5 spd choices
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,172
Likes: 1,668
From: Long Island
Call Silver Sport and get their TKO600 kit. Includes everything and the new drive shaft.
I have done a few 5 speed mods with/ for friends and their kit is the best... Corvette shifter looks stock. The shifter is in the correct location - no mod to the center console.
Their customer service and tech support is fantastic. I have only needed it to get the correct spedo gear for the trans....
I have done a few 5 speed mods with/ for friends and their kit is the best... Corvette shifter looks stock. The shifter is in the correct location - no mod to the center console.
Their customer service and tech support is fantastic. I have only needed it to get the correct spedo gear for the trans....
Last edited by BLUE1972; Dec 18, 2018 at 08:44 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
I have done a dozen 5 speed swaps and these guys are by far the best. If your budget is limited and you are low on HP a T5 will work and require some work but don’t get to aggressive with it or you will see 3rd gear on the ground.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 818
Likes: 70
From: Lancaster Ohio
I went with the TKO 500 with my 3:36 rear gear.
Silver Sport is the best. Great people.
Joey
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,891
Likes: 63
From: Tempe, Az
Low RPM will be the 0.64 ratio. I'm running SST's TKO 500 kit on my car. Perfect matchup with the stock 3.07 rear. It has a 0.68 5th gear and I turn about 1800rpms going 70mph.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,716
Likes: 551
From: Seattle Washington
You are correct, It is the OD ratio. The .82 is sometimes referred to as the Road Race Trans. The majority of these sold have the .64 OD but for people who have small CI engines and or a lot of cam and not much low end torque the .82 works out well. But if You have an engine that makes some good low end torque like most modern ones do then the .64 works out well. ( the .64 has more overdrive, less RPM on the Highway )
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
there are two different ratios you really have to look at. The overall gear ratio in 5th and the overall gear ratio in first. with the streetcar, you want to multiply the first gear ratio by the rear gear ratio and get something around 9 to 10 to 1. With nine being better for the street, and 10 being better for the drag strip. Do you know your current rear gear ratio?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
With a 3.70 rear I have found the .64 is a better choice unless you are racing. You only use 5th gear for highway driving to drop rpms for better fuel economy and lower noise and rpm.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 39,366
Likes: 171
From: Into the Mystic And yet, despite the look on my face, you're still talking TN
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '25
I am pretty sure I am doing this project this winter. With my 3.70 rear end, I'm using the TKO 600 with the .64 fifth gear from SST. I've talked to Jeff there a couple time now and he is very helpful.
Last edited by Capt. Shark; Dec 19, 2018 at 08:42 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,172
Likes: 1,668
From: Long Island
The TKO500 is 500 '/# and the 600 is 600 '/# of torque rated.
With a .64 overdrive you have a 2.40 rear and with a .84 you have a 3.05 rear with 3.73 gears.
On the highway at 75 you would have approximately 2000 rpm and 2900 rpm.
I have a TKO600 with .64 overdrive in my 71 and love it. Good pep around town and I can cruse with the new cars on the highway.
With 3.73 in the rear there is no concern about first gear in the trans.
Get the neutral safety wiring - the car only starts in neutral. I used it instead of the clutch switch. My clutch switch was bad.
With a .64 overdrive you have a 2.40 rear and with a .84 you have a 3.05 rear with 3.73 gears.
On the highway at 75 you would have approximately 2000 rpm and 2900 rpm.
I have a TKO600 with .64 overdrive in my 71 and love it. Good pep around town and I can cruse with the new cars on the highway.
With 3.73 in the rear there is no concern about first gear in the trans.
Get the neutral safety wiring - the car only starts in neutral. I used it instead of the clutch switch. My clutch switch was bad.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,172
Likes: 1,668
From: Long Island
I should mention to get 4 feet of plastic hose and a funnel. I put the hose on the funnel and had a friend pour the gear lube into the funnel . I ran the hose from the engine compartment to the fill on the trans . works well.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,229
Likes: 656
From: Thunder Bay
I have the TKO 600 in my '79 with the .64 overdrive. The difference between the TKO 500 and 600 is in the gear ratios. The 600 is more of a close ratio transmission, the 500 has deeper gears. That is how they get the higher torque rating on the 600. The .64 overdrive is perfect for highway cruising, but there is a pretty big drop from 4th to 5th. The .82 might be a better choice if you thought you were going to be shifting in and out of 5th on a regular basis. I basically drive my car like it had a four speed, and drop it into 5th when I get up to speed on the highway, and just leave it there.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 169
Likes: 39
From: Savannagh, Ga
The tko 500 is for a 3.08 to a 3.55 gear. the tko 600 is for a 3.55 and up rear gear. the tko 500 has a lower first gear 3.27 they call it a quick launch. the tko 600 has 2.87 first gear. I have a tko 500 in my 71 vert with a 3.36 rear gear. as advised by SST.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 72
Likes: 7
How do you like that TKO 500 gearing? I have 3:36 in the rear and was thinking about going with a 600, but haven't decided yet. It looked to me like the 600 combined with a 3:36 rear end was pretty close to a Muncie M22 with 4:11's in the rear, so I was thinking the 500 might be too low.