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Hi Everyone!
I am building a truck Chassis with full C5 running gear and suspension. I’m wanting to run a mid engine set up using the LS1 mounted straight to the transaxle.
my question; is there a way to mount the LS1 directly to the auto Transaxle itself?
I am looking at the engine mount to torque tube but that does not look like it will bolt up to the transaxle directly.
I heard a certain year trans bell housing worked but could not find any info.
You would have to use a regular auto transmission and adapt it to the Corvette rear differential.
No way that I have seen to mount the C5 trans directly to the engine.
You would have to use a regular auto transmission and adapt it to the Corvette rear differential.
No way that I have seen to mount the C5 trans directly to the engine.
thanks for the response:
That’s what I’m trying to find, is what exact bell housing would work on the auto transaxle to be able to mid mount my motor.
I have heard that a certain year LT trans model was the one to use but I have not been able to find the answer.
The automatic is just a 4L60e based transmission. Just get the front parts from an LS based 4L60e transmission like the bellhousing, converter and flexplate. That transmission was put behind lots of 5.3L engines in the 2000's until GM started using the 6-speed instead. Worst case, just buy the a complete junkyard transmission from a pickup and use whatever parts from the front of it you need to make the engine and transmission go together.
These are not really transaxles. They are transmissions with an actual differential bolted on the back of the transmission.
I know it would be expensive but any automotive based machine shop should be able to build you an adapter to mount the C5 style manual transmission directly to a bellhousing.
If you have enough bed length you could also just do the chopped torque tube style which has been done hundreds of times for altering wheelbase.
That being said I would guess the shortest overall length you could get a functional torque tube would be like 16 inches?
These are not really transaxles. They are transmissions with an actual differential bolted on the back of the transmission.
I know it would be expensive but any automotive based machine shop should be able to build you an adapter to mount the C5 style manual transmission directly to a bellhousing.
If you have enough bed length you could also just do the chopped torque tube style which has been done hundreds of times for altering wheelbase.
That being said I would guess the shortest overall length you could get a functional torque tube would be like 16 inches?
The automatic is just a 4L60e based transmission. Just get the front parts from an LS based 4L60e transmission like the bellhousing, converter and flexplate. That transmission was put behind lots of 5.3L engines in the 2000's until GM started using the 6-speed instead. Worst case, just buy the a complete junkyard transmission from a pickup and use whatever parts from the front of it you need to make the engine and transmission go together.
If you google search bolting a C5 corvette differential to a 2wd 4l60e transmission it sounds to me like it is virtually impossible.
There are actually several threads on various forums inquiring about doing this.
Also like I said in the post above. It sounds good in theory but the results are it is still really LONG when it would be done. Even trying to put this into a full size truck in mid engine fashion would be a challenge IMO.
I'd like to know more about the OPs thoughts and ideas on what the actual project is.
I don't know the parts used but someone has a Corvette auto directly mated to a LS with a Corvette diff. I think it is a C6 diff in the video and I didn't watch everything to know if it is a 4L60E or a C6 6speed auto. However, someone has figured out the mix of parts to complete the idea.
If you are looking to have one built RKT Performance if he builds automatics could be a good contact. He is a sponsor here.
Google searches show the Corvette torque converter and bellhousing are smaller than than the typical rwd truck, Camaro, GTO etc units. No ideas if you could just bolt the normal bellhousing and torque converter on the Corvette transmission to get it together.
LS1tech maybe a better forum for this question in the transmission section or conversions, swaps sub forum.
Hi Everyone!
I am building a truck Chassis with full C5 running gear and suspension. I’m wanting to run a mid engine set up using the LS1 mounted straight to the transaxle.
my question; is there a way to mount the LS1 directly to the auto Transaxle itself?
I am looking at the engine mount to torque tube but that does not look like it will bolt up to the transaxle directly.
I heard a certain year trans bell housing worked but could not find any info.
appreciate the insight
happy new year!!
There was a guy here in Canada (Quebec) who tried building a supercar with the same setup, albeit with a manual transmission. The car was called the HHT Plethore.
I *think* he used an F-body bell-housing to mate the motor to the transmission. Maybe the equivalent auto bellhousing would work, who knows. Regardless, it will be a long drivetrain ; the Plethore had a 116" wheelbase and had a center driving position, possibly to gain a couple more inches of space for the driver by taking advantage of the curvature of the windshield.
There was a guy here in Canada (Quebec) who tried building a supercar with the same setup, albeit with a manual transmission. The car was called the HHT Plethore.
I *think* he used an F-body bell-housing to mate the motor to the transmission. Maybe the equivalent auto bellhousing would work, who knows. Regardless, it will be a long drivetrain ; the Plethore had a 116" wheelbase and had a center driving position, possibly to gain a couple more inches of space for the driver by taking advantage of the curvature of the windshield.
Getting the T56 or TR6060 setup like this is easier. Basically input shaft, front plated off the Camaro, with a Corvette main shaft and tail housing. Converrt the shifter rod inside to a midshift location on the main transmission case. The tricky part is setting shifter linkage. I may have some of the parts names off but RKT, or RPM transmission could build the unit and you would need to figure out shifter linkage.
This topic may have more details on the exact list of parts needed.
From the LT torque converter this sounds similar along to what I was told many years ago.
I am currently finishing something that was started years ago but now that engine technology has advanced so much I’m thinking I should approach things differently now.
I currently have the motor under the cab with a shorten torque tube going back to the rear auto transmission which was the idea many years ago.
Now I’m contemplating moving the LS1 motor to mid mounting directly to the rear auto transmission. I have the room since it’s a COE with no back seats and riding over the front wheels.
I’ve searched many forums, asked questions, you tube and as most would have stated above it’s a cool idea and once most figure the length they stop right there.
I can accommodate the length with motor behind cab a possible bell housing, I just want to know is it possible to use a bell housing from another trans, does the LT torque converter still work with that bell housing Would I need to change the input shaft at all?
again I appreciate everyone’s help and was hoping by now someone has actually done it.
hopefully someone has and will share how it was done
awesome build and this is exactly what I would like to do, it appears the trans in the video is the 6 speed auto.
It seems it’s possible and I’m more inclined to just dive back in and see what happens.
thanks so much for the input
Originally Posted by 93Polo
I don't know the parts used but someone has a Corvette auto directly mated to a LS with a Corvette diff. I think it is a C6 diff in the video and I didn't watch everything to know if it is a 4L60E or a C6 6speed auto. However, someone has figured out the mix of parts to complete the idea.
If you are looking to have one built RKT Performance if he builds automatics could be a good contact. He is a sponsor here.
Google searches show the Corvette torque converter and bellhousing are smaller than than the typical rwd truck, Camaro, GTO etc units. No ideas if you could just bolt the normal bellhousing and torque converter on the Corvette transmission to get it together.
LS1tech maybe a better forum for this question in the transmission section or conversions, swaps sub forum.
I kind of figured it was a COE which has lots of space for the drivetrain.
If the transmission fits a LT1 converter then maybe look at a late 90's 4L60e that was not LS based but had a removable bellhousing for the parts. It'll bolt up less a bolt I believe. You'd need a dished flexplate and a crank extender piece to center the hub of the converter.
awesome!
I am gathering pieces to start this, and fairly confident it’s possible with a mixture of a few pieces.
thank you all for the help
Originally Posted by lionelhutz
I kind of figured it was a COE which has lots of space for the drivetrain.
If the transmission fits a LT1 converter then maybe look at a late 90's 4L60e that was not LS based but had a removable bellhousing for the parts. It'll bolt up less a bolt I believe. You'd need a dished flexplate and a crank extender piece to center the hub of the converter.
LS1 direct bolt to C5 transaxle question
