my buddy has a 71 bird with a 455 in it, we are talking about the T56 option, and was wondering if anyone has done it or knows anything. thanks in advance.

 

Someone has done that already, I think they post over at www.classicalpontiac.com check that out.

Steve

 

Depending on how many mods the 455 has, the T-56 may get thrashed to death.

 

yeah, the T56 might not make it. lol. my buddy looked at that website and he found out that all the crazy poncho guys are using tremec TK0's. They said they are pretty much indestrcutible(sp?) On guy leaves at 6000rpm with a 455, he said the tranny hasnt broke, but he has broke the bolts that hold the posi unit together on his dana 60 rearend. WOW. So if my buddy does go with a manual, it will probably be a TKO.

 

leaving at 6k with a 455?????
hmmm, i'm gonna take it that sooner or later that KO is gonna grenade, they are real strong, but not that strong, depending what is done to the 455.
i have the tko and love it, it's a great tranny.

breaking a dana60????? before a tko???
anything is possible, i 'spose...

 

thats just what the guy said in his post so i dunno man. you have a TKO behind your 455?

 

i have it behind my 400 (replicated a RAIII type of setup so to speak) so i'm not makeing mega power (TOPS near 300hp).
again, behind a 455, at 6K, i HIGHLY doubt it, especially with good tires etc...
455 makes ALOT of torque.
they BREAK things easily. my firned will attest

he must be up in pure SMOKE, with the steep first gear of the TKO.
also gotta remember the F-Bods are HEAVY cars, alot of torque and a heavy car, +6k's i'd say your asking for it, or don't be surprised when it happens.

i'm not gonna say "he" isn't doing it, but if it were me, i'd want a flat-bed around just incase, and i don't wish that on anyone.

again it depends how much is done to the motor, overall the tranny is super strong, at least for the price range i feel it's the best bang for the buck

 

Don, was your car a manual tranny car in the first place? What was done to get a TKO in there? Would a shop know how to convert it over if I knew what parts I needed? Someday, like years from now, I would love to have such a tranny in my car, the 4 speeds like the ST-10's etc, seem to be weak as HELL, so I have no clue how anything besides a T56/TKO/Muncie(?) or similar can fit in there and not blow up. 5 or 6 speeds would be great, I can't imagine it, damn th350 lol....

 

The T-56 holds up jsut fine behind the 488ci, 450HP Dodge Viper V-10. Why exactly do you think it snap like peanut brittle behind a mild-moderate 455 Pontiac?

The Vette/F-body version is the same thing except for a smaller clutch (the Viper gets a much beefier one) and aluminum shift forks instead of the steel ones in the Viper verion. All of this is upgradable if you are doing a somewhat customized drivetrain anyway.

 

hehe...i wouldn't put a T56 behind my 455.

i have a very mild setup (.030 over, TRW pistons, hyd. flat tappet cam, ported #16 heads, holley 850, 2500 stall). my car weighs ~3900~ lbs. with me in it, and cuts 1.70's all day long on ET streets launching at ~2000~ rpm. i'm not good at math, but i'm guessing my engine is putting out a good bit of torque on the hit to cut those 60 ft. times. my tranny is a TH400 with a 10" TCI converter; the rear end is a moroso 12-bolt. i'm swapping to a reverse valve body TH400 in the next couple of weeks along with a Turbo Action or TCI 8" steel stator converter. this is in anticipation of the solid roller setup that's going on the car this winter. the new converter should flash at 3800-4000 rpm's. IMO, there's no way a T56 could hold up to that kind of shock.

i'd be interested to hear if anybody has a T56 behind a big block pontiac that's making any kind of power. i love the T56 in my LT1 trans am, except for the time i broke 5th gear.

edit: i talked to TCI this morning...i had no idea how much an 8" converter cost!!!