Tremac 5-speed
 

:(Has anyone installed a Tremac into their 68-72 Chevelle? I'm having all kinds of problems with the cross member and going to have to do major tunnel cutting.

I have one in my 69. I had to cut the tunnel from the firewall all the way back to basically the front u joint. I think my floor braces are saggy, as my driveshaft is way up from where it was with the pinion angle correct. Even with the TH350 I had, the front u joint would hit the floor with a few people in the car, so mine has more to do with it than just the trans. I have new floors, but I stupidly didnt replace the floor braces, I think I should have.

Jeff

Here is what I have so far, the sawzaw went right through the sheet metal like butter....I'll have to do some massaging to the replacement metal they sent me as it does not cover what I had to cut. As you can see I still have some triming to do.

It's about the same length as the cross member only needs to be moved about 1.5" back. It's the height that is a lot more. I will take some pics when I get home of the new metal they gave me (it's not installed yet) it is actually pretty nice.

I'm screwed on this one
 

I just checked my runout of the bellhousing and found I have a .020" runout and now I have to remove the dowl pins and replace them and it does not look like it's a easy job. I can't believe .020" would really effect this transmission.:confused:

Better news, it's only .010" as I forgot to divide by 2, but it still is over tolerance and need the dowel pins changed.

Did you by chance try loosening up the bellhousing a bit and moving it in the direction it has to go and re-tightening it? I know with my lakewood scattershield their was enough play in the dowel holes to move it a few thousandths in one direction or another. We dialed mine in to .001 out pretty easily.

Jeff

Jeff,

I was thinking the same thing on my way to work this morning, that all I have to do is push the bellhousing up, as the biggest varation is at the bottom of the hole -.015" ...thanks for the validation on what I was thinking doing as well.

Ric

Well it's official "I can't get the dowl pins out to replace them so I can get my 5-speed in" I'm going to have to call a couple of places on Monday to see if I get the car up to them if they can get it out...if not, the motor comes out and I will have to drill them out. I can't drill them with the motor in the car.

I'm thinking this is the worst idea I've had in a long time putting this transmission in as it has be nothing but a pain in the ass.

Ric, anything you try to do on these cars is a pain in the ass. I finally got my dash installed and all the gauges working. I started on this a month ago. Haven't put the dash pad in because I'm not too crazy about the color. It's supposed to be the same color as the dash but vinyl paint instead of hard plastic/metal paint. It's not even close, it has so much red in it.

Anyway, you'll get there, kick back and relax a bit. Come on down to Bakers tomorrow, Ray and I will be there, supposed to be a nice day.

You are driving these from front to rear???????? I use a fair sized drift and BFH, so far all I've tried push out.

I may be able to get the one on the starter side that way if I remove the header and starter, but on the oil filter side there is a boss there I can feel and see that I don't this I can get anything in there to hit it.

Hank, I have to go to a horse show tomorrow in the morning and if I get back in time I will come on up there...maybe that will make me feel better and get me motived again. I have put in the new insulation on under the heater core box and sand blasted and painted the heater box....it looks great, but no one but me will ever see it....ha

Take pictures of the heater box and lay them on the dash when you go to a show then everyone will be able to see. :D

You would think with access like this it would be easy
 

Well I got the starter and header removed and can see the back side of dowl pin but it still won't come out as I can't get a good swing at it...I'm going to see what is laying around work that woujld be better than a screw driver as the punch....and this is the easy side...the other side the oil filter boss is in the way.

When I pulled the heater off I see that it was leaking...any idea on how to stop it from leaking?

I see you have the tall ARP head bolts and the header has been ground out for clearance. You sure they're not hitting? The leaks look like they're right where the head bolts are. Maybe the gasket was pushed out of shape by the head bolt.

one out one to go
 

So to all of you who are following my saga I have managed to get one of the dowl pins out..all I did was take the air chisel to it and with in 10 secs if was out. Now to get to the other one is the next big task and the harder one.

If I ever get this thing back together before the end of summer without any parts left over I will be surpized.

Drive shaft showed up today, new clutch and gasket kit will be here tomorrow from Summit so I'm hope to have a good weekend working on it.

Rick, What sparked the project for the 5 speed conversion? Last time I seen you and the car it was fine? Just wanted something different? Man that seems like a big project, and I thought rebuilding a motor was time consuming.

Ray, I've always wanted to do this as I can't stand driving it and the motor turning 3000 rpm at 60 mph, If I had to do it again I would not do it. The worst part is getting those dowl pins out...so the advice I have for anyone with a manual trans if you have the motor out, dial in the bell housing then no matter what.

If you remember John, the guy that was with us at Frankenmuth with the 69 SS with a 540 ci, he put a 6 speed in last year and he loves it and said it was the best investment he made. He was smart and when he build his motor years ago he dial in the bellhousing then and when he upgraded it went easy. He also got the T56 6-speed and did not have to cut the tunnel, he just had to dimple it in a couple spots...I should have taken his advise on the 6 speed but did not want to spend the extra $500....live and learn.

Johns car was awesome. Put together very well.

I have to admire you and your project...I couldn't do it. How has the engine been running? You said that it was making some noise, did you figure out what it was?

Have not figured out the noise but I do know it is in the top end, it looks like my headers had a leak so I'm hoping that may be it as I have heard people say that it will sounds like a lifter sometimes. This is one reason I'm going with the 5-speed as it made noise at 3000 rpm and it was bad. If the noise does not go away by the end of the season I will put in a roller cam in over the winter and that should take care of it.

The trans was bad enough and I figured since I was waiting for parts I would fix the heater core which is a royal pain in itself, but at least I will have heat now and can remove the bypass.

John's car is put together real well as he is a perfectionist and it shows. He was over just before I started my project and he said it should not be to bad...wow was he wrong.

Look at the pictures he posted, he has at least 2 exhaust leaks at the headers. He has those tall ARP head bolts and they're probably keeping the header from seating properly.

Update....Both dowl pins our out thanks to the air chisel and removing half the car....Things I have broken so far Starter, 3 spark plugs, Header scrapped up, Spark plug wire and a big ass mess.

Now to start to align the bellhousing and put it back together if I remember where eveything goes.

I'm living murphy law on this one.

Some how I ordered the wrong offset pins, I was told to order the .007" pin and today I put them in and still can't get it to under .005, now I call the place back and they said I need the .014" and they are not sure why I was told .007" and they won't take back the old ones...oh well. Anyone in need of .007" pins let me know and I will give them to you for half price. The are great pins and that is why I still ordered from them.

I won't have them till next Wed or Thursday so no car this weekend...I have plenty of stuff to work on that does not affect the transmission.

Damn Ric this sucks. I will say though, for all the trouble you are having, once you get it going you will not regret it at all. I cruise down the highway in my car at 1800-1900 rpms no problem. I love it, its so much quieter and the engine just isnt taking the beating winding out 3500 rpms's constantly like that. Plus I can get over 18 mpg out of my car, and my engine makes 686 horsepower, so thats not so bad. The TKO600 has made my car a real drivable car now, and for that all the trouble was well worth it.

Jeff

Jeff, thanks for the postive words ...I really need that about now. Thanks again.

You're close Ric, not quite June yet so you'll be good to go for the summer season. Lynda's working tomorrow, come on down and we can go over to Baker's together. Maybe she'll get done early and we can all go. I have plenty of chairs, you just need to get your butt here. Give me a call if you're interested.

Hank, I just seen this tonight, I spend the day with Leslie pulling weeds, shopping and planting all the flowers in the pots and powerwashed the deck so I did not get a chance to get to Bakers today as I was planning. Thanks for the offer, if I would have seen it earlier I would have made time to get there.

I have not touched the car all weekend and that is my plan today......It's funny Leslie walk by it today and looked at it and said "what were you thinking" since I still have the interior, heater, headers, transmission, inter fender wells, removed from the car. Tomorrow is removing the head bolts and grinding them down and installing the headers and starter. Hope you had fun today.

Finally
 

Got the new 014" dowel pins yesterday and installed them today and got the the bell housing to within 001" after removing and installing and adjusting about 5 times...could not get it any better than that..it's almost perfect. Now to put everything back together...it's going to take me forever.

Supposed to rain off and on all day so you have nothing better to do. Get 'er done, it's June.

Well started back on it today since I have not touched it since last Sat as I could not stand the thought of even crawling back under the car. Got the headers installed (Yes Hank I did grind the heads bolts down so the headers do not hit..thanks for the tip) and got the clutch and bellhousing put back on with the starter.


The part I dread the most is getting that beast of transmission installed and that is Saturdays project after that is installed, things should go pretty good I'm hoping.

So hows the progress Ric, did you get the transmission done? Just curious if you have had the joy of driving that new TKO yet.

Jeff

Close Jeff, getting ready to start her up to make sure everything is working before I button it up...next big task is fabbing the tunnel cover. Also waiting for a new mount from Keisler as the one that they sent me is defective as the nut that is embedded in the rubber did not get welded and I can't tighten the both mound bolts...they said this is a common issue.

Coming down on Sunday Ric?

Maybe, won't have a interior thou, I may be sitting on a milk crate.

IT's ALIVE!!!! I got it started and no leaks...and ran the transmission thru the gears while on jack stands and I have all 5 gears and reverse with no grinding....now to button it all up...wish me luck

Ok, good luck!

Hank, that does not sincere...lol

It was sincere Ric. I hope you get it back together soon so you can join us at Baker's or where ever.

It moves under its own power
 

Finally 2 months after I started I got to drive the car today with the 5 speed in it..no interior just the one bucket bolted down and big hole in the floor tunnel that has to be covered. According to the anylzer on Keisler site it now accerates like its got a 4.60 rear end and I believe it...it's nuts getting on it as it went sideways when I hit second gear. I think I'm going to like it.

I got a guy at that I'm going to take it to tomorrow that is going to look to see what he can do to fab a new tunnel for me.

Finally, great news Ric. When can I take it out and beat the crap out of it? Seriously, glad you've almost got it wrapped up, been missing you at Baker's.