Im wanting to know what is involved in converting to a T56 trany in my 87 IROC, and bout what it will run me.

 

Got $1350 in mine. Check the sig for a complete write-up. The swap is really a piece of cake. For an '87, instead of a dakota digital SGI-5, you'll need a cable-x box (pretty pricey though). Later man, btw the swap is TOTALLY worth it!!

-Rippin

 

Find a LT1 donor car and get everything from it that you can. Pedals (not necessary if you have a stick already), cables, lines, driveshaft, EVERYTHING!! That will make the swap much easier. The most expensive thing will be a conversion box to convert the electrical signal to a mechanical signal for your speedo. Total, you're looking at anywhere from $1000 to $2000 to do the swap depending on what you can find used and what you have to buy new. You will also have to modify your cross member and the hole in the tranny tunnel for the shifter to fit through as the T56 shifter sits farther back than the T5. You will also have to have your drive shaft shortened unless you get the one from the donor car, it should fit ok.

Good luck.

 

No you won't. I used my stock driveshaft (5spd) and I've got a buddy who used his stock D/S (auto). You can get the crossmember from www.spohn.net very nice piece only downside is a little bit of ground clearance loss for speed bumps and such.

-Rippin

 

all the f-body driveshafts 82-02, were the same length, except the 82/83 with the 3-speed auto or the 4-speed manual transmissions

 

I was gonna say something about the driveshaft but I see it's already been covered....


I spent right at $2000 swapping my 6-speed in, but that's with a stage 3 clutch and a brand new Ripper shifter and a Centerforce flywheel and new hydraulics and synthetic fluid and all that. I could have done it for around 1200 if I hadn't gone all-out.

And that's converting from auto so you could even do it cheaper.....

 

where the hell do u guys find the T56? i mean, do you buy on ebay? i wouldn't know where to find one, and id be sketchy buying one w/o inspecting it first.

 

Stealth: I posted a WTB ad in the Parts Wanted Section. A guy emailed me and I bought it. Simple as that On ebay they always go really high and yards rarely have them. Keep an eye out for cars being parted out. I've seen a lot of T56's go for cheap with a bad synchro or something. If you know the insides of a manual tranny, you can pick one of them up and rebuild it for pretty cheap.

J: Your flywheel was the conversion one too so it cost like $300 didn't it? Man the 6-speed is so sweet, I turn 1600 RPM at 85mph It's great!

udmwye96z: If you want to get technical, once I sell my T5, I'll really only have $1000 in the swap.

-Rippin

 

Yea, manual tranny = simple inside. What you pay for yours? I'm probably going to stick with auto, but if I see a T56 for a decent price, I'd grab it for future use.

 

Rippin: How much do you asking for your 5 spd? And how much would it cost to convert from my auto.?

Stealth: What kind of cam did you put in your 305 TPI? How much was it?

 

93 or 94 LT1 cam, got it for free with like 34k on it, measured .456 intake lift i believe. One big PITA to do the swap, I only did it to get my hands dirty and work on my car, not worth it since I pulled the 305 months later.

 

I'm asking $350 plus shipping from Mooresville NC. Other than what I've got, you'll need:

-Hydros
-T/O Bearing ($10)
-Pedal Assembly
-5 Spd Console

That's all I can think of. PM me if interested.

-Rippin

 

Corey: Yes, the flywheel I used was the Centerforce "T-56 on a 2-piece RMS" flywheel. Part #700107 and it ran right at $300. Also, 85mph=2000rpm in 6th with the 3.70's.

Stealth: I got my T-56 from a guy that knows a guy that hangs out with a friend of mine. I just put the word out with all my "hotrodding" friends that I was looking for one cheap and it eventualy came up. The guy sold it to me for $500 because it wouldn't stay in 4th and it wanted to grind going into 3rd....replaced the 3-4 shift fork for about $50 (including fluid and such) and it works like a charm. Just watch out for trannies with bad synchros. Synchro kits for the T-56 are pretty pricey.

 

Here's an nother option, if you want new.

http://www.sallee-chevrolet.com/BorgWarner/bwt56.html

Can be purchase from any Chevrolet Dealer.

 

Isn't MacLeod making an adaptor to mate any T56 to just about any domestic V8? You specify what the transmission came from and what it's going to be mated to and they send you a bellhousing or an adaptor or something. I believe Hot Rod did a story on it a month or three ago.