[67drake]

The car is the GTO in my signature. I currently am running 3.90’s in an GM 8.5. The 3.90’s were fun when I was living in the city, but now living in a rural area I’m considering dropping an OD transmission in. I don’t want to hack up my transmission tunnel and such. Soooo......is there a “bolt in” OD manual transmission out there?

[chuckies76ta]

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=836613

There is tons of info on here. TKO-600 with a .64 od for highway cruising.

Try the search on the form and start reading.

Charles

[Half-Inch Stud]

4L80 manual-shift is in my 4-Speed 68 GTO. Drop-in but come on:

Shorter driveshaft, move crossmember back, Block adapt-plate ($58), Yard-pull 4L80s for $70 or so

Grafted mech Speedo, Vacuum Modulator added, Stock converter for now (like it)
Clutch pedel unlockes converter (toggle bypass for daily driving)

I have Column shift for PRND, then 4-spd shifter on 4L80 tail.
Auto Floor-shift car would be dramatically easier

Compare with TKO-600 install details.

[67drake]

Originally Posted by chuckies76ta

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=836613

There is tons of info on here. TKO-600 with a .64 od for highway cruising.

Try the search on the form and start reading.

Charles

Thanks. Saw that one but transmission tunnel mods is exactly what I don’t want.

[i82much]

a gear vendors probably would require the least modification.

[David Jones]

I put a TKO600 in my 69 GTO. You will not install it correctly in a 69, nor I suspect a 71, without opening up the tunnel. I have a loooong install thread on here that details my experience. That said, I’d hack it up again as a manual OD Trans is a fantastic thing. http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...ghlight=TKO600

[tom s]

I think the Richmond 5 speed OD fits without cutting.The OD version has only been around a few years so hard to find a used one.Tom

[tom s]

Here it is
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Richmond-Ge...0bbf586169f7aa

[tom s]

The spec provided has a mistake,it says 10 spline input,it is 26 and the price includes the Long shifter.Tom

[67drake]

Originally Posted by tom s

The spec provided has a mistake,it says 10 spline input,it is 26 and the price includes the Long shifter.Tom

Oh, and my GTO has the factory counsel. Would it still work?

[67drake]

Originally Posted by tom s

I think the Richmond 5 speed OD fits without cutting.The OD version has only been around a few years so hard to find a used one.Tom

Cool! Thanks for replies guys. Yeah I did a search and read for 1.5 hours last night, but threads I read didn’t really mention cutting tunnel info.
I don’t want to cut this one and If I can’t do an overdrive I would seriously consider just putting the 8.2 back in it and selling it, then buy a non original car to play with
Thanks

[6 Grrrs]

I have a Richmond OD for my '66 and started to put it in the car, but dyno schedule had me pulling the engine before I could get it in the car. The Richmond I got is a 6 speed - found used at Carlisle for ~$1700. Since it was used, the shifter bracket ws already mounted to it, and that was keeping me from installing it in the car (engine would not lower down enough without taking off drivers side header). Engine is no out of the car and I'm making a bunch of changes to the car before re-installing.

I have the tailshaft off the trans and haven't had time to work on removing the shifter bracket. I think with this bracket removed, the trans will go in with minimal trimming. I did trim the bit of floor that was inside the shifter porch - about 1.25" at the top down to about .5" at the lower left corner.

My car has an original floor and I refuse to cut anymore that the small amount I have trimmed. Supposedly the 5 speed OD trans has the shifter about a half inch forward of this 6 speed. That was from a Richmond tech. I don't have one to compare to. I like the ratios of the 6 speed. He did tell me they are bringing back the Richmond 6 speed soon.

[HWYSTR455]

So guessing 2nd gen F bodies have a larger tunnel than the 68-72 A bodies? I know there's no problem putting a TKO600 in a 2nd gen F. I also am using drop body bushings, still fits.

David Jones - Guessing the area of contact is the 'square' upper part of the case that hits the rounded part of the top of the tunnel? Trying to get an idea of where the issues are for future reference.

I've heard some talk of a 'template' that's included in some TKO 'swap kits' for 68-72s, and that it's fairly straight forward, and can be done without too much effort or fab skills. Curious if anyone has info on that as well? Think I saw someone mention a Silver Sport kit that was like that?

Also understand that the carpet and console hides any mods that are required?


.

[Scarebird]

Option "B" is to change your diff to 3.08's or 2.93's and run a M22Z.
No driveshaft changes, same shifter, console, etc. Only issue I had was the yoke I had did not fit, Paul sent a new one and it fit perfectly.

The gear spread is more as it covers a 0.82 OD gear spread but in 4 gears, no issue at all with a torque heavy 440 Pontiac.

https://www.5speeds.com/newm22.html

[b-man]

Another option would be to swap your 3.90 gears to 2.73 (same posi carrier is used for both gear sets) and find a non-OD Richmond or Doug Nash 5-speed, they can still be found used for reasonable prices.

One advantage is the lower driveshaft speed in 5th with 1:1 gearing, the driveshaft would be spinning extremely fast with an OD and a 3.90 gear. Minimal to no tunnel mods to install, shifter position is a litter further back than stock but it can be moved forward with a little modification to the shifter mounting plate and shift rods.

I have a Doug Nash 5 speed with Long shifter that was originally in my old ‘64 GTO when I bought the car from my friend. I was able to move the shifter forward and down enough to make it work in a ‘69 Firebird with the stock console, only very minor trimming of the shifter hole was required. Also had to move the stick toward the drivers side by about an inch using a fabricated spacer between the stick and shifter mechanism, came out looking factory.

[David Jones]

Originally Posted by HWYSTR455

So guessing 2nd gen F bodies have a larger tunnel than the 68-72 A bodies? I know there's no problem putting a TKO600 in a 2nd gen F. I also am using drop body bushings, still fits.

David Jones - Guessing the area of contact is the 'square' upper part of the case that hits the rounded part of the top of the tunnel? Trying to get an idea of where the issues are for future reference.

I've heard some talk of a 'template' that's included in some TKO 'swap kits' for 68-72s, and that it's fairly straight forward, and can be done without too much effort or fab skills. Curious if anyone has info on that as well? Think I saw someone mention a Silver Sport kit that was like that?

Also understand that the carpet and console hides any mods that are required?


.

I originally split the tunnel on the passenger side just enough to get the TKO in there and realized that was a waste of time since I was going to have to fill a hole, making a bigger one wasn’t a big deal. Keisler basically wanted you to cut the whole top of the tunnel out before you got started. I felt my way into it. I found all the Abody sites a valuable resource, especially the Chevelle sites. My understanding is a 4spd console will fit. I’ll also add that the engine mounts were fairly fresh, the trans mount was new and the crossmember isolators were new. The body mounts were about 6-8 years old.

[tom s]

Be sure to leave room in the tunnel to pull the trans if necessary.Would hate to have to take the tunnel apart to get it out.When we did my 63 tempest we made the tunnel removable.Tom

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by David Jones

I originally split the tunnel on the passenger side just enough to get the TKO in there and realized that was a waste of time since I was going to have to fill a hole, making a bigger one wasn’t a big deal. Keisler basically wanted you to cut the whole top of the tunnel out before you got started. I felt my way into it. I found all the Abody sites a valuable resource, especially the Chevelle sites. My understanding is a 4spd console will fit. I’ll also add that the engine mounts were fairly fresh, the trans mount was new and the crossmember isolators were new. The body mounts were about 6-8 years old.

Very nice documentation and pics, I see it now, thank you. I somehow thought the clearance issue(s) would be further forward, makes sense now. Not too bad since you have to add the shifter porch anyway. Wonder what would be diff with an original manual car?

I'll say it again, you do nice work!

.

[David Jones]

Originally Posted by HWYSTR455

Very nice documentation and pics, I see it now, thank you. I somehow thought the clearance issue(s) would be further forward, makes sense now. Not too bad since you have to add the shifter porch anyway. Wonder what would be diff with an original manual car?

I'll say it again, you do nice work!

.

I never found any evidence that a manual trans car had a different tunnel other than having the porch and associated hole. I did a little hammer massaging up a bit forward of the new sheet metal. Square trans in a round tunnel. Keisler supposedly did some machining on their TKO’s to help clearance issues as much as possible. Did they and how much I don’t know.

Tom, getting the trans in and out is straightforward.

[pontiacmark]

Keisler's RS600 trans was a bolt in with my 70 GTO but unfortunately they are no longer in production. Keisler had many business struggles that led to the close of his business. That is a sore subject with many I will not get into here. With the exception of occasionally popping out of reverse it has been a good product. No tunnel mods and the factory console fit. Only had to move the trans crossmember and have shorter driveshaft made. The Richmond with 1:1 5th and higher rear gear is an option many of the local guys have used successfully in GTOs.

Silver Sport bought the Tremec conversion portion of Keisler's business and still offers the kits. American Powertrain is operated by former Keisler employees. They had stated at one time they thought the TKO could be installed in the 68-72 A-Body if everything was just right. That included new body bushings and alignment. With the TKO case width it doesn't really fit A bodies without mods. 2nd Gen F-bodies have a much wider tunnel.