Hughes Performance Street and Strip Transmissions 35-3

Pairing a built-in trans-brake with a 650-horsepower rating, the Hughes Performance 35-3 is a remanufactured Chevy-pattern 3-speed automatic running a reverse shift pattern on a full manual valve body. It shares the 2.52 first gear ratio and 6.000-inch tailshaft used on other Hughes 35-series cases, with a 30-spline input shaft.

A detail that affects how you drive it

Because this case includes a trans-brake, reverse only engages while the trans-brake button is held down, a deliberate safety feature rather than a defect if you notice it the first time you back up. A full manual valve body means every forward shift is also driver-controlled rather than automatic, which changes how the transmission behaves at every stoplight, not just at the track.

Pan and fitment notes

The stock-style pan here is aluminum rather than steel, still finished in chrome, trimming some weight compared with a steel pan of the same style. Confirm your bellhousing matches the Chevy pattern and that your shifter and wiring suit a trans-brake before installing, since a standard automatic shifter will not operate this unit's trans-brake button.

Can I use this transmission without the trans-brake? The trans-brake is built into the valve body, so plan on wiring and using it as part of normal operation rather than leaving it disconnected.