear your g50 and you run around in 5th gear all the time ( because above 50 mph thats really the only usable gear left ) then I could see where the transmission could much more easily fail with the 5 gear being the furthest set located all the way to the rear of the transmission from the ring/pinion. Keep 5th gear for cruising only ! ... 4th gear should be your last gear you race out of and keep the transmission on a serious cooler and you will be fine !
EVERYONE needs to send their box to Eric and let him redo reverse !!! MAN WHAT A DIFFERENCE !... with cable flex I used to have to fight to get it... and now thanks to Eric... its like butter !!!
What ever happened to that bargain-priced, fits-right-out-of-the-box transaxle package that FFR was trying to put together? I think it was through Mendeola, but I guess it all fell apart since FFR isn't even selling their gearboxes anymore? That's a shame -- gearbox availability, mods, and cost have always been one of the biggest combined drags to the GTM.
Erik, what happened to your idea for modifying some more affordable Cayman transaxles? I haven't followed this stuff in awhile, but it's always the fly in the ointment for mid-engined cars.
Cheers, John
__________________
FFR1004105RD - world's first twin-turbo BMW V12-powered FFR Roadster
2011 Dodge 2500 Cummins 6.7L - biodiesel-fueled daily driver JHETTO: 2001 VW Jetta TDI, intended as G3F donor, FOR SALE
THAT is what I mean by their website being sparse. There was no mention of that. I just assumed (yeah i know :P) that they where making those transaxles already as you can seem to get some for the SLC. To me that meant they where already producing transaxles. Could someone from Griffin chime in with possible release dates? I am especially interested in the 960SS.
I am looking at Mendeola SDR-5 b/c it can handle 650 HP / 600 TQ, but price is up to $10,950 plus an additional $2,250 if you want the complete kit (FFR mount adapter, starter, CV joints and boots, pressure plate and disc, speed pick up flywheel balanced and shifter set-up). What was Mendeola offering through FFR for $8K???
What other options can handle 650 HP/ 600 TQ??? If nothing then what about 500 HP / 500 TQ?
I said all along that the Mendeola option, at roughly $8k, was an introductory thing and the price was going to go up. It HAD TO when you consider that it is an ALL NEW PARTS transaxle.
I think the most telling thing is that a guy who preached that it could be done cheaper and easier(Griffin) has come out with almost the exact same pricing as Mendeola, and it has taken him just as long or longer to produce a product. Not poo-pooing Griffin in any way, just trying to point out that Mendeola is priced right at the ten and change number, and the eight thousand ballpark was a SCREAMIN deal.
For what it's worth, it looks like a comparable USED Porsche transaxle is going to run in the $15k range, so even at the higher pricing, the Mendeola is a good bit cheaper. Especially considering the all new parts factor.
For what it's worth, it looks like a comparable USED Porsche transaxle is going to run in the $15k range, so even at the higher pricing, the Mendeola is a good bit cheaper. Especially considering the all new parts factor.[/QUOTE]
Ah, now there is something that should be considered too. Purchase a new gearbox kit for $13,200.00 complete from Mendeola, or a Porsche gearbox that has been REMANUFACTURED, in our case, or USED via Ebay or other options?
In order to handle the 600HP and 650 TQ that some of you are planning on putting into your cars there are actually several options out there that would be quite adequate for your build.
$8500.00 G50.52 Remanufactured 5 speed gearbox with Limited Slip Differential, inverted with cooler in and out oiling ports.
$13,500.00 G96.92 Remanufactured GT3 Cup Car 6 speed gearbox with Limited Slip Differential, inverted with cooler in and out oiling ports.
If you wanted to purchase any of these gearboxes USED, then you will find, if you can find one, that they are quite a bit less expensive then even the pricing that I have listed here.
Here are a couple of things that I always try to keep people mindful of though when they are trying to select their gearbox for their kit build. What kind of driving do you really have in mind for the car? Do you have drag racing in mind? Aggressive track events? Street racing? Or are you going to drive the car on the streets mostly? See I am all for having fun, especially on the track, but if the idea here is to build a car that looks great has respectable acceleration, and can get out of its own way when needed, then the options really open up.
If you don't have the intention or desire to abuse the gearbox then the reality is that a G50 5 speed or 6 speed gearbox will more than handle most HP and TQ ratings. In fact nearly any of the current Porsche gearboxes in production will all likelihood work quite well. Some will simply work better, and are more suited to occasional high stress environments that this kind of HP and TQ can generate.
Now it does not take a rocket scientist here to deduce that I tend to favor the Porsche options, as this is what we deal most with here at GBox, although I can also help you with a Mendeola gearbox as well if you would like one. And while Crash may not be physically selling the Mendeola gearboxes, he tends to have some strong opinions for going this direction.
Both of these companies have options that will certainly suit the needs of most of the builders currently out there, and I recommend that you do your due diligence prior to selecting either one of them.
One of the things that I really like about the Porsche options is the availability of parts, should they be needed. You can go to any Porsche dealership worldwide and find pretty much anything that you might need, but this is only one of the benefits to the Porsche options in my opinion.
Something I find to be somewhat interesting here though is that the original idea behind coming out with some of the new options, was to produce a gearbox option that would end up being less expensive than what was currently being offered by going with the Porsche options. While this sounded like a great idea, and indeed was, it now turns out that the majority of options that have been produced or will be produced soon, will essentially cost roughly the same amount of money if not slightly more at the end of the day. Competition is a wonderful thing, and I think that it benefits everyone, but there is also something to be said for the tried and proven approach that you get when you go with a gearbox that has been in production for in some cases 20 years or more now. This is not to say that the options available from Porsche never break, or wear out. If this was the case then GBox would not be in business. That being said, there is quite a bit of good that accompanies going with a Porsche transaxle option.
The Porsche numbers, on their surface, can be enticing, but purchasers should not forget that there are a good deal of accessories that need to be sourced to get the entire package to work. While I am all for the Porsche stuff in certain applications, like CVs and axles, in some areas the Porsche parts become VERY expensive compared to the required domestically branded comparable parts. Things like the clutch, starter, etc are MUCH cheaper when you are able to use the GM stuff, such as is the case with the Mendeola gear box. Not trying to bash anyone, as I have always said that there is a place for the Porsche stuff, just as there is a place for the Mendeola stuff. Just trying to make everyone aware that it is not only the big ticket item that should be looked at, but also all the required bits and pieces that will add, sometimes significantly, to the cost of the chosen transaxle before one makes their decision.
Hence all the research needed and questions answered. I have emailed Mendeola almost a month ago and still have not received a reply. Not a good thing in my books.
Then there is also everyone's unique situations. You race your GTM. You don't need all those gears. In my case I live in the mountains and the nearest city is 4-5 hours away. Just driving down to a Porsche/GM dealer is an all day affair (I prefer dealing with people face to face).
My location also swayed me to me decision for a 6 speed as opposed to a 5. I know that Mendeola SAYS that they have a 6 speed in works but it is all hearsay until they produce one. At least with GBox and Griffin they have them. And with the Griffin I can use the entire gear range unlike the Porsche boxes where you would start in 2nd and keep 1st for parking (as I have read in the forums).
One advantage that Mendeola does have is that I can get the motor I want and a gearbox in a package deal which saves a few bucks.
I am still in the planning stages and hopefully they will all have 6 speeds gearboxes that can be provided so that I may make a better decision.
Who knows maybe there will be other options by then.
I'm interested. Is there a link to a Griffin gear box actually working in a vehicle? Again, not bashing, just making sure apples are being compared to apples.
In my experiences, emailing Mendeola usually results in a slow response time. I simply call them...619-710-8800. Ian is at extension 110. I usually get a call back the same day when leaving a message.
I am with you on that one Crash. I don't think there is anyone who put a Griffin in a GTM but I THINK there may be some in an SLC so you would figure there would be some production boxes out in the open.
I prefer email as it lets me formulate my wording better and I sound like a twit on the phone hence my aversion to them. It could be an IT guy mindset but to me being being able to use email is just as important as phone etiquette.
I still like the idea of the Turnkey/Mendeola package that they sell IF I can get the 6 speed. I am hoping that by then Mendeola will have them available.
Either way all I can do right now is keep up the homework and plan out the build.
I am with you on that one Crash. I don't think there is anyone who put a Griffin in a GTM but I THINK there may be some in an SLC so you would figure there would be some production boxes out in the open.
Unless someone installed one yesterday, there are no Griffin boxes in an SL-C either.
All of the options have their own pros/cons that will very with the potential buyer.
__________________
R/s
Vidal
CURRENT STATUS: Bodywork.
GenII GTM #331. Delivered (23/9/10)
BUILD LOG AND WEBSITE: http://gtmbuild.weebly.com .
still deciding but considering that my motor of choice (a Turnkey LS2) will be pushing 600hp I have narrowed my choices down to a Mendeola (if they come out with a 6 speed and actually bother to answer my emails), a G96 (unless you think I should do something else) and a Griffin box.
I know...decisions decisions
Narkosys, 600 Hp with our product will put you in the SDR5 stage II transaxle from us, and at current we don't see offering a 6 speed version of this gearbox.I am reachable by e-mail or phone or IM on both running FFR sites.Sorry I have not seen anything from you till now with this post.
P
Quote:
Originally Posted by GTM-TX
I am looking at Mendeola SDR-5 b/c it can handle 650 HP / 600 TQ, but price is up to $10,950 plus an additional $2,250 if you want the complete kit (FFR mount adapter, starter, CV joints and boots, pressure plate and disc, speed pick up flywheel balanced and shifter set-up). What was Mendeola offering through FFR for $8K???
GTM-TX, current pricing on the SDR5 Stage II is $12950.00 this was designed to handle the 600+ power. The parts list on our site is just for reference and now FFR includes some of the listed parts in their kit.We have currently made it so stock starters are used with our bellhousing & speed sensor ring is apart of the unit.
Mendeola does offer the SDR5 Stage 1 it is $8975.00 and handles the 500 & below Hp range.
What other options can handle 650 HP/ 600 TQ??? If nothing then what about 500 HP / 500 TQ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by dukegrad98
What ever happened to that bargain-priced, fits-right-out-of-the-box transaxle package that FFR was trying to put together? I think it was through Mendeola, but I guess it all fell apart since FFR isn't even selling their gearboxes anymore? That's a shame -- gearbox availability, mods, and cost have always been one of the biggest combined drags to the GTM.
dukegrad98,The transaxle you speak of is the SDR5 Stage 1 this is in its 3rd production run and is sold by Mendeola for Kit car use.
Current Products:
SDR5 stage I =$8975.00
SDR5 Stage II =$12950.00
S5RR = $14500.00
I am reachable by e-mail or phone or IM on both running FFR sites.
619-710-8800, ian@mendeolatransaxles.com,
I will also talk you out of what motor you want to run.
Well, its a little late for that. I already have the motor. Mast Motorsports 710hp LSX Iron Block 625tq
I need a street box!
And I need it to have some top end to it. Texas mile will see my GTM MANY TIMES
And I need it soon. Already have everything else (or its ordered) were about to begin to finish this thing!
How cool would it be to have a transaxle shootout?!
Given:
A test mule GTM with a select engine option(s)
GTM is tested on dyno, drag, and best average ET for a specific course.
The participant would know the engine, tire, and vehicle details up front.
IE: 2009 LS7 GM crate engine, or 2002 LS1 GM crate engine, 26.5" tire (275/45/18), 2800 lb. wet weight, etc.
A dream perhaps, but a cool thought.
__________________ "Welcome to the Internet where everyone's a mechanic and owns a 10 second car." Proud new owner of GTM#105, Aug. 27/11. Toronto, Ontario.
I'll be putting a Griffin 960S in my SLC. For the price, I don't see many other logical choices.
Pros:
- Brand new (not used with upgraded parts)
- Geared for V8 (the ratios I chose will put me at 60mph in first, and ~1700rpm@65mph
- Use of GM Flywheel and starter
- No Adapter Plates
- Easily handle the torque of even a LS3 Stroker or LS7
Cons :
- Pricey upfront cost, but not when all things are considered
- Heavy (about the same as a Ricardo)
- Still not out (should be by Nov or so, last I called)
The KEP plate for the G96.00 is apptroximately 7 lbs.
__________________ "Welcome to the Internet where everyone's a mechanic and owns a 10 second car." Proud new owner of GTM#105, Aug. 27/11. Toronto, Ontario.
I will. Ask any one that has done business with me.
I will also talk you out of what motor you want to run.
I can share my experience here with Ian. I can say that every time I called I was either able to reach him or left a message and got a call back the same day. Sometimes I emailed him and was expecting an email back and received an email followed by a call. Great guy to deal with. Keep up the good work Ian.
Hugo
The
representations expressed are the representations and opinions of
the FFCars.com forum members and do not necessarily reflect the
opinions and viewpoints of the site owners, moderators, Factory Five
Racing, Inc. or Ford Motor Company. This website
has been planned and developed by FFCars.com and its forum members
and should not be construed as being endorsed by Factory Five
Racing, Inc. or Ford Motor Company for any
purpose. "FFR", "Factory Five", "Factory Five Racing", and the
Factory Five Racing logo are registered trademarks of Factory Five
Racing, Inc. FFCars.com forum members agree not to
post any copyrighted material unless the copyrighted material is
owned by you. Although we do not and cannot review the messages
posted and are not responsible for the content of any of these
messages, we reserve the right to delete any message for any reason
whatsoever. You remain solely responsible for the content of your
messages, and you agree to indemnify and hold us harmless with
respect to any claim based upon transmission of your message(s).
Thank you for visiting the FFCars.com Forum dedicated to Factory
Five.
2011 FFCar 
Gen2 GTM
Linear Mode
