I finally got myself a T56 today, along with 95% of the parts I am going to need. All that is left is a Dakota Digital SGI-5 and a crossmember. It is out of a 97 camaro ss that caught fire, and it came out to a total of 1300. Here's my problem- The minute I got home, I got hell from my parents for wanting to even do the swap. They thought I had spent about 300-400 bucks and were having a cow. Things got pretty bad when I told them it was 1300. I can see that they have a point in that my car is immaculate and doesn't need the tranny at all. It is a waste of money, and can be the cause of a crapload of problems. They see the swap as "ruining" the car.
On the other hand, I couldn't be happier with my new tranny. The only fear I have is to f*** something up when I need to drill the firewall for the pedals/ hydraulics, or cutting the floorpan for the shifter.
I don't know what to do, because I don't want to regret cutting up my car and permanently screw it up, but I still want to do the swap.
What do you guys suggest I do? I know this is not tech related, but I need some advice from people who have done auto to manual swaps. Thanks.

 

I know where your coming from. my parents use to be the same way until I started proving to them that my mods where not ruining my car by showing them the car is still driving after 1 year without problems. You are about to embark on a big job. first thing you need to do is completly understand what you are about to get into. below is a few sites that can guide you though the swap. i did the swap about 3 months ago. the hardest part of the job will be drilling the holes in the firewall in the correct spot. cutting the floor isnt hard at all as long as you can get a sawsall. i cut straight back 2 inches then across. keep my email handy once you get ready for the swap and shoot me any questions you might have. i went from a t5 to t56 so i didnt have to drill the firewall.
are you sure you have all the parts needed for the swap.

t56
lt1 bellhousing (with bolts)
lt1 clutch (with bolts)
lt1 clutch/slave cylinder
t5 or lt1 pedals (lt1's better)
aftermarket crossmeber(stock and lt1 one wont work)


you will need a console from a t5 car.
you will need a speedo calibration box($85) http://www.dakotadigital.com/Detail....rtNumber=SGI-5

here is the links
http://www.skulte.com/T56.html
http://www.sethirdgen.org/t56.htm


try selling your 700r4 to hellp out with the money you spent on the t56 already
hope this helps

 

Thanks for your help man. The only things that I am missing are a crossmember from Spohn, and the dakota digital conversion box. I guess an lt1 starter needs to go on the list too, and a new pilot bearing. I'm gonna throw in a polyurethane tranny mount while I am at it as well. That should be it. As far as being informed on what is involved, I feel like I have read every article that is online on doing the swap. The guy I bought the tranny from went over all of the install with me (he has done the swap before), and I was already aware of everthing he told me.
Right now, I am busy sandblasting and wire wheeling some rusty t5 pedals that i got for the swap. They are coming out pretty nice. I'm gonna take out the cat (its clogged), and then strip the interior and start the swap. I had wanted to get some subframe connectors before the T56 so I would have more jacking points on the car, but Spohn isn't taking orders now.
I think it would be best for me to go to a junkyard and make a template for the pedal and clutch master cylinder holes. I've been told that I will see some type of mark or indentation in the sheet metal when I look under the carpet, but I haven't had the time to check it yet.
By the way, how long did it take you to do the swap from start to finish? and how high did you have to raise the car? I'm gonna be doing this in my driveway.

 

If you are going to be using the t5 pedals then make sure the t56 slave/clutch cylinder arm goes on the clutch pedal. the hole on the rod has a plastic goment on the end of it to fit onto the 4th gen pedals only. it will not fit the t5 pedals. i removed the plastic goment and then put the retaining clip back on the pedal. just fix that problem before you install the pedals.

i also did the swap in my driveway. i had to raise the car up quit a bit. put the tranny in without the bellhousing on it. it will be easier. please make sure the car is raised up safe. the car will be high off the ground and the last thing you want is it to fall on you. BE SAFE!

i would recomned having a few guys over to help you out. i put the t56 in by myself on my back and it was no easy task. it took awhile but i slowly raised it up with a jack and a lot of small peices of wood. drain the fluid out to make it little lighter and cut the floor before to do it. i forgot and had to stop what i was doing to get it done

when you get the tranny up to the right height then start sliding it into the clutch. make sure you do not force anything as you will destroy the pilot bearing and maybe the input shaft. make sure you get the clutch fork on the throwout bearing before the tranny and bellhousing mate togehter. make sure the fork slides into the pivot too. . put grease on the pivot, fork, and input shaft. do not put a lot. you dont want it flinging off onto the clutch

it took me a week to get the swap done. it will take longer when you are doing it on your back and by yourself.


one more thing. adding tranny fluid to the t56 once it is in your car is a nightmare. the fill plug is up in the trans tunnel and there is no way to get the bottle in it. here is what i did. i got a long pc. of rubber hose 3/8" (i think) and put one end in the fill hole and the other end i snaked up through the shifter hole in the car. i put one of those caps that has the cone built into on the bottles of fluid and stuck the hose over the cone on the bottle. i then squeezed the fluid through the hose into the tranny. This is a messy job. make sure you have a drip pan under the tanny. also it will take a while and you might want to stab a hole in the bottom of the bottle to help it breathe a bit. any other questions just ask