How does one go about "earning" it? Is that meant for the purchaser or builder?I understand the builder earning a great reputation and skill to know what he's doing but for a purchasers out look that would want the best "all bells and whistles" how would they go about "earning" the upgrade?
There is a difference between "bells and whistles" and "trade secrets", building a high hp trans is a lot more than using the best parts. Someone that knows what they are doing can use old Alto Reds or other "lesser" parts and have them hold up to really high power, while someone that doesn't know what they are doing can put all the best parts in a trans and not have it hold up to much lower power. Someone that is purchasing a pre-built trans or having their trans built by someone that knows "the tricks" or "Trade Secrets" is going to get what they pay for and have those tricks or secrets in the build. Someone that is buying a kit is not going to get every secret revealed to them.
Back when my truck got above the level of a properly installed kit from anyone holding up I started coming up with more modifications (tricks and secrets), I would often call Mike and ask him if he had tried whatever I was thinking about trying to see if it was already proven to help, or would cause a different issue in the process. Mike would either tell me that he tried it and it didn't help or caused a problem; that he has been doing it on big builds for years but for me to keep it under wraps; or that he hasn't tried it, give me his thoughts, and for me to let him know if it works.