I've been reading post after post on the T56 and TKO 600/500/3550/what ever else they make. I am trying to figure out what is best for the street, personally I like the Idea of 6 forward gears, I alwso like the spohn toque arm/tranny crossmember, but I have 2 real issues with both of thses items and maybe some one caould shed some light on them.

I plan to build a 355 for means of weekend cruising and trips to FL from NJ. I also plan to make this 355 push about mid to high 500 hp through the use of a roots or centrifugal blower. (i can share my planned motor setup if you would like just ask)
the car will see very limited if any track use and never see anything stickier than 255-50-r16's
Here are my grey area's

1. On street rubber running 3.73's is it likely/possible I will ever break a t56?

2. Is the spohn torque arm/crossmember setup reliable? I read some posts claiming large amounts of deflection and possiblility of cracking the frame does any one know if this is so. If I bolt the TQ arm to the tranny instead of the brace is it less likely there will be issue??


Thanks for all the help and advise.

 

A stock T56 is one of the strongest manual GM tanny's ever created. You would be hard pressed to break one running your car in street trim. In stock form they are good for roughly 450lb ft of serious abuse. There are plenty of 500+ hp LT1 and LS1 cars flogging the hell out of their stock T56's without any problems.