And so it begins........

[Bill in NC]

Starting to bolt a few things together to see what I will need to do. I'm going to reuse the T5 behind the 5.3. Please excuse the mess in the garage, I really don't have the room I need for all my "stuff" :lol:

If you are going to use a gen1 manual trans/bellhousing, you will need to pick up an LS2,3,7 pilot bearing. The LS1,6 and manual truck bushing w/ needle bearing is completely different and sits farther in the crank allowing for the longer trans input shaft. Here is the LS2,3,7 bearing installed.

In the next pic, I'm checking to see how close the clutch disc is going to ride at the end of the trans input shaft using an F-body flywheel. The f-body flywheel is considerably thinner then the standard gen1 flywheel placing the clutch assembly closer to the engine and farther out on the trans input shaft. I have heard that the 5.3 truck flywheel is as thick as the gen1 flywheel, but I have not seen or priced one yet. There are some differences between the way a gen1 pressure plate bolts to a gen1 flywheel and the way a gen3 pressure plate bolts to a gen3 flywheel. They do have the same bolt pattern, but the threads are different (standard vs. metric), and the gen3 pressure plate is located on the gen3 flywheel by two dowel pins, where as the gen1 pressure plate in located on the flywheel with shouldered bolts.

Here it is....right on the edge

 

[t5montecarlo]

I have the same jack!

Are you saying your plans will work?

 

[Bill in NC]

I'm not quite sure yet Marc......I need to get some factory f-body flywheel bolts and see if they have a shoulder to help center the gen1 pressure plate. McLeod says not to try this. But they want you to buy there wiz bang high dollar conversion kits with expensive conversion only parts, special bellhousing, etc, etc. I'm trying to piece this together with affordable, readily available parts. IF I can. I picked up this flywheel for $20, so it's worth a shot. You can have the f-body flywheel drilled and tapped for the gen1 pressure plate, but once you start paying a machine shop, you may be better off buying the conversion peice(s). The gen3 (LS1) pressure plate stands taller than a gen1 pressure plate, so depending on your flywheel thickness (f-body vs. truck), you may end up hitting a stock bellhousing. Cornfused yet?

I have read posts on other forums where people have said their gen1 trans on a gen3 engine was working for them, but never any real details that you need to know or follow ups with problems or success stories.

And that SEARS jack is one of my favorite tools. My Dad bought it right after I was born, so I grew up lifting myself up in the air in his garage all of my childhood. Now my kids take turns lifting each other on that jack and it makes me smile and remember the days when I could fit both feet on the pad and felt like I was 20 feet off the ground lol

 

[t5montecarlo]

I don't think you could even consider using the LS pressure plate; doesn't it work backwards and use a pull-type release bearing?

Have you considered drilling the flywheel for SAE pressure plate bolts? Then there is no question that the bolts have the appropriate shoulder to locate the pressure plate.

I think you are on track.

 

[Bill in NC]

Have you considered drilling the flywheel for SAE pressure plate bolts? Then there is no question that the bolts have the appropriate shoulder to locate the pressure plate.

I think you are on track.

Yes, the pattern is the same between the two. It "looks" as easy as drilling and running an SAE tap through the holes and cutting the hole deeper for the longer shoulder of the SAE bolt. I really need to talk to a machinist and get their opinion. The size of the metric and SAE bolts/threads are so close there may not be enough material left to tap.

There is room to drill a new pattern and cut the shoulders for the SAE bolts, but it may not be cost effective depending on machining/labor costs. I know a retired machinist who still piddles in his shop during the week. I just need to catch him there and see if he's willing to tackle the project.

The Trans Dapt mounts showed up a few days ago and I have them mounted to my mock up block. I hope to set it in the car tomorrow and see where I'm at from there.

 

[Bill in NC]

I was able to get the engine lowered in and could tell right away using the standard mounts that are not 1" set back that the trans was going to end up too far forward. Installing another empty T5 case confirmed the trans is too far forward. It would be nice if aftermarket companies were straight up while advertising their products. There is NO way these will work in the stock engine mount location.

So what we have learned here is if you want to run your existing trans in the stock location, you need the 1" set back conversion brackets and deal with the heater box fitment issues. They should not even be called 1" set back mounts, they should be called stock location mounts!

I have not decided which direction I will go from here.