I have become increasingly worried about subjecting my factory original Muncie M20 to the rigors of the drag strip. The engine probable makes about 450hp now, and the M20 was not designed for that kind of load. It is the proverbial weak link in an otherwise stout drive train - and we all know what happens to weak links.
Combine that with the fact that I've been driving my '65 over 2500 highway miles per season, and $4+/gallon for premium fuel, The logical conclusion I have arrived at is that it is time to set the M20 on the shelf and replace it with a more modern, more durable overdrive trans.
My research on a good candidate to replace the Muncie led me to the discovery of a new product from McLeod Racing ( of McLeod clutch fame) - their M-800. It's a totally new trans based on the Muncie - but stronger, lighter, and with an overdrive 5th gear.
Here's a video clip from their product intro at SEMA 2009 .
Unfortunately their development program ran into some obstacles, and the original availability date has slipped by 11/2 years. I have corresponded with the CEO of Mcleod, Paul Lee, and he advised me today, "Yes, the M-800 will fit right in and the shifter will be in your stock location. The main reason we are building this trans is for car owners like you who do not want to chop up their prize muscle car. Also, yes it should be fine for your HP application. We are in final stages of testing and are going into production soon. We hope for sales by late August."
I posted this here because I am sure there are other collectible car owners with the same dilemma. Speculation on the web pegs the probable price for the M-800 at $2000-$2200 - competitive with a Tremec, but with higher tolerance for torque (reputedly up to 700ft-lbs).
If anyone else is interested, let me know and I'll keep you posted on developments.