[RICK LAKE]

saltshaker Jon your question is not that cut and dry. The main problem is that we don't know the torque band of your motor. HP comes in around 3,800 to 5,500 rpms. You are not going to spin this thing at that high rpm all the time, SO here's what I can tell you from my setup. I started with a #40 steel flywheel, 3.31 gears and a 3.25 first gear with an overdrive. 1st is good for parades only at 1/2 mph per hour. Never used it to race, the shift is within the first 20'. Race trans has a 3.05 first gear and the same problem with quick shift and spinning the tires. Went to a 22 pound flywheel and got 2 things, the motor lugged a little off the line and stop smoking the tires but once moving the accelleration was quicker by about .2 seconds. Have to remember that my motor is all torque and the hp band is all done by 5,600 rpms. The thing is this you want the car cruising about 500 rpms above the base torque band to start.
Jon if you are looking to swap or buy another trans, get a overdrive 5 speed, either a richmond super street or TKO-600 with a 2.87 first gear. overall this will give you the best of both worlds. If you are going to spend alot of time idling around town, heavy flywheel in the 30-40 pound range. If you are looking for highway cruising, 22 pound flywheel will work out IF the camshaft is not to big, does not have a ton of overlap and a 112 LSA. If a nasty camshaft is in the motor you are back to the 30-40 pound one. It's a trade off.
2 side notes, if you buy a new flywheel, make sure it's SFI certified and it has a zero balance rating. The other thing is that WR tran's are more for starting heavy loads off from a stop. First gear is alot of the time in the 3.00 ratio or high 2.80's. CR tran's was designed more for 1/4 mile racing and keeping the motor in a narrow rpm range( powerband). It was between max torque and 500 rpms pass max hp rating. The weight of the car also is taken into account. IMO find a trans with a 2.60 first gear stay with the heavy flywheel and the car will run fine. Go to a 2.80 if you are looking to run a littler flywheel. Good luck Rick L.