Lt1 T56 & SBC - Who has one?
 

Hey guys,

Recently my car has been getting a noise that I'm 90% sure is coming from my flywheel. I checked the cross member, and it looked snug and everything else seems okay. The T5 in my car now has always been finnicky, and I've been contemplating a T56 for a while so I'm thinking I could use this opportunity as an excuse to get something stronger.

Anyone have a Gen I sbc mated to a t56? Is it more of an improvement in general driving? Are you happy with it in general? Car will mostly see life on the street

And,

Is it more cost effective to just grab an lt1 style from a yard/ebay or something? I found this one recently, as an example

Re: Lt1 T56 & SBC - Who has one?
 

Did you read the sticky at the top of this forum?

Re: Lt1 T56 & SBC - Who has one?
 

It is usually better to find a T56 from someone here or look on Craigs List. I found mine on CL about three hrs from me. I made the trip for it. I had found another about 7-8 hrs from me for 650 but not worth the savings with the extra gas and time.

Re: Lt1 T56 & SBC - Who has one?
 

I did read the sticky and although its quite helpful it doesn't provide what the experience is like. I'm gonna need a new transmission within the year, so I'm thinking of grabbing an lt t56 and then maybe do an lt swap later. I know I'll need an adapter and that's fine, my current engine has only around 40k so I'm in no hurry.

My main reason for posting was to get feedback on drivability. So far all the magazines covering this kind of setup act like its as smooth as butter, and although I'm sure they're correct sometimes I feel like your reading advertising so its better to get real opinions.

I may ultimately just find a t56/lt1 combo and do that. Recently found one on CL for $3k in immaculate condition but I'm still saving my pennies. :P

Re: Lt1 T56 & SBC - Who has one?
 

Do you have a 1 pc or 2 pc RMS? 1 pc RMS flywheels are so much cheaper, you can just use stock. A 2pc RMS flywheel for a T56 will cost you $400+ last I checked. Ouch.

You need to be REAL sure you dont want to do a Gen III/IV swap before you invest in a t56. I would love to do it, but the cost to convert my T56 over to work with a Gen III/IV engine is $600-$1000 for just parts. Considering you can get a 300hp factory stock roller 5.3 truck engine for $500 or less and they can handle 1000hp on the stock bottom ends... it can be done affordably. Just make sure you dont want to go down that road before you buy.

Hanging the pedals was awful. Trying to get the master cylinder hole drilled right was a pain.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LS1-T-56-Con...d530e1&vxp=mtr

These things are available now which would have made an AWESOME either reinforcement or just a great template to get the whole thing lined up right. Not necessary though.

The T56 and the Koni shocks/struts are the two best mods I ever did to my car. I will never switch a car from auto to manual again unless I have a much better shop/tools to do it with.

It's a blast to drive.


It's way better now that Im not trying to drive the T56 first gear through the 3.27 gears anymore.

T56 will DEMAND at least 3.73 gears for any kind of cammed engine, 3.42 for an engine with a stock power curve.

You do NOT need an adapter. An LT1 t56 will bolt straight up to a Gen I block. Only thing you have to do is get a crossmember and get hte hydraulics and pedals set up.

Re: Lt1 T56 & SBC - Who has one?
 

It's a 2 piece, which is kinda delaying me right now. I've been murking on these boards for a while and have read the LS1/LT1 swap stickies a dozen times.

I've been trying to figure out what route I wanna go for a while now. I know I want a T56, just not 100% as far as the engine. I had an LS1 a while back, but it needed too much stuff so I sold it. Now I'm up in the air on what to do. LT1's seem pretty basic and I'm pretty familiar with SBC's by now so they don't look too bad. Seen some LT1 pull outs with t56's for about $2500-$3k here in MA, and I don't mind doing wiring.. but the look for an LSx in these bays is just amazing.

Did you buy an LT1 t56 or a retrofit? Your car sounds nasty. Would it cost you around $1000 because of the money you spent on your conversion or the cost of converting it (now) to a LT/LS?

Thanks for the info man it definitely helps me get an idea.

Re: Lt1 T56 & SBC - Who has one?
 

Buying a new bellhousing, maindrive and case adapter plate (to make a 94-97 T56 fit like a 98-02) is what will run that much.

Re: Lt1 T56 & SBC - Who has one?
 

I have a regular LT1 T56. Bolts right in. It costs $1000 because I have to get an LS1 bellhousing, master cylinder, slave cylinder, clutch, new input shaft, and new faceplate on my T56 to make it work. Then dont forget you have to completely disassembly the transmission to swap those parts over. Thats why its so expensive.

So if you want to go LS, just get an LS T56 and go that way. You will get stuck with one or the other. ;)

Now you can always sell your T56, but I dont like to wheel and deal parts. You never seem to quite make back what you spend when you count in the hassle involved, and transmissions are heavy, and you never know a whole lot variables involved with who you're dealing with. Most of the time, things are fine, but T56's are expensive enough and heavy enough that it just complicates things.