Guys
Im ready to cut the hole for my T56.Its an aftermarket one not one from a 4th Gen,
I know the size of the hole that i need to cut but can anyone give me a dimension where to start.I have the centre console out and ive removed the auto shifter.
There is a big rib in the transmission tunnel just about where your elbow would rest if you were driving.
If somebody could give me dimensions from this point,it would help a lot

Thanks
PM

 

I really don't know if the retrofit t56 is any different, but I cut all the way to 1/4 of the mounting bracket for the center console.

 

Pasky,
Thanks for replying but i'm not quite sure what you mean by "all the way to a 1/4"

PM

 

You'll see what I mean when you pull your center console... There is a mount for the center consiole that has to bolt holes that hold the console down in the front of it. Its like a bracket near the shifter hole, I cut back from the shifter hole into 1/4 of the bracket.

 

i did this lastnight.

some sharp tinsnips cut thru the floor pan like butter... litterly like cutting paper... its amazint how thin it is.

im assuming like me, you had a auto shifter in there.

heres how i did mine:

put the bellhousing on. measure on the trans from where it meets the bellhousing to where the center of the shifter is.
drill a large hole so you can see and have a place to start cutting from. i used the same holesaw that i used to make the firewall hole for the master cyl.

take the shifter off the trans... place several rags in the shifter hole, and then one over it... this will keep dirt and metal shavings out of the trans. you cannot have the shifter on, it will hit the floorpan.

then install it on the bell housing.
now using your hole from the top you can start cutting to get a general shape of the rectangle needed for the shifter to come thru. using a jack raise the trans until its almost on the floorpan, then you can eyeball ti really close.
but cut short. make the hole smaller then needed.
then raise the trans again and slowly trim back.
when you're done, it should be centerd, but with a little extra room all around to account for trans movement.



now as you start this, you'll begin to see how the spot welded auto shift mount is in the way.. to remove it you have to drill the spotwelds out... i just used a close size drill bit... center the bit over the spot weld (little circle indentation) and drill... once thats out, use a wedge or somthign and pry/ bend it out of the way.
as long as yuo drill out the welds, it should be easy.

i cut mine off only where needed... the other spot welds thatdont cover the hole i left... i didnt want extra holes in the floorpan




hope that helps.

 

ok thanks,
The problem is that i am also fitting a new engine which hasnt arrived yet,so there is no engine in the car.
If i cant get any definite pictures and dimensions,i will have to wait until the engine arrives then do it as you say

PM

 

I cut mine before I put the engine and tranny in and just winged it. I measured 2" back from the original shifter hole. I was replacing the carpet and figured....**** it, might as well do it now. I actually cut about 1/4 " too much but no big deal, I actually like it like that since I know there will be no clearance issues.

 

there is no original shifter hole with an Auto though
PM

 

Oh, crap.....Sorry man, had no idea you were starting from an auto. Now for that your going to have to consult with mr dude and any other members who did the swap. Im pretty sure TKO performance can lend ya a hand, he is very informative about tranny swaps.

 

The rear of my rubber shift boot butts against the spot where the rear of the auto shifter bracket is welded. Not right on the welds, but where the bracket bends up from the floor pan. I think the flange on the rubber boot is about 1/2", so the rear of the hole would be about 1/2" in from of where the rear of the auto-shifter bracket meets the floor. At least that's how mine fits - '91 Camaro and '96 T56. Hope that helps.

 

you can do it with the carpet in... no problem


i reccomend you wait until you have the motor and trans in.... it only takes about 10mins to cut the hole, so its not like you're saving alot of time by doing it now..

just wait and get it exactly right, rather then doing it now and possibly having a gaping hole in the wrong spot and having to trim some more.

 

Well ive cut the hole.
Quite easy to position in the end as ive already got the Spohn crossmember in place and because the shifter postion is directly above the mounting which bolts to the crossmember,i drilled a 1"hole directly above the crossmemeber and opened out the hole from there.Not sure why such a big hole is in a T5 equipped 3 rd gen but ive made mine smaller so that i can open it up once everything is in place.
thanks for all your help guys

PM