I really want a 5 spd from Keisler or an alternative. I have called them 3 times over the last year and the price just keeps going up. I ask for a deal but they ever seem to have any when I call. So I called today and thought I could get over the price but 10 weeks before delivery has stopped me once again. Is there any 5 spd bolt ins on the market without having to wait for it being built? It blows my mind that they have never caught up and there is always a terrible wait.

 

Classic Chevy 5

 

Richmond

 

Depends on how much work you want to do. Friend of mine with a 79' L-82 3.70 axle 4 speed, went with a Keisler TKO 500 5 speed, and can't say enough about it. Kit was totally inclusive, including drive shaft and 5 speed console shifter plate. I've been in the the car a couple times, and it's pretty sweet. Hurst does these kits too, so maybe check with them.

 

Call summit or Jegs and have it in 3-5 days

 

I bought the Keisler RS500. I'm converting from an automatic. Bought the entire kit with the hydraulic set up. Yes it took three months to get it, but worth the wait. Kit is very complete and customer service has been great.

 

I went with the Richmond 6 speed. Pretty much a direct bolt in, reuses the existing driveshaft, and 0.76 OD worked better with my 3.08 rear.

 

This is who I bought from.

 

A couple of years ago, I had a T45-RS Keisler 5-speed put in and I'm very pleased with it. The previous owner of my 1970 had switched it from manual to automatic, so his wife could drive it. I was putting it back to manual, so needed the full kit. It was very complete and the shop I had putting it in said it was an easy install on my C3, and fit perfectly without any big modifications. The only wait I experienced was due to needing the 26-spline input shaft. They had 10-splines available, but were having supplier problems on the 26-spline units. I looked at Keisler's web site today and they don't have much reference on this transmission, so I'm not sure if they're still selling it.

 

Plenty of other suppliers. Call them.

 

Try american power train ,they have a real good kit for our cars.a bunch of us bought 5 speeds from them in a group buy,but we did have to wait,there was a shortage of 5 speeds.Just call them and ask about the wait,they may not have a wait now,there was a wait for us because there was alot of us that ordered.

 

I got my TKO 600 last month from American Powertrain, It was about a 3 week wait.

 

I put the kiesler kit in my car , engine is chipped at 7200rpm shifting tranny over 6000rpm doesn't happen,they don't tell you that. Hurst also makes a 5-speed tremic conversion kit.

 

2 years from now you won't care about the difference in 4 weeks vs 10 weeks. Put the tranny you want in or else you will be saying woulda, coulda, shoulda.

I've got an RS500 on order. This is week 3 of 10.

 

The T45-RS has been superceded by the RS400 and RS500. If I remember correctly the T45RS wasn't a perfect fit in all C3's (I think 78 and later). The RS400 and RS500 are perfect fits in all the C3s.

 

Exactly what he said. It is worth the wait, money, and a couple of busted knuckles that you will get doing the install.

 

I've bought two Keisler TKO 600's in 2012, one for the 68 and one for the 70. Yep, I had to wait. The 70 is not drivable..since the car is not finished, but the 68 is. The TKO 600 is really a nice tranny. Short shift. Dropped my freeway rpm down from 3000 rpm to 2000 rpm (approx). Good customer service. From inside the car, the shifter looks completely stock. I think Keisler's delivery time is very much influenced by delivery from Tremac who makes the tranny.
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When I ordered the tranny for the 68, all I had to do was tell them it was a 68 Corvette installation and they had a custom made driveshaft made and sent to me. It fit fine. A couple of months later when I ordered a tranny for the 70, they would not have a driveshaft made for me until I installed the tranny in the 70 and measured the distance from the rear of the TKO 600 to the flange of the diff pinion yoke. I don't like the idea that you have to install the tranny before they'll make the driveshaft...especially when it's a standard car like a Corvette. BUT ANYHOW I installed the tranny, when I did order the driveshaft for the 70, I wanted 3150 U joints. These are non-standard larger U-joints. Keisler had my driveshaft built with these larger U-joints at no extra charge. Their customer service is very good. In all my transactions with 2 tranny's there was occasionally a delay with a return phone call..I think they were very busy. Once it was identified that I had a problem, they were very prompt in responding and solving the problem.

 

Billysvette thanks for the heads up on American power. I talked to Robert there and he was very knowledgable about theirs and the Keisler. I also asked if they had real technicians to answer the 24/7 tech support. He said one of there mech. is on call and will answer anytime to help. I asked for a deal and he took a few bills of a Tremec 600 for me so I ordered it. It suppose to ship in one week. It I have it in two I will be very happy.

 

I spoke to American Powertrain before I bought my Keisler. I told him I was considering the Keisler and he got a little hostile and told me Keisler doesn't do anything with the used trans they get in to remanufacture, they just send them out as is and calls them rebuilt.He told me if I give Keisler my money there's no way they'll ever send me a transmission. He said "You don't have to buy from us but whatever you do, don't buy from Keisler.".

I thought it was pretty sleazy of him to out and out lie about his competition like that and tell me what to do and it really turned me off. Talking to American Powertrain was one of the reasons I decided to go with a Keisler trans. I ordered the Keisler trans in January 2012 expecting a six month to 1 year wait but received it in February of 2012. I made sure to send American Powertrain an email and tell them I bought a Keisler instead of their trans.

 

I just ordered my TKO 600 last week from AP. I did a ton of homework and spoke with Hurst, Keisler, AP, Summit etc. Most of the companies were very pleasant and answered all my questions. I did speak to Keisler about a RS600 or a TKO and they stongly advised to go to the SS700. He let me know that the RS600 was a remaned tranny and the SS is an all new unit. That is great and all, but my car will be a cruiser and I only want the OD for the highway since I have 4.11 in my 69. The 700 would have been est. $600 more and who knows when I would have received it??? Paul at American Powertrain was great and was very quick to respond on emails/calls etc. I believe I have about a 3 week wait, which is no big deal because the car is still at the paint shop. Can't wait to turn 2200rpm at 65mph and not 40mph.