19corvette91

that stamped steel POS?

JoBy

Thanks!

4bblC4

dogbon, are you using the pull style clutch?

I have a 2 piece rear main seal, and am trying to do away with the pull style clutch so I can run a regular flywheel instead of the expensive centerforce flywheel.

I am wanting to use a t5 bellhousing from an 87 iroc, along w/ it's master/slave cylinder setup. I plan on accomplishing this by making an adapter plate that will go in between the transmission main case and the bellhousing, allowing the tranny to bolt to the bellhousing.

4bblC4

http://www.weirhotrodproducts.com/index.html

http://www.drivetrain.com/gmt56inst.html

http://chevyhiperformance.com/techar...148_0502_swap/

this is what I have been reading and what gave me the ideas. I am basically wanting to do just what these guys did, only make my own adapter plate if I can't buy just the plate and not the whole kit, and use my t5 bellhousing.

350ws6

Yup, I did the T-56 install in my thirdgen, best mod I have ever done.couple of comments...

The T-56 from the LT-1 fbodies are great, stay away from the LS1 versions.

The ZF would most likely be the cheaper option, if you shop around. If you like the T-56's strength, feel, and quietness then go for it. Buy a LT-1 tranny and it will bolt up no problem, no adapter plate BS, have you ever mic'd a bellhousing? They have to be perfect.

All you really need to do is fab up the C beam adapter, and make the speedo work etc...

frank j. moran

You don't really want in put, you just want to tell us what you want to do, in my opinion you should just go ahead and do it. Then tell us all about it..... thanks.

4bblC4

ya, I know about that ls1 stuff.
The reason I don't want to run the t56 bellhousing is because I'll have to run the pull style slave cylinder, and a special flywheel from centerforce that will work with a 2 piece rear main, yet supports the pull style clutch.

all that adds up to alot of extra money that I would rather not spend if I don't have to. That's my whole reasoning behind this. I already have a t5 bellhousing, flywheel, centerforce df clutch, that is ready to go if I can fit it on the t56.

I guess I will just do it, and show how I did. Like I said, I didn't find any sites regarding it, so maybe I should make a page when I'm done that shows the how to's of it.

dogbon, are you running a pull style clutch?

4bblC4

And here's another idea. What if I used the t56 bellhousing, with my regular 2 piece rear main flywheel, but ran a hydraulic throwout bearing? they aren't that expensive, and it would be much easier than the adapter plate.

350ws6

Just take the whole assembly from a LT1 f-body, slave and everything and bolt it to the vette's clutch pedal. Alot of third gen guys buy the $200 flywheel and bolt it to two peice blocks, not a problem either.

4bblC4

i dunno... 250 for the flywheel, 150 for a mini starter, that's 400.00 right there, that I don't wanna spend.

Bob86ZZ4

I did the th400/gear vendors conversion. I absotively love it. I had my th400 built with a fully manual forward pattern valve body which has engine braking upon deceleration. This is an awsum setup. It's about the strongest setup you could make, in my opinion as well as many others. Having the ability to use the Gear Vendors to give me half a gear above any gear I'm in is great for autocrossing. Full throttle shifts without having to clutch (I'm very old and don't miss using the clutch). That web site you attached in an earlier post is the page I made up to show how I did the install. I fabricated my own torque arm. I'm no expert in the engineering department either. It's been in for a couple of years now with not a lick of trouble. I see the Gear Vendors unit has gone up a bit in price since I bought mine but I saw a couple on ebay that didn't look too bad. I don't know if their warranty is transferable. And, I did spend some time on the phone with their tech people when I was putting mine in and they were the greatest. Don't know if they would help you if you bought it on ebay. I'm with you on the philosophy of trying to do it the way you want to whether or not it's the most universally accepted way of doing it. I havn't found anybody else with a th400/gear vendors yet. So, does that mean I shouldn't have done it? No way. If you want to put in a t56, go ahead. Don't rule out the th400/gv route tho. Others that have ridden in/driven my car think it's cool too. It might be more expensive to put in. But, if you do manage to break it (doubt it) it's much less expensive to repair. Good luck. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions about my install.

4bblC4

hey, thanks for the encouragement man! I love your tranny setup! I would play copy cat if I could just get my little grimy hands on a gear vendor.

Do you think in this situation (if I do the t56 route) that I should re fabricate a c-beam? or should I just shorten the stock one, and fabricate a mount for it. I know I'll have to shorten the driveshaft a little, as the t5 bellhousing is thicker than the t56 bellhousing, which will make the whole think be about 2" longer than a t56.

thanks for the info man!

korvetkeith

Thats not true.

tpi 421 vette

The ZF is a stronger trans. I have never had any trans problems with a stock ZF. The F body T56 uses a turbo 350 driveshaft yoke, the ZF uses a Turbo 400 driveshaft yoke.

4bblC4

the yoke doesn't make the tranny itself any stronger.

that said, I think it just falls down to whichever each guy has, he's gonna say he likes better. I'm gonna run a t56 cuz it's cheaper to get initially, cheaper and simpler to rebuild, and won't take that much massaging to work in my c4.

they're both strong.

cv67

Yes, they are both strong;shoot for a T-56 from a '97-Rated for 450lbs. torque" ZF trannies take more of a beating, I'm afraid. I haven't broken mine yet (old motor made around 435@flywheel, see how it hold up to the new one (+130hp). These guys are not trying to discourage you, just save you the pain and $$uffering. My conversion cost me around 5k by the time I was done.

What year T-56 did you say you had? Don't quote me on this, but I believe the LS1's input shaft length will not work. Believe me, I researched the daylights out of this when I did mine. This was back when the only known person to do this was Mark Stielow (If you read CC or CHP magazine, you'll know.)I spoke with him personally and he gavew me the same info. Fabricating is cool, but the biggest PITA is the mounting angle and throw of the T56 clutch. Sometimes its better to spend the money once if its already been a proven success.
I probably could have done mine for a little less, but i wanted it done right, fwiw

4bblC4

I want one w/ a .50 6th.

no, the ls1 won't work unless you change the input shaft, and bellhousing (if your gonna use a t56 bellhousing)

Mr6spd

IF you're good at designing/fabricating it should not be that big of a challenge. I have some web site pages saved (from someone else's former web site) to my hard drive of a c4-T56 conversion with all the details and photos. The website is not up anymore, but let me know if you want me to email the page copies to you.

4bblC4

pm sent

Here's something that might be a hitch in my plan:

does anybody know if the tremec aftermarket t56 has a longer input shaft, in order to work w/ the 1/2" adapter plate?
Or will the stock lt1 input shaft be long enough w/ an additional 1/2" in there?

IBEAM700

Hey man, no negatives allowed in here even if they are the truth and make sense
Only positive encouraging attitudes are accepted.