Just picked up my new project from Grifter on this board.

Getting things lined up although I expect this to be a 2 or 3 year project start to finish.

My 89 Formula is on its way and the first thought in my mind is 6 speed...auto.

I know the 6L60 is pretty big width and height and I am wondering if anyone has ever bothered...or if its worth it.

For simplicity's sake, I will probably go 4L60 but I'd prefer the extra 2 gears if fabrication isn't over the top. I know someone stuck one in a 95 Impala SS but the trans tunnel on an F body is a bit tighter.

Looking for a reply.

 

get a 4l60 with a gear venders overdrive ITS way overkill but will give you roughly 8 gears by being able to split any gear

 

The 4L80E is a massive trans and just barely fits in the stock trans tunnel. The 6L80E is even bigger

Best chance is to cut the trans tunnel out, finalize the trans position and modify/replace the trans tunnel like older cars commonly do with swaps

 

After researching the gear splitter I think I am going to go that route. I haven't talked to the company yet but I'm a year away from digging in deep on this project. I'm researching now trying to plan everything.

Now its a matter of finding a trans fabricator in NJ who will can work with me or finding the right combination of build parts. Our sponsor makes a kick *** tranny but its a little out of what I was budgeting for a trans.

 

have you looked into TCI's 6 speed using a 4L80 housing?

 

No I haven't. However, a quick glance at TCI's website, tells me that $6630 seems a bit much when I can buy a 700r4 that can handle 700hp & a gear splitter for a total of $5000.

My preference may change once I start getting input on the engine and what I want the end result to be of this product. I'm not 100% sure of what end result I want yet, but durability is at the top of the list for starters. So the research has started and I would probably think a year of talking to people should put me right where I want to be.

I have a lot of research to do before diving in head first but the comments are appreciated.

 

very true, and I know its pricey just seemed cool idk anyone who has one just been researching it on youtube. the 6l80 I have in my new vette is very good and my old vette was an '06 and supercharged had 561/492 to the rear, RPM built 6l80 tranny held together the whole time and I put well over 40,000 miles of hard driving through it. good luck with your project either way you decide to go.

 

I had similar thought of fitting and L76/6L80e combination from a '09 Pontiac G8 GT into my '91 Z28 convertible, but to start cutting the tunnel to fit the much larger 6L80e for the extra 2 gears was not worth the additional cash and headaches with having to modifying the center console and gear selector etc.
I ended up taking the simple route and bought a rebuild 4L60e and that works just great.
Good luck with your project.

 

I realize this is old,but I just wanted to say that I have done the swap on a 1991 RS convertible and I love it! The tunnel was raised 1.5 inches and the same amount removed from the sides of the console(under the carpet).The shifter only needed a hole drilled to bolt it to the trans. pan. Remember that you only need to shift as far as DRIVE if you do not plan on paddle shifting and only one one past that would be M for manual shifting WITH paddle shifters. With the raised tunnel I was still able to use a standard size radio but selection is limited because of the depth available. I used Spohn engine mount adapters with GEN 4 mounts. To mount the trans. I used a Spohn cross member and torqe arm for a T56 swap. A 1.25 spacer was needed to fine tune the trans position and drive line angle A 2011 camaro trans. mount was used. I would be happy to give anyone who wants to do this swap more details. I did this in a two car garage with the exception of rewelding in the tunnel, I have a friend who builds stock cars that did that part for me.
If you decide to do this I think you will love it as much as I do!

 

Got any pictures?

 

here'



s pics

 

more pics

 

I will try again

 

Excellent info

 

Wow, thats awesome. The pics are greatly appreciated.

 

In the photo looking through the cut-out at the trans. mount, you can see a mismatch between the cross member and the mount studs, instead of modding the cross member I had a 1.25 inch adapter/spacer made to both account for the mismatch and get the driveline angle right. the adapter mounts to the trans mount studs(I shortened them). The bottom of the adapter has threaded inserts that allow it to be bolted from below to the crossmember

 

Lets see if I got this right... You used a t56 swap torque arm and then made an adapter plate to bolt the 4l80 to the crossmember?

 

Not a 4l80 a 6l80 six speed auto

 

Hm. I see you have an LS engine. Any chance that I'd be able to pull this off with a different one, say, a 350? I don't know much about how they would line up, or whether an adapter for such a thing exists.

 

The hard part of my swap was the 6l80 trans. An ls swap into a third gen is not hard if you use a LS 4l60 trans. The stock drive shaft should even work. You could use a 4.8,5.3,5.7,6.0,or a 6.2. they all will mount the same.There is a lot of info on this site. Have fun! P.S. If you do not want to do the wiring John Spears at SPEARTECH could make a plug and play harness.

 

Kestell123. Thank you for doing this. Now when people ask about this swap instead of beaten around the bush, now I hope they can explain the swap an teach them what you did. there's another member that done this Pro Mod street car. With trans brake.. When would you be doing the paddle shift install. Do you have pictures of the console an dim an anything about the shifter an closure pics of the inside..

 

I went with the Speartech switch for manual up or down shifts. I put it in an unused slot to the right of the steering wheel. A simple push up is an up shift down is a down shift! I would have liked to have a gear indicator like some of the paddle shifters have, but they were to pricey for me. I cut 1.5 inches out of the console under the carpet on each side to close-up the radio opening to fit a single din radio. The shifter mounts in the console just like stock. The mount on the trans oil pan fits tightly in the pan rail groove so I just drilled one hole in it to mount it with an trans. oil pan bolt after adjusting for correct PARK location.The ratio of movement between the shifter an the trans. is very slightly off so that with PARK being correct the console gear indicator is a little farther off the more you move back on the shifter. DRIVE in the trans. is on the front edge of DRIVE on the indicator. SPORT/MANUAL in the trans. is on the back edge of DRIVE on the indicator. My wife and I did the long haul on powertour this year and it ran great! This month's HOTROD magazine has a great picture of my car on the autocross. A white/red hood stripe 1991 camaro. I was very surprised and honored to have my car pictured in the magazine! But the caption was a little to kind, I wasn't very good.

 

I'm also going to be doing a ls3.. At first I was thinking do the E rod but with all is entail to complete the cost are so Hi.. So I have located four ls3 with auto trans 2011 SS around 33k on each power plant with harness an everything there minus the cats an pedal.. I have Gene Jones Racing out of La Habra already awaiting this conversion. He has done some tunnel Ls work already with a classic Gm. So down the road we might have a question or two. Good thing is it goes together an no stand alone unit fetching the upper 500-1000 plus a convertor for the speedo. So you used the spohn adjustable you said.. I already know will need more info on that tail housing an torque arm. 2011 manifolds an Oe cats will fit correct.. Does raising the tunnel give more room or the cuts much narrow than that?

 

First what are you swapping INTO? Second, If you are buying a 2011 camaro engine and AUTO trans. from the same car it is not an LS3. The automatics came the the L99 engine which has vvt and afm. I used gen four f-body exaust manifolds. I did use cats but they are bullit style after market

 

I was thinking the same thing. I was planning on keeping the engine generationally correct with a well built SBC (Chevy BowTie Block) and go with a more advanced transmission. However, since the bolt patterns are different - at least from what I have read on this board and other sources - then you need adapter plates, and wider flyplates etc. in order for the old style L98(TPI) 350 block to bolt up to the LS Style trans'.

I could be wrong but from what I have read the old style block and the newer trans don't line up (4l60 post LT1)

 

I'm putting it into a 88 Iroc.. I was going to go the E Rod route but it's far to expensive. I just want a easy 5thgen swap motor wise an electrical an pcm. And work with Bar..
What is vvt an afm?

Ok vvt an afm. Ya I'm cool with that. I like what the vvt does with the timing. afm im good with that.. I'm just going to be road course.. Not drag racing.. Probably would maintain stock engine wise for meanwhile I get thru bar.

 

One thing to remember is that the L99 with VVT and AFM have a very high volume oil pump because the VVt and AFM are controled by oil pressure. They then use an oil pressure relief valve in the oil pan to limit oil pressure to 50-55 psi max.I used a 4th gen f-body oil pan which fit well but I had Wegner motor sports in Wisconsin modify it to use the pressure relief valve. With out the valve, pressure will be so high it will cause problems with these controls . Ask me how I Know! Also, The 6l80/6l90 transmissions need the engine to be a 58 tooth reluctor wheel engine. That means a GEN 4 LS. I did see that there was a company that was selling a coil-on plug 58 tooth conversion for the gen 1 small block But I Know nothing else about it.

 

$$$

 

Ya I'm still learning by reviewing all the threads.. I recall you somewhere mentioning about that pressure valve.. So what's the year L99 that have the 58 tooth..

 

All Ls engines that have AFM also known as DOD Have the valve in the pan.

 

Was just saying the years dod.. You can add a bolt on such as a Sc for ls3 and was just wondering is that ok with dod. I read up on the vvt cam swap..

 

I don't know what that means or what you are asking!

 

Who's A/C bracket/setup is that?

 

Kwik performance

 

Thanks for the reply. I wonder why more people aren't using that setup when doing a turbo in a 4th gen.

 

I liked the top AC and alternator placement since then Holley has come out with a product with similar placement but is made with factory like cast brackets.