Ok I'm in desperate need of a tranny to put behind a 383 in my 85 z28. A T5 would have to be from an 85 or older. If its a T56 I'll buy the flywheel and converter box, but not for a T5. I'm on a tight budget, since I'm in highschool. Just turned 17 today actually.Anywho I'm in San Antonio but I am willing to travel around the state if the price is right, thanks. Let me know watcha got and hopefully we can work something out.

 

Keep an eye out for a T56 and dont look back.

 

Thats eventually my goal. I just need to get it on the road NOW. I don't have the money for the t56 swap. It'll cost at least 2 grand. I was gonna go t5 then step up once I have some income.

 

I would suggest a tko.....in the end you'll spend the same amount of money on a used t56 that you would for a tko swap.

 

Really? I didn't know that. I guess I'll have to check them out. I haven't heard much about them though. Any info?

 

Yes....look up in summit magazine in trans section....and a good website to go to is http://www.keislerauto.com/vmchk/gm/...page_tabs.html

read that. It's a VERY strong tranny. I have not heard of anyone breaking one, only good reviews....do a search on tko and see. Now that site has good information. There is 3 trans. tko-500, and two tko-600s. the 500 is rated at 500 horse and 600 at 600 horse. The 500 has different gear ratios that the 600. The 600 is available with two different overdrive ratios. Now if you want to order one of these call Mike Fortes at 508-875-0016. The transmission requires an adapter that moves trans back one inch and clocks it 17 degrees (puts everything in stock position)....He is the only one that makes this, and he has cheapest pricing on TKO trannys. He is also an authorized dealer.

Tremec (tko), also makes a T56 and one called aT45 (like mustangs have), and they are rated at 350 horse I believe and are cheaper...I don't know anyone using one, but maybe an option. He also makes rear ends, and slide on 12" rotor brake conversions. VERY smart with camaro stuff....you have to call him, doesn't respond to emails. Very cool to talk to.

 

oh, I did a LOT and I mean months and months of research on differernt tranny's and pricing and options.

I did everything from t5 with Gforce kit, to t56, to super T10 four speeds, to M21,m22 rockcrusher four speed, to tko's.

After adding and reading what others had done....the prices came out roughly the same. Like with the t56, I could of bought one for $1000...but it still would come out the same roughly in the end as doing a tko swap.

hmmm. used stock trans or NEW racing trans (with gear ratio I want, I don't like t56 ratios)....choice was easy.

here is a swap thread...looks just as easy as t56 https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tran...-600-swap.html

 

Just gotta be patient, i bought a T56 with everything for 500$, now i have a 6 speed 305 !!! LOL

 

well, that's a good deal. In my state I found 1 t56, just 1....I've been looking for a long time....that's when I found out about the tko's. I guess if you run across a great deal for like $500 that is worth it, but don't think that is as common.

Oh, another transmission that I was told about was the Transzilla....it's a t56 case and is available with 5 gears I believe. Wider gears take up the case. Supposed to be rated at like 1000hp...but it's like $1800 for just trans...then you have to buy the rest to get it in. I think the transzilla people make a 1200hp six speed t56 as well. But you're talking some money.

I still would rather spend the money and have new than used, and with better ratios. But for $500, I wouldn't have passed that up.

 

Yeah I agree new is better than used. But still thats a lot. If I could find a cheap 5 speed I want to do that then save for something better. But all the t5s I have seen are 86 or later. I need 85 or older since I have a mech speedo and 2 piece rear main. As far as I know there isn't a way to convert the speedo. Wish there was. Thanks for the answers too. I stopped coming to this board because everybody just told you to search or didn't respond at all.

 

You should be able to use up to an 89 camaro transmission. '86 was the first year the Firebird went digital VSS, it took camaro until 1990 with the interior swap to go digital. It shouldn't matter on the 2 piece RMS, you just need to get the correct flywheel.

 

you can use t5, but he is putting it behind a 383 which is really weak.

 

I ran T5s behind a couple 383s with over 500 HP with no issue, stock clutches and radilals is the key.

 

Well thats good news. I called a guy on an 86 t5 and he said the same thing. I got the camaros and firebirds confused. I thought they all went digital in 86. So I found a freshly rebuilt one for 650 bucks. Gonna go look at it tomorrow hopefully. Keepin my fingers crossed. But I'll also have to find a shifter, bellhousing, and the hydraulics. Oh and the pedals. Shouldn't be too hard. Hopefully.

And I'm definitely not pushing 500 hp so I'm hoping I'll be good for a while. Just have to take it easy I guess.

 

you may want to look around a bit. I just sold a complete t5 swap for $500 total. That included pedals, hydraulics, everything. Just a thought, they are out there.

 

Yea, might wanna hold out, look for the world class T5, 88-92 or 89-92 V8 T5, they are rated at 300 FT LBS TQ and are a better trans, i just sold my whole swap kit with trans and all for 350$.

 

Well I just got back from looking at the trans. So now I gotta decide. Still not sure. Thanks for your guys advice though. Any advice on how to strengthen the t5?

 

Yep, remove it and install a T56. Other than that, a T5 is truly going to live on borrowed time depending on how you drive and ow much power you put to it as well as what clutch and what tires you use.

 

Im just gonna run a stock clutch. And my tires don't grip for nothin. But its just gonna see street duty right now. And I'm not gonna be screwin aroun at all. Takin it real easy until i can find a job.

 

You should be ok then, i have beat the living hell out of a T5 with 500 HP and it never gave me a problem, put the same trans behind a stock L98 350 with a carb and intake on a 100 shot and it busted third gear racing...weird...

 

Hmm ok. Thats good news. I'm going to pick up the trans in a couple hours. We'll see how long this thing lasts. How hard are they to rebuild?

 

So damn simple it is illegal.. LOL

 

Lol ok good thats what i was hoping to hear. I picked it up today so we'll see how long it takes to collect the rest of the parts. If any of you have something i could use let me know. I still need the bellhousing, x member, flywheel, pedals, clutch, etc. Thanks

 

Stock crossmember will work, i have a 1 piece rear main flywheel but it needs to be turned.

 

Ok sweet. One less thing I have to get. But I want to move the torque arm mount off the trans. Cus isn't that a good idea? My motor is a two piece rear main. But thanks anyway

 

Torque arm mount off of the trans?
Doesn't necessarily do you any good.
It's one of those things that might look good on paper but doesn't really make any difference.

 

Oh. I just thought I read somewhere that it would mess up the tail housing or something. Idk lol.

 

well moving the torque arm and using a remote mount crossmember will save you at the very least some tranny mounts.....the torque arm pushes up on the back of trans and breaks them. Also, I have broken the tailshaft off my 700r4 once...don't know if it was a fluke, but that is with some power on slicks....rare I think for that to happen.

 

I broken a couple of transmission mounts on my 3rd-gen in the last 28 years but I would chock them up to normal wear and tear, not a flaw in the factory torque arm mount design. My current Poly trans mount has seen a LOT or abuse with no complaints.

Breaking the tailshaft? The actual shaft or the housing? Either way, I doubt the torque arm had much to do with it.

The only problems I've ever seen were related to things coming loose. IMO, when properly assembled, a stock torque arm mounted to the transmission can handle a lot more power than a 700R4's or T5's internals ever will. It will also take more power than I have seen any T56's clutch handle.

I recommend you spend your money on a better transmission, or something that will make more power. If you have to relocate the torque arm mount in order to install the transmission you want, that's fine. But you won't see any significant performance or reliability gains just by relocating it.

 

I will say, you dont see to many guys like myself with a manual trans with deep gears beating at the track with the TA mounted to the trans, they are usually relocated. I think personally it helps keep the pinion angle better since it is moving ZERO with a solid mount like mine on the crossmember. But, it just makes since to me. Less stress on the trans the better i say.

 

I was thinking about fabbing up a relocation bracket myself. But I probably don't need to. Just gives me something to do lol. I think I may be getting another trans tomorrow. For free. Gonna go look at it and see what the deal is. Its in a iroc apparently.

 

Ok so I have 2 bellhousings. What is the deal with the bellhousings tilting the tranny? Is this necessary? What does it do? Thanks for all your help guys it really helps

 

Well, basically they did it for room on the cars with the single exhaust and what not, it is not needed really, the T56 6 speed doesnt do it.

 

Oh ok cool. I didn't know whether or not it was needed for some mechanical reason. Anybody got any pedals i can have?