Its not hard to learn how to start modding your own ride

It's getting rid of the FEAR, to make that FIRST CUT

What ever you mess up, can always be repaired

Everything is life is like a common sense test
how far are you really willing to push it

 

I may have "lucked out" so to say... but I had no issues. One challange with the cross member was quickly handled and service was excellent. Then ran into the owner at Bloomington and was impressed. I wanted to change the shifter ball and handle to a Hurst and pattern in ball... no problem.

Have had it in for about 500 miles and couldn't be happier.

Really sorry to hear about your issues...never fun when we can't drive our addictions.

 

A few months back a honcho from Keisler was posting here in response to some questions that arose, stating VERY EMPHATICALLY that their kits are a direct bolt in with no mods whatsoever...I don't buy it. I bought GrandsportC3's old tremec setup, and was able to mount it with minimal mods: cutting a hole in the tunnel to accomodate the shifter tower, and making my transmission crossmember removable (HIGHLY recommended, by the way...I'm with Norval, I'd never do it any other way!). I still need to do some fiddling to correct my driveline angles, but I've driven it all summer with no problems other than a new little vibration at 90mph .

For the money, the Keissler kit should be PERFECT and EASY. For the amount of extra work some forum members have had to go to, and for the slow and sometimes ineffectual customer service, I think buying a Tremec plus accessories (shifter handle to fit stock shift plate, slip yoke, speedo adaptor, reverse light switch, etc) direct from anyone who sells them for under $2000, and doing the rest yourself is the best choice. It certainly worked well for me, and I didn't have to drop nearly the $$$ that a Keissler kit requires.

Just my .02

-Roy

 

My setup from Keisler pretty much bolted right in with the shifter exactly in the right spot and the drive shaft the perfect length too. Mine went into a 78

 

I assume most of you older hand by now know well about MY attitude on the subject of mods......no car of this vintage is going to be sincerely identical to allow any bolt in kit of any type, the previous mods, intended, and UN INTENDED just don't allow for that, plus it seems the assy in St. Lousi was much more of a custom operation that most assy lines would undertake....

so with variations like that all over the place, if one is not prepared, at least psych wise, to bite the bullett and see it through.....I suggest a bolt on for your Honda, maybe a sticker to two?? not meant to be TOTALLY insulting, but you know this is hotrodding, and we are hotrodding cars that are far more advanced than say a T Bucket....so we are going to need be more patient....

PATIENT...hell try TT over there in Europe...he been working on that car for damn near ten years now.....I remember him from the alt.autos.corvette group when I first got on the net in '95, he was plotting and planning, and building back then yet....

then there are guys like Norval, and Monty, and Merlin, and Pete79L82, and I"m sure dozens of others....gone far more advanced than the stuff I do, but if you can't use a tape measure, can't use a calculator, can't get some welding done, can't visualize, can't pattern in cardboard, tons of other things and basic fabrication techniques.....maybe stick to computers as a hobby....

I know, I"m brutal some times.....dem's the brakes....

GENE

 

Mine went in with no problems at all. I have had a few questions about the install and the customer service was excellent. I was at Carlisle on Friday and had a long talk with them on Friday morning. They are growing so fast they are moving and expanding. It is not an excuse but anyone who is in business knows the problems with growing very rapidly. They were very open about everything and I picked up my new 2 piece yoke there. I have always and will continue to support these guys. Their product changed my car to a much nicer driver. I did cut the crossmember to make it easier but that was my decision.

 

I installed a TKO-600 from Chevy 5 speed in my 68 & it was fairly easy. Where are you in Phila? I go up there sometimes...be happy to look at your problems & maybe see what's wrong.
Alan

 

I did some research and went with the Richmond 6 speed. Better spacing, It givs me all the gears that I have now plus one deeper and one taller. I hope to have it and the new 3.08 rear end (was 3.90:1) in by Thanksgiving.

 

Hmmmm, I don't think you will use 6th gear much with a 3.08 rear gear....

 

hey fellas. Gene, I have to say that i am quite offended by the comments that you made about using a tape measure and such. In all fairness I have only worked on the install about 12 hours all together in a combo of three or four days. I am well aware that it is not going to be a completely smooth install. however I did pay 3500 dollars for this "Dorect bolt in" as claimed before. mostly i am frustrated with getting a single studded trans mount. Was there ever one of those in a vett?? How about not getting the pilot bearing that I ordered. or perhaps getting the wrong size clutch. yea everything that i was sent was wrong. I was not getting answers from them. So please dont put my mechanical abilities in question here. thank you. sorry for being snappy but i just got back from the garage, everything is installed and the damn thing wont go into gear. so im a bit on edge. and yes i did put it in gear before it was in the car.
Any thoughts anyone???

On a lighter note, i met the owner of keilser engineering, at corvettes at carlile, he was an extreamly nice guy and did actually set my mind at ease about the situation and more then made up for this mess. he was very helpful.

AS for the driveshaft angles and hitting the floor boards, the demo car if you will, that was there had all of the same issues that my car has. is it right or wrong?? bad engineering? or the way it is supposed to be? I dont know. but it did give me the confidence that my job was not bad. so thats my update.
Seems liek this is a hot topic. thanks for all of your input.
Marc

 

If you mean it won't go into gear with the motor running, I had that problem once while helping a friend with his car. Figured out we installed the clutch disk the wrong way (we were up over 30 hours straight that weekend)!

After we took it out and installed it so the correct side was facing the flywheel it worked fine. Don't know if that could be your problem, but it's a thought...

 

I have a ROD 6 spd with the following ratios 3.28/2.13/1.57/1.24/1.00/.76
65mph at 1764 rpm
140mph at 3800 rpm
this with the stock 2.87 rear end. Sixth gear is not a dog either. I use sixth gear everytime I hit the highway. I'm extremely happy with it.

 

Wow, 140 mph and just coming up on the cam!

 

I was impressed with the Keisler site. I have not been impressed with the responses here in the forum on Keisler's delivery and customer support.

I am not one but I wonder, can anyone spell attorney? If they are advertising "ready to ship" "bolt in" products, they are not apparently making the grade. Maybe they just need a little "help" in getting their customer service act together.

 

 

Anything past 140 I have to go by my tach rpm and use a calculator to find my mph.

 

I can't help much with your issues, but I will weigh in on this discussion:

I would not purchase another Keisler product simply because of the 'affair of it all'. I purchased the 5 speed, was told it was 4 weeks out till I would receive the product. It actually took 8 weeks for a partial kit to arrive, I was charged full price, and at the same time I received a note telliing me the transmission mount would ship in two weeks. Of course the mount actually got to me 6 weeks after that. On top of that, after thoroughly eating up the customer service guy (it's not our fault...what do you want me to do...etc), I was told I would be $100 credited back to my account. Of course, there was no follow through on that.

In a nutshell, it took me 3.5 months to receive the COMPLETE kit. As a side note, Classic Chevy 5 Speed got a very similar 'bolt in' kit to a friend on mine in less than a week. We had ordered it at the same time, and I had ordered from Keisler because being a Salesman myself I thought Grey (from Keiser) did a fantastic job. My buddy who went with Classic Chevy 5 speed also spent hundreds less.

Pitiful deal really....

B.

 

[QUOTE=mncus11]hey fellas. Gene, I have to say that i am quite offended by the comments that you made about using a tape measure and such. In all fairness I have only worked on the install about 12 hours all together in a combo of three or four days. I am well aware that it is not going to be a completely smooth install. however I did pay 3500 dollars for this "Dorect bolt in" as claimed before. mostly i am frustrated with getting a single studded trans mount. Was there ever one of those in a vett?? How about not getting the pilot bearing that I ordered. or perhaps getting the wrong size clutch. yea everything that i was sent was wrong. I was not getting answers from them. So please dont put my mechanical abilities in question here. thank you. sorry for being snappy but i just got back from the garage, everything is installed and the damn thing wont go into gear. so im a bit on edge. and yes i did put it in gear before it was in the car.
Any thoughts anyone???


Sorry for the tone there Mark, I have to agree about getting rong parts right off the bat is a bit much, so are missing parts, and short ships....that sux....3500 bux ??? jeezus....I was reluctant to spend 1500 on my 700 conversion 8 years ago...wish I used a 2004r instead, but that's another story....I had assumed you went to bolt it in one day, and wasn't aware of all the time gaps...that screws up anyone's thought patterns and job sequence for sure...

still think these cars were about one step away from St. Louis custom/fab ups....gotta remember it was the '60s and SMC didn't exist yet, this crap is hand laid...and so 1/2 inch one way or another...well you can get stackup pretty badly with that....

GENE

 

Mncus11
Marc
The following is an excerp from the CC5S site.

"Transmission Fitment
The TKO is a larger and longer transmission than your stock transmission. Although it is a tight fit, as long as your Corvette is stock and is in good condition, the TKO will fit within your tunnel. Due to the limited space within the Corvette tunnel, and the fact that most 1968-1982 Corvettes have a weld-in crossmembers, installing the larger TKO presents a unique challenge in that there is limited space to first lift the tailshaft over the crossmember and then swing the front end of the transmission up into the bellhousing (the input shaft will not clear the bellhousing while the motor is fixed in place). Our recommended method for installing a TKO involves first removing the motor, or moving it forward, and then installing the transmission. It is also possible to install the TKO without removing the motor. The detailed instructions that come with the Corvette/TKO kit outline both methods of installation allowing you to choose which method is best for you.

To mount the TKO to the crossmember, a custom crossmember bracket is required. This direct bolt-in bracket is included in the kit and comes with a new transmission mount as well as all mounting hardware. 1980-1982, 4-speed equipped Corvettes have crossmember brackets that are welded on to the main crossmember. If this is the case with your Corvette, you will need to modify your crossmember in order to install the TKO. Due to the limited clearance between the bottom of the floorboard and the top of the transmission case, you will need to remove, and not use, the tunnel insulation.

Driveshaft & Slip Yoke
Because the TKO is longer than your stock transmission, you will need a shorter driveshaft. The Ultimate Fit Vette Kit includes a custom made driveshaft with Spicer ujoints and a custom, strap style slip yoke. Due to the location of the Corvette’s rear suspension components, the driveshaft can be somewhat difficult to install and remove. Using the strap style slip yoke makes the installation much easier. Due to the length of the TKO, the slip yoke is pushed further back into the tunnel where the tunnel begins to narrow. This causes a tight fit between the slip yoke, the passenger side wall of the tunnel, and the emergency brake cable, but it does fit. Although rare, we have heard of some circumstances where there is slip yoke interference and adjustments will need to be made.

Shifter
The shifter is a custom made by McLeod Industries specifically for the Ultimate Fit Vette Kit. The shifter is a side mount unit so that the shifter mechanism is mounted directly below the stock shifter hole in the tunnel. Mounting the shifter to the side of the transmission is required for a no-modification installation. The McLeod shifter for the Ultimate Fit Vette Kit is an extremely high quality unit that is simple to install and built to last."

With all that said there are a lot of variables that can make things harder. I feel your frustration! Why don't you give me a call (PM me for the number) and I'll see if I can help you out.
Jim

 

I personally used to have a non-Keissler TKO, Other than a welded on bracket to space over the shifter to the correct location and cutting a hole in the tunnel for the shifter, it didn't require any other modificaitons. Of course, the driveshaft had to be shortened..
I had the tremec for about 3 years/13000 miles in my '68 and also raced over 50 times down the drag strip.. and the tranny held up fine with zero issues.. I went with a good clutch and not a El Cheapo unit...

As for Keissler..I'm pretty sure that they don't actually build the TKO's.. They only install a offset shifter and sell it with all the goodies needed for the install. So, I doubt that any problems like leaks are caused by Keissler workmanship. Some issues with fit don't surprise me at all... The bodies sit different on every C3... and a universal kit might work for some people but won't work for others.