High Performance Transmissions
If you’re building or upgrading a performance, custom or classic car, increasing the engine’s power is only part of the job. Your transmission also needs to be capable of handling that power and transferring it effectively through the drivetrain to the wheels.
A standard transmission is designed to operate within the requirements of the vehicle and engine it was originally paired with. Once an engine has been modified to produce significantly more power or torque, the demands placed on the transmission can change too. That makes the transmission an important consideration when planning a performance build.
Kaspa Transmissions has been working with transmissions for more than 50 years, including building, maintaining and modifying transmissions for performance, classic and custom vehicles.
We have extensive experience with Ford and Chev applications and can build transmissions to suit different engines, vehicles and performance requirements. Rather than treating the transmission as an isolated component, we look at what you want from the finished vehicle and the type of driving you intend to do.
Working with a US supplier, we source specially modified transmission components, along with programmable computers and new wiring looms. Depending on the application, options can include paddle shifting and programmable shift points and pressures.
We also build AODE transmissions to individual requirements. With an overdrive gear, an AODE can be paired with drag-style rear-end ratios while maintaining lower engine revs when cruising.
Whether you’re putting together a performance street car, upgrading a classic or working on a more specialised build, talk to Kaspa about your plans. We can help you find a transmission solution that works with your engine and the way you want the vehicle to perform.
Our workmanship is backed by warranties of up to 18 months. Many members of the Kaspa team also own and drive classic cars, so we understand that a performance vehicle needs to be more than powerful – it also needs to be enjoyable to drive.
Consult a specialist today for optimal performance.
Everything we do focuses on ensuring your transmission repair feels as simple and seamless as possible.
What is a high-performance transmission?
A high-performance transmission is a transmission designed or modified to cope with the additional demands of a high-performance vehicle.
The transmission sits between the engine and the driven wheels, transferring the engine’s power through the drivetrain while providing the different gear ratios required as the vehicle accelerates and changes speed.
This means that increasing horsepower is only one part of creating a performance vehicle. If the engine is producing considerably more power or torque than the original drivetrain was designed to accommodate, the transmission also needs to be taken into consideration.
High-performance transmissions are commonly associated with motorsport, but they aren’t limited to dedicated race cars. They can also be used in modified street cars, muscle cars, classics, hot rods and other enthusiast vehicles.
The right transmission setup depends on the vehicle and what you expect it to do. A car intended primarily for comfortable road cruising may have very different requirements from a vehicle being built for drag racing. Some owners may be looking for faster or firmer shifts, while others want a performance transmission that still provides comfortable cruising.
Gear ratios, shift points and shift pressures can all affect the way a transmission behaves. Where an electronically controlled transmission is used, programmable controls can provide further options for configuring its operation.
This is why it’s important to consider the transmission as part of the complete build rather than simply choosing a transmission based on the engine alone.
If you’re planning a performance build or upgrading an existing vehicle, talk to Kaspa about your engine, vehicle and intended use. We can tailor a high-performance transmission to suit your requirements and help you get the performance you want from the complete drivetrain.
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Kaspa transmissions have all the knowledge to help you with your DSG/DCT transmission. With hands-on experience, training, and in-house research, we know that we can cover all problems and point you in the right direction.
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Sequential gearboxes
A sequential gearbox allows the driver to change gears in a fixed sequence rather than selecting individual gears through the H-pattern used by a conventional manual transmission.
Instead of moving the gear lever across the H-pattern to find the required gear, the driver shifts in one direction to move up through the gears and the opposite direction to move down. Each movement selects the next gear in the sequence.
This type of gearbox is particularly well suited to applications where fast, straightforward gear selection is important, which is why sequential gearboxes are commonly associated with motorsport and high-performance vehicles. Sequential shifting is also widely used on motorcycles.
Another feature of a sequential gearbox is that gears are selected in order. You cannot accidentally move directly from one gear to another non-adjacent gear in the way that is possible with an H-pattern manual gearbox.
This can be particularly useful in motorsport, where an incorrect downshift at high engine speed can cause the engine to over-rev and potentially result in mechanical damage.
Sequential gearboxes don’t necessarily require a conventional gear lever. In some applications, shifting can instead be controlled by paddles mounted near the steering wheel. Typically, one paddle is used to shift up and the other to shift down.
Paddle shifting allows the driver to make gear changes without taking a hand away from the steering wheel, which is one reason the system is widely associated with high-performance and racing vehicles.
Want to know more? Read our guides to how to drive a car with a sequential gearbox and how a sequential gearbox works.
We want your old transmissions!
Have you got an old Ford or Chev performance transmission sitting around your workshop or garage? Kaspa is on the lookout for core performance and classic transmissions.
Rather than leaving an old transmission taking up valuable space, get in touch and let us know what you have. We may even be able to arrange collection, saving you the time and effort of transporting it yourself.
If you’re looking at buying one of our reconditioned performance transmissions for your vehicle, we can also consider taking your old transmission as a trade-in.
We’re particularly interested in Ford and Chev performance transmissions.
If you have an old transmission you’d like to sell or you’re interested in a possible trade-in, please contact our Glenfield branch.
FORD AND CHEV OPTIONS - BIG AND SMALL BLOCK
Kaspa has extensive experience building performance transmissions for Ford and Chev applications, including vehicles fitted with big and small block engines.
Matching a transmission to a performance engine involves more than simply finding a unit that will physically fit. The engine, vehicle, rear-end gearing and intended use of the car can all influence what is required from the transmission.
That intended use is particularly important. A classic or performance car that spends most of its time cruising on the road has different priorities from a car being prepared
primarily for competition. Kaspa can build a transmission around the requirements of the individual vehicle rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
We keep stock for Ford and Chev performance transmission builds and can build units to individual requirements.
Working with our US supplier, we also import specially modified transmission components and programmable computers with new wiring looms. Depending on the transmission and application, options can include paddle shifting and programmable shift points and pressures.
Programmable transmission controls allow aspects of an electronically controlled transmission’s operation to be configured for the application. This can include when shifts occur and the pressure used during shifting, giving greater control over how the transmission behaves as part of the vehicle.
AODE transmissions
One of the Ford transmission options available from Kaspa is the AODE.
The AODE is an electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission with an overdrive fourth gear. The addition of overdrive makes it particularly useful where a vehicle has lower rear-end gearing for performance but is also intended to spend time cruising on the road.
When the vehicle is in overdrive, the transmission reduces engine speed relative to road speed. This allows drag-style rear-end ratios to be used while keeping engine revs lower during cruising.
Kaspa builds AODE transmissions to suit individual requirements, rather than supplying the same specification for every vehicle.
If you’re building a vehicle with a Ford or Chev engine, talk to us about your plans before deciding on the transmission. Tell us what engine you’re running, what you’re doing with the vehicle and how you want it to drive, and we can discuss the options available.
With decades of transmission experience and a team that knows classic and performance vehicles, Kaspa can build a transmission designed to work as part of your complete setup.
Our workmanship is backed by warranties of up to 18 months, so once the build is finished, you can get on with enjoying the car.
HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE CARS WE'VE FITTED OUR TRANSMISSIONS TO
