CELEBRATING 20 YEARS!

Mine's all done. NWC T5 from a 86 Trans am. 83 F Body bellhousing with speed direct mechanical linkage. All sitting behind a blueprinted and balanced 305. I had to raise the tranny tunnel slightly and after I adjusted the clutch it's been shifting great.

I ran low 15's high 14's the first time on the strip.

One problem, my wife won't ride with me, she say's I snap her neck when I shift. Well, is that really a problem?

I've out run her 98 Z28 LS1/Auto a couple times, Not because my car is faster, she just cant drive!!!!!

Well not a Monte but an 80 Malibu with a T-5 and now in the process of installing a 496 stroker with a T-56
Please dont make fun of my shifter.....

I won't make fun, but I do have to ask though - why is the shifter up so far? Did you use an S-10 T5 (or S10 tailhousing)?

we did a tranny swap in my buddies s10. man did it throw a gear in the works when i slid our t5 into the bell and saw where it put the shifter. we had to go searching for a s10 tailhousing to get it to fit. what motor is that tranny behind? they never put a world class in the s10, the only way youd end up with a shifter that far up with a world class would be if you purposely switched the tailhousings. i hear alot of people do that for 5 spd conversions in bel airs and stuff cause it puts the shifter in a more comfortable spot. be careful you dont pop that tranny.

^^at least you got inventive with the shifter. whatever works, better than having the tranny shift for you anyday of the week.

I used the s10 tail so it would come closer to the stock 4 speed location. And was able to use the "real" 4 speed console setup

What matters is that it did the trick! Did the 4-speed consoles look just like that with a tray where the shifter went on the automatic cars? I believe this is the same plate Mike's Montes sells aftermarket.

Yes that is a factory 4 speed console and Mike's does sell the repros of them

Cool - I've never even seen a factory 4-speed car with a console before! I always thought those console trays were an aftermarket piece for cutting up to fit a shifter in it

It's official, she's in the car!

Sweet I am in the process of removing my T-5 and installing a T-56 as well.

What parts did you use?

turna, if your interested, they make an adpater plate allowing you to bolt a t56 to your current t5 bell. you could reuse the existing clutch, hydraulics pedals everything. all youd have to do is move the xmember and shorten your driveshaft 2 inches or so.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=MCL%2D8%2D207&autoview=sku

I was going to use that but for a 93-97 style T-56 i was told u need to change the input shaft. Not sure if it is true. So I went with the hydraulic.

So far I have the Hydraulic setup the T-56 (waiting for sixspeeds inc) the custom clutch pedal the spec stage 3 clutch setup and the x member

just waiting for my 496 to come back from the shop!!

But... always good to gather as much info as you can before attemping it yourself!!

KPETRY..........

Any updates?

Turna- No real updates on the t-56. I've been working on wiring and radiator issues the past couple of weeks. Fired the engine for the first time last Sat, but haven't run it long due to no radiator yet. Hope to make some more progress today.

Can you give me a measurement from the hump to the hole.

Did you use a 93-97 T56 or 98 (LS1) and up?

Turna - Sorry, haven't been on the board for several days. I apologize for not getting back to you. The floor is now covered with carpet, so measuring will be tougher. I do know that the back edge of the hole was exactly even with the front edge of the AT shift bracket (next to your arrow). I laid under the car with a Sharpie marker and marked the corners of the shifter tower on the T56, then center punched them, and then drilled a hole at each corner from below, then cut it from the top (connecting the dots) with a plasma cutter after removing the shifter and covering the opening in the trans to keep slag out. As the position of your trans relative to your body position could vary from mine, I would only use this mark and drill technique,if I were you.

Mine's a '95 Trans Am T56.

Turna, you have a BBC, is the dimension from the motor mounts to the rear of block (bellhousing surface) the same as SBC, I can't remember that measurement anymore. That may set the trans back farther.
I didn't think the LT1 trans put the shifter that far back. My aftermarket T56 is 2" forward of that shifter location, hmmm.
Bob

id like to add my name to the list, is there any kinda of initiation? i can now row my own gears!

Thanks to 85_SS he helped a crap load even the dumb questions.and to anyone else who chimmed in along the way, thanks!





still got a few small things to iron out(like the cruise) but i took her on her maiden voyage yesterday, then got the boot and both seats installed today and did a bit of cruising.....Its like awhile different car

Looks sweet

5 or 6 speed?

Nice work Mike! Is the shifter in neutral in those pics? (just curious if the slight DS lean mine has is normal, or whether that happened when the offset was welded). It's amazing how different the car feels isn't it?

WC T5

yea its in netural there...i think
the shifter was a fun one, i tried like heck not to cut/weld it
after i took it apart and flipped it 180 it just slammed into my knee so i got the bright idea to put in a press and just pres the bend out, it would have been perfect but its hardened steel and cracked in several places along the bend area so then i had to cut about a 1 icnch section out and replace it....so its defintaly a shifter i can call my own. i really wish i had a leather boot for it but that big hole(truck boot?)was the only one i could find to fit it that was tall enough.


yea the whole attitude of the car has changed, i just cant belive it, for a 6 it'll get up and move

I have finally put in the 97 factory camaro T- 56 into my 87. along with a ford 9 inch with 3.89 spool. I have a 350 bored 40 over with flat top pistons dart II angle plug heads, a torque cam and full length headers with 3 inch flowmasters 40 drags. The car is a beast that i am driving every day, i can bang gears around town and make as much noise as i want with the engine rpms, then get out on the highway and cruise at 80 like the engine is not even noticable. i have a spec stage II clutch that is a little chatty but it is getting better with the more miles i have on it. I have never been able to really test this engine because of the old auto trans would just slip the power away. When i finally was able to floor it and get the power to the ground it actually scared me a little how hard it pulls, I could not wipe the smile off my face for the rest of the day, then it was time to give every one a ride. thanks to everyone one this site that helps out on the questions posted the web site has been my bible for this swap. may be some day i will actually put in a picture of my beast.
Thanks for all the great info
Matt

Just did it again.....so put me down twice!!!!

Did things a little different this time around.....

My 86 CL has 96 T56 using stock LT1 Bellhousing and hydralics, 89 F-body pedals modified. G-force cross member. Stock replacement clutch, stock Flywheel, and a Pro5.0 Shifter.

Also used shorty headers on this car vs the long tube headmans I have my SS. Shorties are the way to go just cause of the added room and ease. I would use the headman's again but only if every HP was an issue....

How did you mount the hydralics to the firewall?

Have a pic?

Thanks