First post here but I been browsing for a few months now trying to get myself familiar with engine and trans options. I'm coming from the diesel world and now trying to get myself into the a gasser. If I put anymore money into my 7800 pound truck its gonna break me. Factory Long blocks are 10k, built trans are 8k to hold 1000hp and breaking big expensive parts is easy in a big heavy truck. So, i now have an 88 camaro originally equipped with a v6 that now has a 350 and t5 trans that the p.o. Put in. Im in the market for a 5.3 cast iron block and plan to get fourth Gen accessories. Now for the trans I'm not sure what to do. This is going to be a "budget build" which never happens but id like to think it will. To start I'm shooting for 800 hp to the wheels using possibly a single s480. I want a manual. Will a t56 trans bolt right up? If so which years? And which if any old 4 speeds will bolt up and support that power?

 

'98-'02 F-body T56, forget those ancient crappy 4-speeds.

 

Ok thank you. direct bolt up to engine?

 

Not sure that Budget Build and 800hp can feasibly live in the same sentence, unless our ideas of "budget" are wayyyyy different.

If it's got the right bellhousing then yes, it will bolt up. They're only rated for 350? ish lbs of torque though. If 800 hp is your goal I imagine you'll surpass that number on torque.

 

What in it other than the clutch wont hold up?

 

Honestly not sure, that'd be a question for a transmission guy.