T56 swap
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
From: Silver Spring Maryland
FRSTR90,
I've also considered A Richmond, but in truth I haven't formed an opinion one way or the other about them yet. Still looking into it.
Frank 833,
I'd likely end up with a kit as my fabricating skills are minimal at best - at least for now. It's not just a matter of will it fit, it's also a matter of vibration. It seems to me that there have been issues with a number of folks having vibration problems after the swap. I recall one guy who posted here who grew so frustrated with the whole thing, he put his Muncie back in. What concerns me is there does not seem to be any pattern to indicated if you will have problems or not. It just seems totally random. I certainly don't mean to impugn anyone's skills or honesty here, but you may have just gotten lucky. The way my luck seems to run with this car, I'll have problems.
I've also considered A Richmond, but in truth I haven't formed an opinion one way or the other about them yet. Still looking into it.
Frank 833,
I'd likely end up with a kit as my fabricating skills are minimal at best - at least for now. It's not just a matter of will it fit, it's also a matter of vibration. It seems to me that there have been issues with a number of folks having vibration problems after the swap. I recall one guy who posted here who grew so frustrated with the whole thing, he put his Muncie back in. What concerns me is there does not seem to be any pattern to indicated if you will have problems or not. It just seems totally random. I certainly don't mean to impugn anyone's skills or honesty here, but you may have just gotten lucky. The way my luck seems to run with this car, I'll have problems.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,625
Likes: 4
From: Miami FL
After getting screwed around by SixSpeeds, Inc. in trying to get a T56 swap into my car I gave up on the project and have since sold my car. I did end up getting a full refund from them which I am still shocked that the monies were credited back to me after 4 months.
Here are the details on how to do a T56 swap and get the shifter to come up in the exact same location. I did a ton of research on this this all came together nicely after talking with countless others who have done the swap so theoretically all should work.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~
In short we are going with the internal hydraulic setup vs. mechanical clutch as this will move the transmission 0.9" further forward compared to using an adapter plate and stock Muncie bellhousing to give us some additional clearance for the longer Viper tail shaft and also the Viper Shifter location is the easiest way this will work for our vettes. Here is a list of all the items I got....
1. SixSpeed, Inc Viper T56 with the following:
A. Front intermediate plate of a LS1 F-body
B. Internal hydraulic clutch setup (we need to use a GM hyrdaulic release bearing as this is what works with the bellhousing)
C. 2.66 1st gear with 0.5 6th gear overdrive
D. Stock Viper Offset Shifter
http://0174de9.netsolstores.com/
2. 98-02 Stock GM Camaro Firebird Trans Am Clutch Master/Slave Cylinder
3. Transmission slip yoke…this is the key part to getting it to fit in the tunnel (thanks Wesh) near the tailshaft running a smaller 1310 slip yoke CHRYSLER 727 AUTO & A833 MANUAL 30 Spline 1310 Series
http://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/html/slip_yokes.html
4. Bellhousing that will bolt the Viper T56 to 1st Gen SBC RM-6023 - Small Block Chevy Bellhousing to T56 LS-1 Chevy Transmission http://www.quicktimeinc.com/products.html#chevy <http://www.quicktimeinc.com/products.html#chevy>
Depth = 5.555"
Transmission Bore Diameter = N/A
Clutch Diameter = 11" Flywheel = 168 tooth Weight = 17 lbs.
Full engine plate and grade 8 bolts included.
Works with factory Chevrolet hydraulic release bearing.
The lightest steel bellhousing available anywhere (Approx. 17 lbs).
The most accurate bellhousing available due to QuickTime's unique manufacturing processes.
The QuickTime cone is spun, not rolled or stamped.
This allows the QuickTime Bellhousing to be the most dimensionally stable bellhousing available.
Built from high grade steel — Work hardens to over 80,000 PSI strength.
Over 2 times the strength of any other steel bellhousing.
SFI Certified at 6.1.
5. 26 spline Spec Stage 2 Clutch
6. existing stock 11" flywheel can be re-used without any problems
7. Abbott Electric to Mechanical Speedo Converter $310 800-643-5973
8. Reverse lockout active and reverse lights hookup
9. Dragvette Driveshaft safety loop $149
http://www.dragvette.com/ <http://www.dragvette.com/>
10. Miscellaneious bolts, etc. bell bolts, bell to block bolts, shifter with bolts, slave bolts, slave cylinder for the LS1 with the throwout bearing, Clutch alignment tool
Here are the details on how to do a T56 swap and get the shifter to come up in the exact same location. I did a ton of research on this this all came together nicely after talking with countless others who have done the swap so theoretically all should work.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~
In short we are going with the internal hydraulic setup vs. mechanical clutch as this will move the transmission 0.9" further forward compared to using an adapter plate and stock Muncie bellhousing to give us some additional clearance for the longer Viper tail shaft and also the Viper Shifter location is the easiest way this will work for our vettes. Here is a list of all the items I got....
1. SixSpeed, Inc Viper T56 with the following:
A. Front intermediate plate of a LS1 F-body
B. Internal hydraulic clutch setup (we need to use a GM hyrdaulic release bearing as this is what works with the bellhousing)
C. 2.66 1st gear with 0.5 6th gear overdrive
D. Stock Viper Offset Shifter
http://0174de9.netsolstores.com/
2. 98-02 Stock GM Camaro Firebird Trans Am Clutch Master/Slave Cylinder
3. Transmission slip yoke…this is the key part to getting it to fit in the tunnel (thanks Wesh) near the tailshaft running a smaller 1310 slip yoke CHRYSLER 727 AUTO & A833 MANUAL 30 Spline 1310 Series
http://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/html/slip_yokes.html
4. Bellhousing that will bolt the Viper T56 to 1st Gen SBC RM-6023 - Small Block Chevy Bellhousing to T56 LS-1 Chevy Transmission http://www.quicktimeinc.com/products.html#chevy <http://www.quicktimeinc.com/products.html#chevy>
Depth = 5.555"
Transmission Bore Diameter = N/A
Clutch Diameter = 11" Flywheel = 168 tooth Weight = 17 lbs.
Full engine plate and grade 8 bolts included.
Works with factory Chevrolet hydraulic release bearing.
The lightest steel bellhousing available anywhere (Approx. 17 lbs).
The most accurate bellhousing available due to QuickTime's unique manufacturing processes.
The QuickTime cone is spun, not rolled or stamped.
This allows the QuickTime Bellhousing to be the most dimensionally stable bellhousing available.
Built from high grade steel — Work hardens to over 80,000 PSI strength.
Over 2 times the strength of any other steel bellhousing.
SFI Certified at 6.1.
5. 26 spline Spec Stage 2 Clutch
6. existing stock 11" flywheel can be re-used without any problems
7. Abbott Electric to Mechanical Speedo Converter $310 800-643-5973
8. Reverse lockout active and reverse lights hookup
9. Dragvette Driveshaft safety loop $149
http://www.dragvette.com/ <http://www.dragvette.com/>
10. Miscellaneious bolts, etc. bell bolts, bell to block bolts, shifter with bolts, slave bolts, slave cylinder for the LS1 with the throwout bearing, Clutch alignment tool
Racer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: Fairview TX
I did take care that I positioned the tail to get the angles as proper as practical. Mine are not spot on (if I remeber correctly my tranny and diff are 1 degree out from ideal), but was the best I could do with sufficient clearance - it's tight between the yolk and ebrake hardware.
No noticable vibes on mine.
Of course that howl from the diff could soon be heard over the sidepipes... Dropped my diff off with Tracdogg2 this week.
