I recently did the 455 swap into my 64 skylark, it pesently has 2.73 gears i believe , im looking for a good gear ratio , that will make it a little more snappy, but still drive it down hiway, was thinking 3.55 also what kind of differential does it have ? 8.2 ?
It'll of course depend on on your tire choice (height), but are you planning long trips? If so, 3.0x is great, 3.2x max. If you're taking short trips, get more aggressive. It's all a trade-off. Devon
I also agree 3.08 is the best compromise between performance and economy. Don't forget to factor in tire height. The stock tire height was about 26.5" or so. If you use a taller tire, it will decrease yor ratio, a shorter tire will increase it numerically. If you have the stock 64 rear, it will be an 8.2 10 bolt. Posi and gears are widely available for that rear.
When i put the 455 in my old 64 i used 3.42 gears (i had swapped an 8.5 ten bolt in). It was fabulous every where but the highway. I forget the tire size but i believe they were 255/60/15 and it would spin about 3000 rpm at 70 MPH. I had headers and 2.5" exhaust with the short case walker dyno max mufflers and with the convertible top up it was pretty loud due to resonance in the trunk area. Once you were off the highway the 3.42's were perfect for around town and the back roads. Like Larry and Devon said its all a trade off based on what you plan to do with the car. If you plan on more highway 3.08 or 3.23 if highway is not as much of a concern 3.42 or 3.55's would be my choice.
