manual vs automatic

I currently own a 1999 2.2L Chevy S-10 automatic and I'm looking to upgrade to pretty much any muscle car, because anything is better than what I got. My question is: since I currently have an automatic trans. car and I have only basic fundamental skills with a manual trans., whould I be better off getting an auto? Also, I have read that if I ever want to drop in a bigger engine the automatic transmission would be better suited to take the additional power whereas I'd have to replace the manual transmission... Is this true? Lastly, with automatic, can you buy a shift kit that will essentially give you the best shift points, effectively removing user error, and giving you a faster 1/4 mile time?

I know it's a lot, but I'm still learning.

Thanks, Gabe

I drove mostly manual shift cars most of my life, but I have muscular dystrophy and cannot depress a clutch pedal with my left leg anymore, so all my cars must now be automatics. If you have no physical problems then I would say get a manual tranny car!!! Once you get used to it, and good with it, you will love it! There is nothing like going through the gears of a fast, sweet running car. Of-course if you want to build a car primarily for the strip then an auto might serve you better. You can set up an auto to do almost anything you want -- but trust me, YOU WANT A MANUAL SHIFT CAR! :2cents:

My car is a six speed and I love it! It is a pain to have to shift all the time and sometimes it's kinda annoying but to me, the manual makes driving the car more fun and engaging. If you are worried about learning to drive it, it did take me a little while to get used to it. The last stick I had was almost ten years ago and that was a manual clutch pickup. Todays hydraulic systems are much more touchy and hard to learn with but (after driving an automatic for seven years) I picked up on this manual with a little practice on a back road. Now if you're talking best quater mile times period, I would go with the automatic. I've got a 400 turbo thats going in my S10. I'm rebuilding it with a manual valve body so it won't change gear until I shift it but I don't have to worry about clutching it. And PLEASE before anyone logs on to tell me I'm wrong, just my 2 cents, don't yell at me, just give you're opinion. These manual vs. auto debates can get pretty heated. As far as power goes, I wouldn't worry about blowing either one out, It takes a substantial amount of horespower to cause a trans to fail. Hope I helped.

Shifting your own gears is a ton of fun, but automatic transmissions do offer certain benefits, the biggest of which being shift consistency. If you do plan to drag race on a regular basis, legally or otherwise, the automatic will give you the most consistent ET. Other than that, its a matter of personal preference, as long as you buy an automatic with enough gears to get you moving. While the old Turbo 350s and Turbo 400s are common in old muscle, the lack of overdrive really kills your highway mileage, so if you are doing a tranny swap, get at least a 4spd auto.

do they make 6-speed automatic trannys and would it be worth it to get one? (oh, and where could I get one?)

strongboy2005 if you dropped a bigger engine with an automatic tranny you'd have to get a better stronger tranny whereas if u dropped a bigger engine with a manual tranny it would be better suited

One other factor to consider. Control. For a street car, a manual will offer more control over the car than an auto. This is especially true when the straight road ends and the curves begin. Nothing like positive contact between the power and the road.
For a drag car, the automatic will provide more consistent runs, as previously pointed out. The downside of the manual is the physical effort required, most notably in traffic.