ok i am wanting a 6 speed. i have a 2 pieece rear main seal. i have heard that there are problems with bolting up a 6 speed to a 2 piece rear main. what do i need to buy besides the trans?

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Brandon
"ScreaminDeamin 360"
350 60 over, TRW forged 9.83:1 pistons, crane cam 216/228 .484/.512, crane 1.6 RR's, ported plenum, home made ram air, 19 lb SVO injectors, crane AFPR

 

I'm not positive about the two-piece rear main seals, but I think the only difference is that you have to get a flywheel made for the two-piece type crank. Then there is the crossmember that needs to be fabricated and your speedometer needs to be hooked up with a calibration box. These aren't hard to do though.

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88 firebird formula
350 Vortec TBI
214int/224exh, .471int/.491exh
Edelbrock headers
SIX-speed
Eats LS1's with a 2.73 open rear and 2 1/4 stock catback

My Formula

[This message has been edited by Birmass (edited October 24, 2000).]

 

There was an article in the September '00 issue of Car Craft on Page 103-
104 on doing the T-56 swap. They used our kit for the swap.

If you're using a 93-97 F-Body T-56, the shifter does not line up with the
OEM floor opening, you have to enlarge it with a die-grinder, etc.
Most ThirdGen cars have a speedo cable, except the very late
models which had electronic. If the car has a cable speedo, you'll
need a conversion box. You can re-use the stock torque
arm and driveshaft. You will need the bellhousing, clutch etc. from
the 4thGen T-56.

We offer just the crossmember. Or you can get a total kit that
includes the crossmember with a DS safety loop, and our adjustable
torque arm that mounts onto the crossmember. If you re-use the
stock torque arm, we can't put a loop on the crossmember because
it hits the torque arm.

Unless you already have the T-56, there is a better solution IMHO,
especially if the ThirdGen was a 5 speed car. Borg-Warner makes
an aftermarket T-56 that mates right up to the T-5 bellhousing. In
other words all you need is the transmission, you re-use the T-5
bellhousing, clutch, etc. Another big advantage is that this
transmission also has a speedo cable hook up.

The transmission comes with a 1/2" thick adapter plate to mate the T-
56 to the T-5 bellhousing. The transmission mount on this unit is 2" further to
the rear of the car, compared to the 4thGen T-56. However, this unit
was designed to place the shifter directly in place with the OEM floor
cut-out.

Since this unit sits 2" further to the rear of the car, you need to
shorten your driveshaft and the OEM torque arm by 2". You can't just
chop 2" off the front of the torque arm as you need that area to slide
inside of the torque arm bushing. You have to section out 2" from
the center of the torque arm. This is the only "pain" about this swap.

However, we built the solution for these. We have a kit for this unit
that includes the crossmember with a DS safety loop, our adjustable
torque arm that mounts to the crossmember, and a proper length
extreme duty - precision balanced driveshaft.

We also carry the BW aftermarket T-56 now as well. You can get
the transmission, and the entire kit above for $2750.00 for
everything. That's about the same amount of money you'd spend
swapping in a 4thGen T-56, so for the same ball park amount of
money you get a brand new transmission.

Probably more then you wanted to know, but that's the scoop. Feel
free to email me if you need more information.

Steve

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Spohn Performance: F-Body Chassis/Suspension Specialists

 

I don't know, maybe I was lucky but after my swap was complete I only spent around $1400. This included the trans, bellhousing, clutch & pressure plate, flywheel, hydraulics, pedals, shifter, 4th gen starter, and speedo conversion box. Then I opted to get Steve Spohn's crossmember with adjustable torque arm. So in total I spent about $1800 and a weekend of labor on the swap.

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1991 Z28 - 350 TPI, T56, Centerforce Dual Friction clutch, ported plenum & runners, AFPR, Holley Annihilator ignition box and wires, Hooker shorty headers w/o AIR, no cats, Flowmaster muffler, homeade ram-air, SSM subframe connectors, Steve Spohn adjustable torque arm and T56 crossmember

 

Hayes makes the flywheel you need. It's basically a neutral balance, larger bolt style LT1 flywheel.

Both options sound rather dismal to me. Perhaps a Tremec 5 speed is the way to go....

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1984 WS6 Trans Am Hartop
Former L69 Car under restoration
1984 WS6 Trans Am T-top car
4-bolt main 350, headers, Holley 650, T-5 and 3.23's.
Daily driver and restoration

 

well i just bought an 89 iroc witha t-5 in it. my brothers have trmecs in their camaros but i dont have 2100 just laying around for a tranny. i know a guy who gets 6 speed that are warrantied out so i guess i will talk to him about getting one. thansk for the help.

------------------
Brandon
"ScreaminDeamin 360"
350 60 over, TRW forged 9.83:1 pistons, crane cam 216/228 .484/.512, crane 1.6 RR's, ported plenum, home made ram air, 19 lb SVO injectors, crane AFPR

 

I made the swap to a six speed and only wonder why I never did it sooner. It is a great transmission.

Has anyone else made this conversion with a 3rd that already had the stock electronic speedometer? I am looking to find out how you can re-calibrate it.

Mark

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1992 Pontiac Firebird 350/Six Speed
1987 Toyota Pickup 383/500+ HP

 

Hey Mark, I did the swap and I have the electronic sppedo. I bought the Cyberdyne electronic speedo conversion box from Jegs for about $80. It involves splicing the box into the wires coming from the speed sensor on the transmission. Then there are two adjusting screws on the box (fine adjust and coarse adjust) that you turn until your speedo is correct. I havn't seen any other way of doing it for our cars. If you hear of another way, let me know.

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1991 Z28 - 350 TPI, T56, Centerforce Dual Friction clutch, ported plenum & runners, AFPR, Holley Annihilator ignition box and wires, Hooker shorty headers w/o AIR, no cats, Flowmaster muffler, homeade ram-air, SSM subframe connectors, Steve Spohn adjustable torque arm and T56 crossmember