Car is originally a T5 5 speed '87 IROC-Z, the tranny is a correct 94-97 LT1 style T56, and I've done lots of reading on the topic but have mixed answers on a few things.

Exactly how far back do I have to "extend" the shifter hole? Does anyone have pics of the bigger hole? Or a measurement? I'd like to cut it once and be done.

How exactly is the clutch fork / transmission installed? I have the flywheel and clutch assembly bolted up.

Should I bolt the bellhousing up to the motor, and then bolt the transmission up?

Or, Should I bolt the bellhousing to the transmission and then bolt up the whole assembly to the motor?

When should I slide on / install the clutch fork?

 

1. About 1½ - 2".

2. I had never done one, so I did it the familiar way; put the BH on first, then the trans after that. It was a PITA though because it has to be stabbed so accurately. Looks like it might be easier to go the other way. I used 2 floor jacks, one pointed frontwards and one pointed rearwards, to get it raised and tilted just exactly right.

3. Not sure what you're asking. The fork though, goes on that T-shaped thing that bolts on the front of the transmission. IIRC it has to be bolted to the trans before it goes into the car. But it has to be slid off of its final resting place to get it to mate to the throwout.

4. As said, the fork should be on the trans when it goes in, but not clipped into place. Once the trans is in, clip it on while inserting its tangs into the throwout. Then put the spacer and the slave cyl on.

 

i did this swap recently so i have first hand experience
1. i had to cut it back about 2 inches, it went partly into the 90 degree bracket that the crossmember for the center console bolts to.
2. after the flywheel and clutch, put the bellhousing on, the fork gets bolted to the transmission. make sure it slides back and forth (closer and farther from the input shaft). pull the fork away from the inout shaft and put the tranny on. after it is installed and bolted up slide the fork onto the bearing and make sure it is on there all the way. next bolt up the slave and try it out.

any more questions let me know

 

Thanks again, you were spot on with partly cutting into the 90* bracket, i just about took half of the bottom part off and it fit beautifully. I basically ended up extending the factory lines on the T5 hole about 1.75"

I read up on bleeding the slave and even used the "mity vac" method to take all the air out and it works great!



Now the only things I have left to do is install an Abbot Cable X so my speedo can work and I can lose that code 24 (so my idle can drop too) and I need to buy the male plugs for the reverse lockout and the VSS so I can wire them up.

Does anyone know those part numbers off hand?

 

VSS pigtail (12101899), reverse lockout pigtail (12101857), reverse light pigtail (12085485).

 

Hard to believe my local stealership wanted $36 for the VSS and $25 for the VSS pigtails.

Christ on a Harley I'm going to see if I can't snag them out of something in the yard, are there the same plugs on a different application that's more commonly found in the yard?