Tremec TKO 600

Meat Drapes

Dragway Regular
Thread starter
Mar 26, 2005
1,193
9
38
Stoutland, MO
Template came and it was more of a complicated cut then I thought. Better that I waited. After the metal was cut it took 10 minutes to get the transmission into the car. Once the transmission was in I jacked it up to the tunnel and checked the cut, very nice. I have bent the precut sheetmetal and now need to secure it in place. While all this is taking place I can now take a measurement for the new driveshaft.
Next in the waiting game is the crossmember. Boxed and powder coated it better fit perfect.
I am getting just a little excited.
 

Meat Drapes

Dragway Regular
Thread starter
Mar 26, 2005
1,193
9
38
Stoutland, MO
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Car%20132.jpg
 
A

Anonymous

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I've been following your build up. Keep it up.
I've seriously been thinking of going with a TKO because I just love manual Transmissions. Sorry to hear you've been having a hard time with Keisler.

I was originally thinking of going with a 700R4 but hear many horror stories about the trans....They seem to blow up.

I might just have to wait some time to save up enough money to do the swap. It might just be worth it.


Thanks
 

Meat Drapes

Dragway Regular
Thread starter
Mar 26, 2005
1,193
9
38
Stoutland, MO
I decided to modify the stock crossmember while I wait for Keisler to get their contractors in order. I made a template out of cardboard and "eyeballed" a few dimensions. Then took my handy Black & Decker Jig Saw and cut the 'pad' from the crossmember. Once that was off I chalked up a few lines for the local welder to go off of. The welding shop cut me a new pad out of 3/16 thick sheetmetal to the dimensions of the pad I made. Tacked it on today and I tried it out.
The Cut is perfect. My eyeballing was off 1/2 inch. I need to have the pad slid over to meet the transmission mount and I will be nearly good. The pad needs to have a 'cant' in it as well. I was not able to see this from laying right under the xmember and just drawing lines on it. The pad is also a LITTLE too low as the tailhousing rests on the top of the crossmember insted of the pad. All this will hopefully be corrected tomorrow.
Ill have a pic posted later this week.
My cost... maybe $25. Keisler can kiss my behind!!!! I should have done a T-56 from scratch.
 

Meat Drapes

Dragway Regular
Thread starter
Mar 26, 2005
1,193
9
38
Stoutland, MO
Had the pad moved and 2 small bends put in it. Then I chalked up new lines for the welder. The bends in the pad raised the edge up about 1 1/2 inch. The bends are perfect but I moved the pad too far . With the bends in the pad and me trying to adjust for my first mistake I overshot the movement of the pad and now went too far by 1/2 an inch in the other direction. I tried to compensate for the bends in the pad as they shortened it but its hard to make a good call without ANY type of accurate measurement with just my eyes. Tomorrow I will have it just right. The tailshaft now sits over the crossmember really nice. Once the holes are aligned, Ill be pretty happy.
 

malihoochie

Dragway Regular
May 28, 2004
875
0
0
michigan(detroit area)
I'm quite interested in your progress as mine has ground to a halt (all of my own laziness). Would love to see your x-member, as this was also my plan. I thought trying to modify my own first would be best before buying one of the premade ones out there & then modifying it for my TKO. Best of luck and keep posting this info.

PS - I'm planning on not using a console, just a shifter boot. Do you think that "hump" they had you use was necessary?
 

Meat Drapes

Dragway Regular
Thread starter
Mar 26, 2005
1,193
9
38
Stoutland, MO
The crossmember is done. I will take a pic and post it here this weekend.
The new hump was definitly necessary. The cut was very precise and required the hump to be moved back a few inches. The sheet metal covers the hole nicely and provides a place for a new boot.. My only wish was that I moved the hump even further back. Maybe another inch or so. As it is now the new shifter boot I have is not centered on the boot.

My main problem with getting more pics posted is I took them with HUGE resolution. I need to shrink them a little so I can have enough room on my website.
 

Meat Drapes

Dragway Regular
Thread starter
Mar 26, 2005
1,193
9
38
Stoutland, MO
Car%20169.jpg



I think the 3/8ths sheetmetal will do a fine job intill Keilser gets me the right one.
Malihoochie, who did you get your kit from? I would like to hear about your ordeal.
Once I get the driveshaft I can try to drive it. I am going to get new carpet too. My wife is sick of my car.
 

malihoochie

Dragway Regular
May 28, 2004
875
0
0
michigan(detroit area)
I bought all my stuff piece by piece from various sources. Got the trans from Liberty (local, yet big name trans shop), bellhousing and z-bar from a friend in a trade, pedals from muscle cars only, linkage from Speeddirect, various parts from a friend at a chevy dealer (ballstuds/synchromesh/etc), clutch and flywheel from Hays, and lots of info from this site and a few others. Elcoolmino was helpful too. I have really been lazy about getting the job done though. :oops: I've got 3 kids and they've been the major distraction from the garage. When its two parents vs. 3 kids the cars get slid to the back burner - but just for the time being. Very interested in your x-member mods. Thanks
 

Meat Drapes

Dragway Regular
Thread starter
Mar 26, 2005
1,193
9
38
Stoutland, MO
Malihoochie, did you get the tremec with an offset? How much did the total investment end up costing ? What do you have left to do?
I have the engine tuned and just need to adjust my linkage. Seems like I have a very long pedal throw to engage or disengage the clutch. Is there a way to shorten this?
Once I get driveshaft... I CAN DRIVE IT!!!
 

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